kirralea's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
London, England

Cheapside Plane Tree

What might be the oldest living tree in London has survived fires, bombings, and estate agents.
Toxeiras, Spain

O Avó

This "grandfather" eucalyptus is one of the tallest trees in Europe.
Gérouville, Belgium

Tilleul de Gérouville

A 600-year-old elm tree with a built-in seat and thatched roof.
Ketura, Israel

Judean Date Palm Methuselah

This tree was extinct for a thousand years before sprouting again from a 2,000-year-old seed.
Luras, Italy

Olivastri Millenari

At an estimated 3,800 years old, this olive tree is one of the oldest on earth.
Älvdalen S, Sweden

Old Tjikko

The world's oldest individual clonal tree looks like a wimp despite standing tall for 9,550 years.
Dijon, France

The Magic Owl of Dijon

For over 300 years this little carving has been the city’s good luck charm.
Vienna, Austria

"Stock-im-Eisen" Nail Tree

Legends surround an ancient tree trunk riddled with nails for good luck.
Göttingen, Germany

Gänseliesel

The Goose Girl of Göttingen, Germany might well be the most kissed girl in the world.
Paris, France

The Recumbent Effigy of Victor Noir

How did a French journalist’s grave become the sexiest statue in the cemetery?
Mons, Belgium

The Guardhouse Monkey

Petting this mysterious iron monkey supposedly brings good luck.
Millers Point, Australia

Sydney Observatory

This historic observatory contains the world's oldest refracting lens telescope.
Athens, Greece

Tzistarakis Mosque

Legend says it was constructed with the destroyed pillar of an ancient Greek Temple.
Odense, Denmark

Jomfruspringet (The Virgin Leap)

This aged paving stone, marked by a maiden's foot imprint and the tales of her plunge from the cathedral tower, serves as a memorial to a tragic local legend.
Kværndrup, Denmark

The Wooden Man

Generations have refused to move this doll from its dusty resting place to preserve a castle from a watery fate.
Brussels, Belgium

Hôtel Solvay

This historic Art Nouveau townhouse was the former home of the son of a famous chemical inventor and industrialist.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Witchery

Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Door Knocker

A rare and unique example of an 18th-century door latch calls this restaurant home.
Turin, Italy

Egyptian Museum of Turin

One of the oldest and most significant collections of Ancient Egyptian archeology outside of Egypt.
Turin, Italy

Portone del Diavolo (Devil's Door)

This sinister Baroque entryway could lead you to a terrible fate.
Prague, Czechia

Faustův Dům (Faust House)

A Baroque mansion with ties to legendary magicians and alchemists.
London, England

Pamela Colman Smith's Fireplace

Inside a London bookstore, a fireplace that once belonged to the illustrator responsible for a famous set of tarot cards.
Nykøbing Falster, Denmark

Museum Obscurum

This secret collection of the strange and occult was rediscovered in a forgotten room of an old house.
Sakskobing, Denmark

Stikhokken

It might look like just a pile of sticks—because it is. But there's a dark history to how this stack got its start.