Architectural Oddities

Possibly our broadest category, it includes among other things: Eccentric and unusual homes, mazes, bizarre ruins, amazing outsider architecture and other strange buildings built by non-architects, the architectural follies of Princes and millionaires, gorgeous and unusual libraries, building and bridges grown from living trees, secret passageways, secret lairs, caves, caverns and buried treasure hordes.

Basically any building, structure, house, church, tunnel, that stops you in your tracks because it is unusual looking, has a bizarre back story, or curious method of creation belongs in architectural oddities. From ancient and mysterious ruins in South America to a Buddhist temple made of beer bottles, to a beautiful solar tower in Spain they all fall under the category of architectural oddities.

Image of Eram Garden located in Shiraz, Iran
Shiraz, Iran

Eram Garden

Named after a legendary garden called Eram in southern Arabia, built by order of Shaddad, an Arab king, to compete with Paradise.

Eram Garden (Bagh-e Eram), located along the northern shore of the Khoshk River in Shiraz, is one of the most famous and beautiful Persian gardens in all of Iran. It should be noted that the word... »

Natural History, Cultures and Civilizations , Architectural Oddities, Horticultural Marvels | Edited by TrevorShawnElia

Image of Lummis Castle el Alisal located in Los Angeles, California, US
Los Angeles, California, US

Lummis Castle el Alisal

Eccentric journalist builds himself a castle stone by stone

Charles F. Lummis was an author and historian who, after dropping out of Harvard in 1881, decided to walk from Cincinnati to Los Angeles in a pair of street shoes. He had been offered a job as a... »

Architectural Oddities, Eccentric Homes | Edited by serflac and Rachel

Image of Nautilus House located in Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico | The Nautilus House at Night
Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico

Nautilus House

Fantastical house shaped like a seashell brings aquatic design to architecture

A young family tired of their conventional home yearned to live in something a little more intergrated with nature. Their wish was granted by Javier Senosiain of Senosiain Arquitectos, a... »

Architectural Oddities, Eccentric Homes | Edited by Rachel

Image of Stork Nest Farm located in Benesov, Czech Republic | The Stork Nest is actually a riding arena.
Benesov, Czech Republic

Stork Nest Farm

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

When Design studio SGL Projeckt was hired to rennovate an old farmstead into a event and recreation center, they found the property was already in use. Since 1926, storks migrating from Africa had... »

Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture | Edited by knottedthread and Rachel

Image of Temagami Fire Tower located in Temagami, Canada | Looking up at 100' of tower
Temagami, Canada

Temagami Fire Tower

Stunning views over Ontario's old-growth pine forests

The 100 feet high, Temagami Fire Tower stands on the summit of Caribou Mountain, 400 feet above the town and 1300 feet above sea level. It is just 1/2 mile from Ontario's historic Yonge Street... »

Architectural Oddities | Edited by alexluyckx and atimian

Image of Dungeness Ruins located in Cumberland Island, Georgia, US | (Flickr/Derek A Young)
Cumberland Island, Georgia, US

Dungeness Ruins

Ruins of the Carnegie family mansion on Cumberland Island

In a glaring 19th-century example of the privileged 1 percent, the Carnegie family owned 90% of Cumberland Island, including a gigantic 59-room Scottish mansion on the south shores. After being... »

Ghost Towns, Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins | Edited by atimian

Image of A Panorama View of New York City located in Queens Village, New York, US | All of the boroughs are accurately crafted and geographically placed working only with a 1% error margin
Queens Village, New York, US

A Panorama View of New York City

A 9,335 square foot architectural model of the entire New York City

With the myriad of museums and exhibitions to visit in the Big Apple, the Panorama of the City of New York exhibit at the Queens Museum of Art is one that deserves a special appointment.... »

Small Worlds and Model Towns, Marvelous Maps and Measures, Architectural Oddities | Edited by bboas and atimian

Image of Kaiping Dialous located in Zhenhuaxu, China | (Flickr/kevinpoh)
Zhenhuaxu, China

Kaiping Dialous

Massive fortified towers blend North American and Chinese architecture

In the early Qing Dynasty, gangs of bandits marauded their way through Guangdong, leaving the farmers of the region constantly on guard. To help combat the lawless thieves in the region, locals... »

Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins, Outsider Architecture | Edited by atimian and Seth Teicher

Image of Maho Beach located in Maho Bay, Netherlands Antilles | (Flickr/fussball_89)
Maho Bay, Netherlands Antilles

Maho Beach

Airplanes land over the heads of sunbathing beachgoers

The last decade has seen a number of improvements in Maho Beach, including the creation of a fence to keep tourists from getting blown off the beach by the jet flow of commercial aircraft.... »

Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture | Edited by atimian and Seth Teicher

Image of Ajanta Caves located in Ajanta, India
Ajanta, India

Ajanta Caves

Rock-cut cave complex filled with ancient Buddhist artwork

Constructed over an 800 year period, the Ajanta Caves span a massive rock face in Maharashtra and are filled with ornate frescoes considered masterpieces of Buddhist art. Ajanta is split into... »

Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture, Subterranean Sites | Edited by serflac, atimian and others