matthewrw0827's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Zanzibar, Tanzania
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Ghent, Belgium

Gravensteen

This fairytale castle was built as a show of power but was nearly torn down thanks to its history of torture.
Bruges, Belgium

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Christ's blood allegedly preserved in a Belgian town.
Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

Borders of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog

A maze of crosses marks the jumbled divide between the Netherlands and Belgium.
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Begijnhof Chapel

A hidden church in a hidden courtyard tells the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam.
Haarlem, Netherlands

Grote Kerk

This towering church is home to a world-famous organ and a treasure trove of medieval art.
Schiphol, Netherlands

Planes@Plaza

This old KLM airplane cut into three parts was transformed into an eclectic airport gift shop.
Cologne, Germany

Cologne's Love Locks Bridge

Thousands of tourists and residents in Cologne affix "love padlocks" on the Hohenzollernbrücke Bridge to symbolize their affections.
Oberwesel, Germany

Burg Pfalzgrafenstein

Tiny castle in the middle of the Rhine made you pay to pass.
Venice, Italy

Torcello Bell Tower

Stare out over the lagoon and beyond from this 10th-century campanile on the island where the city of Venice began.
Venice, Italy

Church of San Giacomo di Rialto

According to tradition this is the oldest church in Venice, but its actual age is a mystery.
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

Torcello

The small peaceful island off the Venice tourist circuit is where the city began more than 1,500 years ago.
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

The Mad Colored Houses of Burano

This community on a small Venetian island has taken to painting their houses in bright neon hues.
Florence, Italy

Michelangelo's Hidden Drawings

The doodles of a genius line the walls of a secret room under the Medici Chapel, where they were hidden for nearly 500 years.
Pisa, Italy

The Camposanto

Next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a cemetery home to ancient sarcophagi and disturbing murals.
San Gimignano, Italy

Towers of San Gimignano

These medieval skyscrapers dominate the skyline of this small Tuscan town.
Rome, Italy

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

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

Vatican City Walls

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

Vatican Necropolis

Hidden beneath the famous St. Peter's Basilica is a veritable city of the dead that may hold the remains of St. Peter himself.
Naples, Italy

Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco

The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead still cares for the skulls at this mini-Fontanelle.
Naples, Italy

Bourbon Tunnel

Dug as a secret royal escape route, the tunnel became a wartime bomb shelter and dumping ground for vintage cars.
Pompeii, Italy

The Brothels of Pompeii

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.
Pompeii, Italy

Plaster Citizens of Pompeii

The last moments of the ill-fated Pompeiians, frozen forever in plaster.