Explore 622 Legends Collections - Atlas Obscura
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Mauritania

Ben Amera Monolith

The second largest monolith in the world was once betrayed by its lover, Ben Aicha.
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.
Soap Sally was always lying in wait to snatch idle children and turn them into soap and candles, according to regional folklore in Appalachia and the American South.
fairytales

Soap Sally, a Villain of Appalachia and the American South, Echoes Old World Evil

The wicked washerwoman, child murderer, and entrepreneur has parallels to Baba Yaga and other classic European folk figures.
Emma Cieslik October 30, 2023
cryptozoology

Explore the United States of Cryptids

Our archives offer a tour of the country's most elusive, mysterious characters.
Roxanne Hoorn October 28, 2023
Tokyo, Japan

Ubagaike Pond

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.
Yamanashi, Japan

Kanibōzu Claw Marks

A giant man-eating crab monster allegedly left its claw marks on this unassuming boulder.
This 1962 cover of <em>Official Detective</em> features a Halloween candy poisoner at work.
poison

Why Halloween’s ‘Poison Candy’ Myth Endures

Even though we know better.
Jennifer Byrne October 19, 2023
The city of Pontianak was named after a ghost.
statues

The Time a Town Was in an Uproar Over a 300-Foot Ghost Statue

Cast your votes on the “nightmare Statue of Liberty.”
Natalie Lawrence October 13, 2023
The deathwatch beetle found in the United Kingdom, <em>Xestobium rufovillosum</em>, was once considered an omen of death.
science

The Truth Behind the Deathwatch Beetle's Creepy Tap-Tap-Tapping

In the United Kingdom, the insects were once considered omens of death—they're actually much more destructive.
Roxanne Hoorn October 11, 2023
The Devil Head of Raus Church
Raus, Sweden

The Devil Head of Raus Church

Legend has it that this church faced a troll problem, leading to the affixing of a stone face of Satan above the entrance to deter further encounters.
St Dogmaels, Wales

Peregrine and the Mermaid

A wooden statue of a mermaid commemorates one fisherman's generosity.
In 2018, artist Marisela Barrera fielded calls as San Antonio's ghostly Donkey Lady.
haunted

Why Are There So Many Female Ghosts?

Female ghosts seem to dominate the afterlife. Whether the spirits are real or not, the reasons for the disparity could be revealing.
Nathaniel Scharping October 6, 2023
trees

The Charming True Story of the Haunting ‘Lady in the Tree’

How an art prank created a new Halloween legend for the Miawpukek First Nation.
Roxanne Hoorn October 6, 2023
Oarfish sport red spine-like fins on their head and a long dorsal fin running the length of their body, as well as two oar-like pelvic fins, giving them their name.
disasters

The Legend of Japan's 'Earthquake Fish'

The serpent-like oarfish has long been considered an omen of natural disaster. Scientists are shaking up that old superstition.
Roxanne Hoorn October 3, 2023
Falsterbo, Sweden

Shoemaker's Pear Tree

Where a troll might repair your shoes in exchange for a bowl of porridge.
Sucevița, Romania

Suceviţa Monastery

This fortress-like monastery is covered with intricate frescoes.
Mahō Jinja (Magical Shrine)
Soja, Japan

Mahō Jinja (Magical Shrine)

This unusual "magical shrine" honors a legendary raccoon-dog god that stowed away to Japan from some far-off land.
Niimi Jumbo Cook
Tokyo, Japan

Niimi Jumbo Cook

Rumored to be a giant robot in disguise, this colossal chef has been the beloved symbol of Tokyo’s kitchenware district for decades.