Author: Ms. R.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has caused views of chocolate factories to become rather fantastical, with visions of chocolate rivers, sugar-spun landscapes, and perhaps a rogue oompa-loompa. Most real-life confectionaries are decidedly lower on whimsy, but there are a few noteworthy exceptions. One of these is the Lindt Home of Chocolate, a part of the Kilchberg chocolate factory just outside of Zurich.  Switzerland’s famous chocolate-producer set up the visitor center and museum in 2020 with the hope of……

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Greenboro, North Carolina street artist JEKS created this tribute to the Grammy-winning, genre-defying Atlanta natives and hip hop legends OutKast. Andre 3000 and Big Boi tower 30 feet over a parking lot of Little Five Points, a streetwear boutique.  The mural references a picture by Jonathan Mannion, a legendary hip-hop photographer. JEKS painted the entire mural freehand in 2019 and it quickly became a prominent local landmark. …

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Situated in the heart of Wiltshire, Old Sarum represents centuries of history and civilizations layered on top of one another. The site offers a glimpse into eras that have left lasting marks on the landscape.  Although the castle itself dates back to the 11th century, construction on other parts of Old Sarum started around 400 BC. The site evolved from being an Iron Age hillfort, once named Sorviodunum, to a bustling hub of early hunters and farming communities. Archaeological……

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Moai are monolithic sculptures carved by the Rapa Nui people indigenous to an island of the same name (also known as Easter Island). The 3.2-ton moai, gifted by Chile in 2004, symbolizes the friendship between Chile and New Zealand. It also celebrates the connection between the Rapa Nui and New Zealand’s Maori. Located on the south Wellington coast, in Lyall Bay, this moai stands alone, gazing out to sea. The moai primarily serve as living faces representing deified ancestors (aringa……

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Close to the center of Walla Walla is the city’s oldest park, Pioneer Park, which has trails, ponds, record-holding old-growth trees, monuments, and a historic bandstand. What is most astonishing about this park is that in the southwest corner, near the rose garden, you will find a brilliant array of colorful feathers adorning around 200 birds of 30-35 different species, including waterfowl, in enclosed spaces that include incubation and rearing facilities with a care and quarantine area for birds. ……

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Altinho Hill is at the center of Panaji, where several important buildings and landmarks are located. On the eastern slope of this hill sits a beautiful temple that overlooks Fontainhas, Panaji’s Latin Quarter. Dedicated to Lord Hanuman the temple is known as the Maruti Temple, as Lord Hanuman is also known as Maruti. The temple can be accessed via a picturesque flight of steps. One of the most fascinating aspects of the city of Panaji is its love for……

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The Strasburg Rail Road is said to be the oldest continuously operating railroad in North America, in existence since 1832. It’s a short line that connects to what became the Pennsylvania Railroad in Paradise, Pennsylvania. The line ran for well over a century, but by the 1950s it was showing its age. Declining revenues and deteriorating trackage and rolling stock were rendering operations ever more marginal, and it seemed destined to spiral down into bankruptcy and abandonment like so……

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For decades, visiting Liechtenstein has been treated as a novelty. This tiny principality is the sixth smallest sovereign state in the world, having been ruled by the reigning family since the 18th century. Until the country’s entrance into manufacturing in the mid-1900s, Liechtenstein didn’t have much commerce to speak of. To fix this issue there was special emphasis placed on its high-quality stamps, as it does today. At the Liechtenstein Postal Museum, philatelists can marvel at the artistry of……

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Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we hear staff stories about places in the world that made them instantly feel at home, from the Big Easy to the Magic Kingdom. We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and we want to hear yours. Tell us about a place that makes you feel at home. What made it special?……

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While all eyes are on Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, we here at Atlas Obscura have a few Super Bowl alternatives for you to consider—the amazing sports, competitions, and champions that get just a little less attention. Join us as we marvel at the talents of competitive stone-skimmers, mashed-potato wrestlers, lion dancers, log riders, llama racers and, yes, chair-sitters. What Is the Hardest Unicycle Trick? by Eric Grundhauser Contrary to popular perception, the unicycle is not just for circus……

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