ramzes1042's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Washington, D.C.

Russian Ambassador's Residence

Was there a small "backpack nuke" hidden in the attic? JFK apparently thought so.
Washington, D.C.

Starship Enterprise NCC-1701

The actual model from the original "Star Trek" series is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum.
Copán Ruinas, Honduras

Hieroglyphic Stairway of Copán

This staircase full of Mayan hieroglyphics is perhaps the largest single text in the world.
Guatemala

Semuc Champey

Hidden deep in the Guatemalan jungle is a turquoise paradise of natural pools, caves, and waterfalls.
Los Angeles, California

Lummis Home ("El Alisal")

A castle that was built stone by stone by an eccentric journalist.
Los Angeles, California

Fire Survivors of the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round

Three vintage horses survived a 1976 inferno and found a home on a sister carousel.
Seattle, Washington

Center of the Universe Sign

Residents of Fremont in Seattle have considered it the center of the universe since the 1970s.
Lexington, Oregon

The Duplicative Forest

Remember that scene in the Matrix, when Neo is in the big white room with all the weapons flying by? Well, this is what it would look like if he had wanted trees instead of guns.
Portland, Oregon

Portland's Shanghai Tunnels

The seamy, underground secrets of Portland's criminal past.
Seattle, Washington

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop

A 100-year-old purveyor of curiosities, curios, and kitsch featuring mummies, shrunken heads, and a Fiji Mermaid.
Winthrop, Washington

Barron Ghost Town

Hundreds of hopeful gold miners came here to get rich, but only two years later the small town was deserted.
Ashford, Washington

Mount Rainier

The highest point in Washington state is a volcano covered in glaciers.
North Bend, Washington

Lester Ghost Town

A short hike into the mountainside forest reveals a decaying 1890s town.
San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.
Santa Monica, California

Pacific Park Solar Ferris Wheel

A second generation sun-powered marvel lights up the night.
Rome, Italy

The Water Clock

This hydrochronometer was invented by a Dominican monk and is a prime feature in this garden.
Aurland, Norway

Aurland Lookout

A thin pane of glass keeps visitors from sliding off this futuristic skywalk.
San Lawrenz, Malta

The Inland Sea

The fishing boats that moor in this small lagoon enter and leave through a tunnel to the sea.
Messina, Italy

Pylons of Messina

Climb the dead electric pylons of Messina.
Palermo, Italy

Santa Maria dello Spasimo

This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.
Caltagirone, Italy

Ceramic Steps of Caltagirone

142 ceramic steps become a mosaic once a year.
Favara, Italy

Farm Cultural Park

This constantly evolving art space saved an Italian town from its own crippling reputation.
East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Komodo National Park

A sprawling nature preserve harbors the world's only living dragons.
Krakow, Poland

Wawel Dragon's Den

This Polish cave has housed a dragon, a brothel, and an enduring legend.