Places Edited by Rachel James

These picturesque ruins crumble beautifully into the ocean.

The first hand-illuminated, hand-written bible since the invention of the printing press.

A treasure trove of artifacts, books, and artwork from the "golden age" of exploration.

A castle that was built stone by stone by an eccentric journalist.

A prohibition-style speakeasy takes up residence in the last Victorian residence in Hollywood.

At the foot of a waterfall lies a peaceful swimming lagoon and evidence of over 60,000 years of human habitation.

A former milk-delivery driver and his wife turn their home into a glimmering mosaic.

Czech architects borrow from the nest design of the stork to revitalize a farmstead, hoping to inspire the same loyalty the birds had shown.

Once defending the city of New Orleans from invasion by sea, this fort faces an uncertain future.

A collection of massive stacked rocks in Texas includes a snarky note on the benefits of modern technology.

This simple home was the beginning of a long journey for the iconic Western film star.

An eclectic trailer park retreat in the middle of the California desert.

Nuclear reactor created the plutonium used on Nagasaki.

The inscribed stone at Kilnasaggart is a remnant from nearly a millennium ago.

Iceland: home to volcanoes, waterfalls and, apparently, Santa?

340-foot statue built to honour the Heroes of the Soviet Union.

The haunting "Hell House Altar" is one of the few remnants of an abandoned college that has been a magnet for local legends.

A sharp bend in a dramatic river canyon cut through red rocks.

Climb to the top of the world's largest seated bronze Buddha.

Eccentric sculpture garden brings Basque mythology to life.

A futuristic, brutalist masterpiece that is also strangely prison-like.

Tower that was a frequent stop on the travels of King James I.

Sculpture of a legendary French dragon.

Giant papier mache hog sits on private property.