wseries's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Alexandria, Egypt

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The lost library of Alexandria, revived as a spearhead of cultural preservation.
Rilski manastir, Bulgaria

Rila Monastery

This historic black and white monastery is one of Bulgaria's architectural jewels.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tünel

Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombili

A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.
Vientiane, Laos

Wat Si Muang

This Khmer temple is named after a young woman who sacrificed herself to protect the city from a disastrous deluge.
Coober Pedy, Australia

Coober Pedy

An opal mining town in the middle of Australia where people live, worship, and shop underground.
Davenport, Australia

Devil's Marbles

Clusters of huge boulders in the Australian Outback.
Anmatjere, Australia

'Anmatjere Man'

Along the Stuart Highway, two giant sculptures tower over the roadway.
Vientiane, Laos

That Dam (Black Stupa)

This mysterious tower is said to enshrine a dormant seven-headed serpent that once protected Vientiane from destruction.
Vientiane, Laos

Patuxai

When the USA donated cement and funds to expand the airport in Laos, the Laotians built a massive monument instead.
Manila, Philippines

GOMBURZA Monument

Dedicated to the three priests whose execution inspired author José Rizal.
Manila, Philippines

Lagusnilad (Manila City Hall Underpass)

Once a crime hotspot, this refurbished underpass is now home to a bookstore and a mural celebrating the history of Manila.
Adelaide, Australia

'A Day Out'

These bronze sculptures sow whimsy by hamming it up on a pedestrian mall.
Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Equipped with thousands of LED lights, this geodesic dome-shaped stadium is an engineering delight.
Broken Hill, Australia

Big Bench

Located on top of mines that run through Broken Hill.
Broken Hill, Australia

Broken Hill Sculpture Symposium

Twelve sculptures designed to make their best showing with the coming or going of the sun.
Silverton, Australia

Mad Max 2 Museum

This shrine to film's most iconic wasteland wanderer is located in the very outback where the movies were shot.
White Cliffs, Australia

White Cliffs

Australia's first opal field led to a mining rush in the 1890s.
Ta Pek, Thailand

Phanom Rung Historical Park

This Khmer-era temple includes a lintel that was stolen and displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago for years before returning to Thailand.
Galle, Sri Lanka

Galle Fort

This fort dates back to 1588 and was colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English and sits prominently on the Indian Ocean where azure water lap the coast.
Da Nang, Vietnam

Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge

This bridge is embedded with a giant steel dragon that breathes fire from its mouth.
Hương Thủy, Vietnam

The Tomb of Nguyen Emperor Khai Dinh

An extravagant monument to an extravagantly unpopular Emperor.