tobbinator's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Istanbul, Turkey

Rumeli Hisari

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.
Istanbul, Turkey

Column of the Goths

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

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

Yeralti Camii (Underground Mosque)

A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.
Istanbul, Turkey

Camondo Stairs

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.
Istanbul, Turkey

St. Stephen Bulgarian Iron Church

The most metal church of all time was built in record time because of an international, pious pissing contest.
Pristina, Kosovo

Goddess on the Throne

This stone figurine was made more than 6,000 years ago and depicts a female deity of the Neolithic Vinča culture.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Spoonmaker's Diamond

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.
Adalar, Turkey

Prinkipo Orphanage

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.
Istanbul, Turkey

Taksim Mosque

One of the newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.
Skopje, North Macedonia

Memorial House of Mother Teresa

In the hometown of the Catholic saint and Nobel Peace Prize winner, a memorial dedicated to her legacy.
Skopje, North Macedonia

Skopje Fortress

This fortress dates back to the 6th century and is also the site of a controversial abandoned restoration project.
Pristina, Kosovo

Newborn Monument

This massive monument was unveiled the day Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
Istanbul, Turkey

Kaiser Wilhelm Fountain

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.
Istanbul, Turkey

Vlora Hanı

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

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

Tombs of the Sultans

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tünel

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

The Largo

Sofia's legislative center is continuously reinventing itself.
Sofia, Bulgaria

National Palace of Culture

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.
Sofia, Bulgaria

Statue of Sveta Sofia

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.
Sofia, Bulgaria

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

A striking symbol of the Bulgarian capital.
Mogoșoaia, Romania

Mogoșoaia Palace

17th century palace once a meeting place for politicians.