Author: Ms. R.

When temperatures drop, there is one guaranteed way to keep warm outside: fire. Stoking a campfire or backyard pit is one way. Torching an entire viking ship or an effigy of the devil—well, that’s an option, too. Such flaming rituals have been used throughout history and are still an annual fixture in many communities today. Around the world now, there are festivals involving bonfires, torches, candles, and more to mark a special time of year, drive away unwelcome spirits,……

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The operator of public transportation in Frankfurt am Main, the Stadtwerke, keeps one example of every type of vehicle used for the city’s public transportation system since the beginning of their operations. Displaying that collection, the Verkehrsmuseum (Transit Museum), opened its doors in 1984. It features the oldest preserved electric trolley car in the world. The worldwide unique museum displays the development of public transportation of its city, especially the trolley car, completely without interruption. In 1950, the trolley……

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Passing through the front doors of Durham Cathedral, you may notice the metallic head of a lion holding a ring in the shape of a snake in its mouth. What few may realize is that this is a meticulously-rendered duplicate. The original lies inside the church, in the Great Kitchen in Open Treasure. Known as the Sanctuary Knocker, this small object has played an important role in the cathedral’s history. The Sanctuary Knocker dates back to the 12th century…….

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A number of Oregon stereotypes don’t apply to Steens Mountain, located in the southeastern corner of the state. First, it doesn’t support a thick conifer forest, apparently because it’s so remote it was never seeded after the glacial retreat. Second, it’s in the “outback” east of the Cascades, popularly supposed to be the unattractive part of the state. Finally, although the mountain is made of layers of volcanic rock, it’s not a volcano, unlike the famous peaks in the……

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The hacienda of Misnébalam, along with its surrounding abandoned village, is the only ghost town in the state of Yucatán. Located at the first turnoff at kilometer 21 of the Mérida-Progreso highway, this unique hacienda, or estate, was built in the early 20th century, and inhabited for about 100 years before being abandoned around 2010. Misnébalam was once an important site for the production of henequén, an agave plant that is often turned into rope. At its peak, more……

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This 37-acre outdoor living museum is situated on a former gold mining site, which transformed the city of Ballarat after gold was first discovered in the region around 1851. Opened in 1970, visitors to the site get the chance to see what the gold rush was like during this period. The museum also features period-dressed characters, horse rides, underground mines, and live gold pouring. Visitors can walk in the 1850 era shops, schools, and buildings that take them back……

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Located in Aireys Inlet, part of the Great Ocean Road resides this magnificent sculpture. William Buckley was deported from the United Kingdom to Australia as a convict. He was bound for a convict settlement, however, he escaped into the bushland. While hiding in the region barely able to survive, he befriended the local Wathaurong People. Buckley became immersed in their culture and claimed to have seen a Bunyip on multiple occasions, which is a legendary water monster from Aboriginal……

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The beautiful Baphuon is a striking part of the Angkor Thom complex in Cambodia. Often less busy than its more famous counterparts, the temple has an interesting history and hidden statue. It has a wonderful approach along its long, raised processional path passing between the remains of its reflection pools. Built in the 11th century as the state temple for Udayadityavarman II, Baphuon was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. But in the late 15th century, the three-tiered temple……

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Where outside of San Francisco can you ride a 1906 San Francisco cable car? That would be Poway, California. The narrow-gauge Poway Midland Railroad claims to have the only operational San Francisco cable car carrying passengers outside of the Bay Area. The car debuted in San Francisco’s California Street fleet in late 1906. It was built to replace cars destroyed in the earthquake that devastated the city on April 18 of that year. In 1955 it was sold to Knott’s……

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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 visit a massive 19th-century reservoir under the city of Copenhagen that has been repurposed as a contemporary art cave. We venture inside to learn more about its history and bask in the incredible acoustics of the space. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you……

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In the 1960 and 70s, the University of Connecticut, like many college campuses across the United States, was awash in protests—and the buttons that came with them. “The stuff being produced was entirely ephemeral,” says Graham Stinnett, the archivist who oversees the university’s alternative press collection. The pin-on buttons, along with the bumper stickers, signs, T-shirts, and alt-weeklies of the counterculture, were meant to be discarded. But the archivist and librarians on campus made the then-radical decision to collect……

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Atop Alinja Mountain in Azerbaijan sits an impressive fortress known as Alinjagala or Alinja Tower. Though the exact details of its origins are not known, historical evidence points to a fortification at this site dating back to the first century, established by the Armenian lords of Syunik. The mountaintop fortress had dozens of buildings, including barracks, warehouses, a bathhouse, stables, kitchens, an arsenal, treasury, and the ruler’s palace. It is surrounded by thick stone walls, and accessible by a steep……

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Archaeological finds suggested that Aboriginal people have lived in the Buchan caves reserve region for around 18,000 years. The reserve contains multiple caves including the fairy cave and a royal cave. The two largest caves within the reserve are actually linked together alongside multiple other smaller caves. Tours throughout the cave can be arranged, and allows visitors the chance to view amazing limestone formations that have been carved through the rock by underground river activity for over 400 million……

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