Follies - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

39 Items Tagged

Follies

Share Tweet
Hume, Scotland

Hume Castle

From fortification to folly, this hilltop structure has undergone many changes in the last 800 years.
Dandenong South, Australia

Hotel Eastlink

A roadside hotel that you can’t stop at. 
Rivington, England

Liverpool Castle

This 20th-century replica of a 13th-century castle has itself fallen into ruin.
Inveraray, Scotland

Dun na Cuaiche Watchtower

An 18th-century viewpoint across the surrounding highlands.
Tattingstone, England

Tattingstone Wonder

An 18th-century estate owner thought these cottages were an eyesore, so he artfully disguised them as a church.
Buxton, England

Solomon's Temple

This landmark Victorian folly rewards visitors with spectacular views over the Peak District.
Johnstone, Scotland

Kenmure Hill Temple

A mysterious ruin shrouded in more folklore than fact.
Video • PinDrop

An Abandoned Victorian Sea Fort Turned Hotel

1:38
Meriden, Connecticut

Castle Craig

A lone tower rises above the cliffs in a city park, offering fantastic views of the Connecticut landscape.
Schwetzingen, Germany

The Mosque of Schwetzingen Palace Gardens

This 18th-century folly is one of Europe's rare "garden mosques."
Łapalice, Poland

Łapalice Castle

This imposing 20th-century castle was abandoned before it was ever completed.
Derbyshire, England

Rowtor Rocks

This mysterious hilltop collection of Druid carvings isn't quite what it seems.
Durham, England

Durham Obelisk

An abandoned tower once used to study the cosmos hides within a thicket of greenery.
Halifax, England

Wainhouse Tower

This tallest folly in the world began its life as an elaborate factory chimney.
North Yorkshire, England

Swinton Druids Temple

Although it appears ancient and mysterious, the quirky folly was actually built 200 years ago by an eccentric estate owner.
Cochin, Saskatchewan

Cochin Lighthouse

The unusual lighthouse looms over waves of prairies with no sea in sight.
Houghton le Spring, England

Penshaw Monument

The nearly 200-year-old folly has a secret spiral staircase hidden in one of its pillars.
Câmpina, Romania

Iulia Hasdeu Castle

This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.