christopherfrance's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Alnwick, England
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Places visited in Dunure, Scotland
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Places visited in Highland, Scotland
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Places visited in Padua, Italy
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Places visited in Aachen, Germany
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Places visited in Ayr, Scotland
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Rome, Italy

Passetto di Borgo

The Pope’s secret escape route.
Vatican City

Domus Sanctae Marthae

These spartan apartments are provided to clergymen visiting Vatican City.
Rome, Italy

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."
Brindisi, Italy

Roman Columns of Brindisi

It's believed that these columns marked the end of the Via Appia.
Castellana Grotte, Italy

Castellana Caves

The sunlight passing through the opening of this huge cave system creates a magical effect.
Locorotondo, Italy

Trullo di Marziolla

The oldest-known example of a historic architectural style recognized by UNESCO.
Alberobello, Italy

Alberobello

Southern Italy's spinning top village.
Trani, Italy

Trani Cathedral

Three underground crypts and a pointed arch under the bell tower make this cathedral unique among Romanesque churches.
Andria, Italy

Castel del Monte

Geometry and mystery come together in an epic show of octagonal masonry.
Maddaloni, Italy

Ponti della Valle di Maddaloni

A massive bridge forms part of an aqueduct that was deemed an architectural wonder of its time.
Rome, Italy

Il Tempio di Adriano (Temple of Hadrian)

The remains of this 2nd-century Roman temple are incorporated into a modern building.
Rome, Italy

Fontana dell'Acqua Felice

A monumental fountain in Rome features a large statue of Moses that has been criticized for centuries.
Rome, Italy

Meridian Line of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs

Installed in an act of one-upsmanship, the annual sundial in this church is also a symbolic victory for the Gregorian calendar.
Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.
Rome, Italy

Vicus Caprarius

A forgotten "city of water" underneath the famous Trevi district.
Rome, Italy

Elephant and Obelisk

A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.
Rome, Italy

Wheel of the Exposed

An unremarkable wooden wheel built into the side of one of Rome's oldest hospitals was part of a policy to reduce infant exposure.
Rome, Italy

Campo de Fiori

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.
Vatican City

Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche

Breathtaking and huge 430 year old maps of Italy.
Vatican City

Vatican City Walls

Historic fortifications form the boundary of Vatican City, but it’s not entirely surrounded by walls.
Florence, Italy

Galileo's Middle Finger

The middle finger of modernity.
Florence, Italy

La Berta

Legend says this mysterious stone head belongs to a woman who was petrified by an alchemist.
Florence, Italy

Ospedale degli Innocenti (Hospital of the Innocents)

Renaissance hospital featuring a rotating door into which unwanted babies were dropped.
Florence, Italy

The Relic of St. Antoninus

The mummified relic of St. Antoninus.