cristinaskating's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Venice, Italy

Giant Hands of Venice’s Grand Canal

A new sculpture calls attention to climate change in the centuries-old city it threatens.
Venice, Italy

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

This palatial spiral staircase was so unusual the name "snail" was given to the noble family who built it.
Syracuse, Italy

Ear of Dionysius

Italian cave with exceptional acoustics and an unsavory history.
Siena, Italy

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena

First founded in 1472, this is the oldest bank in the world. Its history may explain why we call financial institutions "banks."
Pisa, Italy

Guy Rope Anchors for the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The only visible reminders of an elaborate engineering project that kept the tower from reaching the tipping point.
Florence, Italy

Bronze Replica of Michelangelo’s David

A copy of the famous statue can be found in this Florence piazza, along with one of the most breathtaking views of the city below.
Florence, Italy

Il Porcellino

This bronze boar's snout has been rubbed to a golden sheen by visitors seeking good fortune.
Rome, Italy

The Aventine Keyhole

Rome's semi-secret peephole vista is also a former Crusader stronghold.
Rome, Italy

The Mouth of Truth

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.
Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.
Québec City, Québec

Old Québec Funicular

This steep cable railway has been hoisting passengers in the heart of Québec City for over a century.
Montreal, Québec

Oratoire St. Joseph

City law dictates that this mountaintop cathedral containing the heart of a saint is to remain the tallest building in town.
Québec City, Québec

Château Frontenac

This lovely, if imposing, piece of Canadian gothic is possibly the most photographed hotel in the world.
Montreal, Québec

Notre Dame Basilica

A grand Gothic Revival basilica with stained glass depictions of Montreal's religious history has only one soul resting in its crypt.
Montreal, Québec

Biosphere of Montreal

Designed by Buckminster Fuller, this relic of the 67 Expo survived fire and ice.
Colborne, Ontario

The Big Apple

This giant roadside fruit is home to an array of apple-based treats.
Toronto, Ontario

Ontario Place

An abandoned 1970s theme park that has been turned into a space for waterfront walking.
Lincoln, Ontario

Grande Hermine

The third version of this tall sailing ship sits, rusted and burnt, in Lake Ontario.
Toronto, Ontario

Toronto PATH

One of the largest underground systems runs under Canada's largest urban center.
Toronto, Ontario

The Yorkville Rock

This massive, ancient stone was disassembled and then put back together again.
Ottawa, Ontario

'Maman'

Louise Bourgeois' 30-foot-tall steel spider sculpture.
Niagara Falls, Ontario

Clifton Hill

This Niagara Falls tourist trap is a world bright with neon and curiosities that will inspire love, hate, or a mixture of both.
Toronto, Ontario

Berczy Park Dog Fountain

This whimsical fountain pays tribute to Toronto's four-legged friends.
Hamilton, Ontario

City of Waterfalls

With well over 130 falls and cascades to brag about, Hamilton, Ontario has earned its stripes as the waterfall capital of the world.