mattruegger's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Selçuk, Turkey

Basilica of St. John

This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.
Barcelona, Spain

Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor

Possibly the oldest church in Barcelona, this basilica has its pagan and Christian mythologies all mixed up.
York, England

Baile Hill

The little-known second castle that William the Conqueror built in York.
Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.
Ödeshög V, Sweden

Alvastra Abbey

The ruins of a monastery where Saint Bridget of Sweden had her revelations recorded.
Visby, Sweden

The Maiden's Tower

Known locally as the Jungfrutornet, this Medieval tower hides a dark legend.
Uppsala, Sweden

'Thing of all Swedes' Mound

The official meeting point for the oddly named governing assembly of ancient Sweden.
Lund, Sweden

Horologium mirabile Lundense

This Swedish astronomical clock was in storage for almost a century before its glorious workings were put on display once more.
Stockholm, Sweden

Stomatol Sign

Sweden's oldest animated sign is still lighting up the skyline today.
Ystad, Sweden

Ales Stenar

According to legend, this boat-shaped henge is built over the grave of a mythic king.
Stockholm, Sweden

Museum of Medieval Stockholm

The discovery of an old wall led to the creation of this fascinating museum about the city in the Middle Ages.
Ödeshög, Sweden

Rök Rune Stone

This encrypted monolith protected a secret of Norse mythology by hiding in a church wall for over a millennium.
Sweden

Gotland

Largest island in the Baltic Sea experiences such idyllic weather that roses bloom in the middle of December.
Raron, Switzerland

Grave of Rainer Maria Rilke

The gravestone of a famous poet features a fittingly poetic epitaph chosen by the writer himself.
Zurich, Switzerland

Haus Hiltl

Featuring a meatless buffet fit for kings, this family-owned Zurich eatery is considered the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the West.
Lutry, Switzerland

Lutry Menhirs

Standing stones found on a construction site are re-erected.
Bern, Switzerland

Naturhistorisches Museum

Natural history museum displaying a famous taxidermied St. Bernard.
Erlach, Switzerland

St. Peter’s Island

The idyllic island where the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent “the happiest time of his life.”
London, England

The Ruins of St. Dunstan-in-the-East

One of the few remaining casualties of the London Blitz, this destroyed church has become an enchanting public garden.
London, England

Leadenhall Market

This ornate Victorian marketplace was the setting for Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron in the Harry Potter films.
Stockholm, Sweden

Tyska Kyrkan Weather Vane

This centuries-old rooster survived a devastating fire.
Stockholm, Sweden

Berzelius Park

This statue and park honor the Swedish chemist Jacob Berzelius, one of the founders of modern chemistry.
Stockholm, Sweden

Kastellet Stockholm

The Swedish flag over this small naval fort signals that the nation is at peace.
Stockholm, Sweden

Skepptuna Church

A 12th-century church with a medieval fresco and an intriguing “Greek runestone.”