Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps.


In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit northern Italy, where a mysterious religious community founded by an insurance agent–turned–spiritual leader spent 15 years constructing an underground temple. Damanhur is covered in intricate paintings, mosaics, trippy colors, and images inspired by Roman, Greek and Egyptian mythology.

Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.

Atlas Obscura user Keith Busha