motomorphosis's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Colorado Springs, Colorado

Garden of the Gods

Strange red rock formations that have been attributed to a higher power for hundreds of years.
Berlin, Germany

Berlin Victory Column

A monument to the three wars that led to German unification towers within a Berlin traffic circle.
New York, New York

Crabs of Cleopatra’s Needle

Curious crustaceans support an obelisk from ancient Egypt that now stands in modern-day Central Park.
New York, New York

Jeffrey's Hook Light

Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge.
New York, New York

Bemelmans Bar

The walls are decorated with whimsical murals painted by the creator of the Madeline franchise.
Big Sur, California

Nepenthe

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.
Santa Monica, California

Chez Jay

A treasure hunter's tiny bar, harboring celebrities since 1959.
Venice, Italy

Libreria Acqua Alta

This Venice bookstore has resigned itself to constant flooding by keeping its books in bathtubs and boats.
Marina del Rey, California

Venice Beach Oil Fields

The short oil boom of Venice Beach, and its swift removal from the tourism-laden landscape.
Venice, Italy

Piraeus Lion

Thousand-year-old Viking runes adorn an ancient Greek lion at the entrance to the Venetian Arsenal.
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.
Venice, Italy

St. Mark's Lost Third Column

Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.
Venice, Italy

Monument to Niccolò Tommaseo

The pile of books behind the dignified writer gave the statue a most undignified nickname.
Venice, Italy

Palazzo Dario

Those who own or stay at this 500-year-old, allegedly cursed house often meet terrible fates.
Venice, Italy

Peggy Guggenheim's Grave

The only museum with its curator—and her pets—buried inside.
Venice, Italy

Ponte dei Pugni (Bridge of Fists)

100 year tradition of fist fights, marked by marble footsteps.
Los Angeles, California

Traffic Circle Gondola

A lonely Gondola stuck on a traffic circle sits in a spot where it once would have floated down the Grand Canal.
Los Angeles, California

Venice of America Canals

After starting as a whimsical tourist attraction that eventually found its way to ruin, these renovated canals offer a lush and exotic locale on the Pacific Coast.
Poolesville, Maryland

Seneca Schoolhouse

The oldest surviving one-room schoolhouse in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Poolesville, Maryland

Seneca Quarry

This ruined quarry once produced the distinctive red sandstone used for construction projects in Washington, D.C.
Sedona, Arizona

Teal McDonald's Arches

The world's only teal arches exist in a city that cares more about its aesthetic than an Instagram influencer.
Germantown, Maryland

Ruins of Clopper Mill

The hidden ruins of a mill that is linked to an attempt to assassinate the vice president of the United States.
Coconino County, Arizona

Red Butte Airfield

The Grand Canyon’s original airport, which once welcomed pilots like Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh, lies abandoned.
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."