Helsinki, Finland
Temppeliaukio Church
A subterranean house of worship carved right out of the bedrock.
Places I've been
Places this traveler has marked as been there.
Helsinki, Finland
A subterranean house of worship carved right out of the bedrock.
Helsinki, Finland
Architecturally stunning library serves as the hub of Finnish scholarly life and culture.
Helsinki, Finland
An alien church provides much needed silence in the midst of a Finland shopping center.
Helsinki, Finland
An abstract monument to a symphonic composer.
Helsinki, Finland
This irregularly shaped sea fortress has defended not one but three different sovereign states.
Helsinki, Finland
This insurance company building reminds customers that witches, bears, and gnomes are out there, best be insured.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
An art museum inside an active factory.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
This Russian museum stresses the importance of keeping clean and even holds one of Pavlov's dogs.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Perhaps the tiniest sculpture in Saint Petersburg is a little bronze finch inspired by a song.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Dark, eerie exhibits make for a surreal exploration of the subconscious.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
A city block packed with whimsical sculptures that seem to be plucked from a tiled fantasy world.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Specimens collected by the author of "Lolita" and self-taught lepidopterist are exhibited in his childhood home.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Palace where the nearly un-killable Rasputin was murdered.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
A 250-year-old timepiece-automaton adorned with golden mechanical birds, which still sing to this day.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
A scale model of Russia so big visitors are offered binoculars to rent so they can see the whole thing.
Pushkin, Russia
An 18th century wonder of the world, lost in WWII, re-created at the Catherine Palace.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
A surreal pile of colorful junk fills a small yard in an otherwise gray neighborhood.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
The oldest museum in Russia is home to a fascinating collection of nearly two million anthropological artifacts and anatomical curiosities.
Oxford, England
The beloved fantasy novelist is buried near a church containing a whimsical etched glass window full of Narnia favorites.
Oxford, England
A 26-foot shark sculpture—a statement about bombs—set off a municipal battle royale.
Oxford, England
J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and other "Inklings" met at the Oxford pub to discuss the now legendary fantasy stories they were writing.
London, England
After nearly 60 years, there's still a bear at Paddington Station looking for help.
London, England
A tongue-in-cheek arcade where the games are based on everyday life.
London, England
This South London cemetery holds the remains of more than 15,000 people.