Electrical Oddities

Sparta, Italy

Torri Morandi

An abandonded building, which was once used to tighten a powerline with a counterweight over Messina Strait

In the first half of the 1950ies, an overhead powerline over Messina Strait was built. For this line not only two large pylons ( http://atlasobscura.com/place/pylons-messina ) were built, but also... »

Electrical Oddities | Edited by

Parcines, Italy

Peter Mitterhofer Typewriter Museum

Typewriter museum housing more than 1,500 machines preserves the history of the grandfather of computers.

Open since 1998, this purpose-built museum in Italy’s Bolzano region holds over 1,500 typewriter models in its permanent collection. The museum was built in honour of Peter Mitterhofer, one of the... »

Unique Collections, Instruments of Science, Electrical Oddities, Amazing Automata | Edited by trowel and Rachel

Luts'k, Ukraine

Lutsk Compact Overhead Powerline

An unusual powerline connecting a heating power station with a substation

Lutsk Compact Overhead Powerline is a 10 kV powerline connecting a power station with a nearby substation. But it is no normal 10 kV overhead line, as it uses bundles of 6 wires for each... »

Electrical Oddities | Edited by

Dzerzhinsk, Russia

Shukhov Tower on the Oka River

An unused hyberbolic electricity pylon kept as architectural monument

Originally created to carry electricity across the Oka River, the Shukhov Tower was built in a strong hyperboloid form, allowing it to remain intact even after it outlasted its use at the collapse... »

Electrical Oddities | Edited by atimian and Dylan

Herrenwyk, Germany

380 kV-Powerline between Lübeck-Siems and Lübeck-Herrenwyk

Only 380 kV Powerline in Europe not directly interconnected to the European 380 kV Grid

After German Reunifaction it was planned to build a 380 kV interconnection between Krümmel Nuclear Power Station, in former West Germany, to Görries substation in former East Germany via... »

Electrical Oddities | Edited by Alpha

Qingshui, China

The Amazing Robots of Wu Yulu

A chinese farmer builds robots from scrap

In 1986 the movie Short Circuit came out and hit number one at the box office. It was the story of lovable robot Johnny 5, and perhaps the first time a robot was the protagonist of a film. That... »

Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities, Retro-Tech, Amazing Automata | Edited by serflac and Dylan

Arlington, Virginia, US

Rosslyn Metro Escalator

At 207 feet, one of the world's longest continuous escalators

According to Dante Alighieri, past the wall of flames after the 7th terrace of Purgatory, there is an immense stone staircase leading to the Earthly Paradise so big that Dante and his companions... »

Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities | Edited by A Facebook user, Nicholas Jackson and 2 others

IJsselstein, Netherlands

Gerbrandy Tower

Tower that turns into world's tallest Christmas tree

A combination free-standing tower and guyed mast, the Gerbrandy Tower is the tallest broadcasting tower in the Netherlands. More impressive, though, is what the tower becomes during the holiday... »

Unusual Monuments, Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities | Edited by Nicholas Jackson

Schiedam, Netherlands

Noletmolen

Wind power station for making famous Ketel One vodka

The tallest windmill is actually a disguise. Hidden inside of the windmill's 43-meter-tall tower is a wind power station. Operated by the Nolet Distillery, Noletmolen in Schiedam, South Holland,... »

Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities, Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture | Edited by Nicholas Jackson

Westerholt, Germany

Westerholt E-66 Observation Wind Turbine

Giant wind turbine with observation deck at the very top

The Westerholt E-66 Observation Wind Turbine is one of more than 40 Enercon E-66 turbines in the Holtriem Wind Park, but it's a special one: At the top of the turbine, just below where the rotor... »

Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities, Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture | Edited by Nicholas Jackson