Recent Activity

• May 24, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the STF Kolarbyn Eco Lodges
  

  Skarsjon, Sweden

  STF Kolarbyn Eco Lodges

  Bring your hiking shoes, wool socks, and thermal underwear for a stay in these cozy forest huts.

  The STF Kolarbyn eco-lodges are located in the thick of Sweden's woods and are not your typical hostels. For anyone who's always dreamed of living inside the trunk of an actual tree, these... »

  Extraordinary Flora, Commercial Curiosities, Odd Accommodations, Architectural Oddities, Outsider Architecture | Edited by katiebaker4, Mark_Casey and 2 others

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Elliq-Qala
  

  Beruniy, Uzbekistan

  Elliq-Qala

  The 50 fortresses of the ancient oasis of Khorezm

  ... »

  Cultures and Civilizations , Incredible Ruins | Edited by Tawsam and Mark_Casey

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the "The Bug Pit" at Zindon Prison
  

  Buxoro, Uzbekistan

  "The Bug Pit" at Zindon Prison

  Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit

  In 1842, the British soldiers Stoddart and Connolly were executed in front of the Ark Fortress of Bukhara. It was the finale in a year-long torture (in the case of Stoddart it actually lasted four... »

  Museums and Collections, Crime and Punishment, Memento Mori, Dead Explorers | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Seattle Peace Park
  

  Tashkent, Uzbekistan

  Seattle Peace Park

  Touching displays of wishes for peace from the Cold War era

  In retrospect, one could argue that during the Cold War era, the world was much easier to comprehend than it is today. Today, the borders between friend and enemy are blurred, wars are no longer... »

  Outsider Art, Unusual Monuments | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Tomb of Daniel at Samarkand
  

  Samarqand, Uzbekistan

  Tomb of Daniel at Samarkand

  18m long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet

  Five domes adorn the long structure that holds an 18m long sarcophagus, reputedly holding the remains of the Old Testament prophet Daniel, revered by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike – although... »

  Memento Mori, Relics and Reliquaries, Curious Places of Worship | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis
  

  Samarqand, Uzbekistan

  Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

  The Avenue of Mausolea, a series of grand palatial tombs

  ... »

  Memento Mori, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries | Edited by Tawsam and Mark_Casey

• May 23, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Moynaq
  

  Muynoq, Uzbekistan

  Moynaq

  Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 150km away from the shore

  Moynaq is a city, surrounded by the desert of western Uzbekistan. At first glance, this seems to be one of the many Soviet cities that fell into decline after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But... »

  Ghost Towns, Disaster Areas, Cultures and Civilizations , Incredible Ruins | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and 2 others

• May 22, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the British National Railway Museum
  

  New York, United Kingdom

  British National Railway Museum

  The National Railway Museum in York is the largest railway museum in the world, attracting almost 1 million visitors per year

  Collecting trains is a quaint, imaginative hobby. Collectors learn about and understand history as they study and obtain various models that illustrate different points in history, exhibit... »

  Museums and Collections, Unique Collections, Purveyors of Curiosities | Edited by Tyke, Mark_Casey and others

• May 22, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Casa de Piedra (Stone House)
  

  Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

  Casa de Piedra (Stone House)

  An impressive home made of stone, carved more than a century ago

  In 1907, Lino Bueno had a job to do. At first it seemed simple enough: excavate some of the soft, rich limestone from the nearby hillsides to create municipal buildings for the city he lived in.... »

  Architectural Oddities, Eccentric Homes, Follies and Grottoes, Outsider Architecture, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Piedrasmagicas, Mark_Casey and others

• May 21, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Eyam
  

  Eyam, United Kingdom

  Eyam

  Known as "The Plague Village" Eyam took steps to quarantine themselves and keep the Black Death from spreading

  A small Anglo-Saxon village nestled in the hills of Derbyshire, Eyam has become known as the 'plague village' due to a decision made by the whole village during an outbreak of the Black Death in... »

  Strange Science, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries, Intriguing Environs, Disaster Areas | Edited by lisa_tc, Mark_Casey and others

• May 21, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the The Great Wall of India
  

  Kumbhalgarh, India

  The Great Wall of India

  The second-longest continuous wall on the planet protects a hidden secret in the deserts of India

  The wall that surrounds the ancient fort of Kumbhalgarh is one of the best-kept secrets in India, and perhaps the world. Protecting a massive fort that contains over 300 ancient temples, the... »

  Incredible Ruins | Edited by stevekirsch, Rachel and others

• May 18, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Baltit Fort
  

  Kotli, Pakistan

  Baltit Fort

  Tibetan-influenced mountain fortress in Northern Pakistan

  In more simple times, an awesome house was really the only thing needed for both the defense and definition of one's empire. That may seem like a quaint notion today, but the grand and enduring... »

  Museums and Collections, Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 17, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Bayterek Tower
  

  Astana, Kazakhstan

  Bayterek Tower

  A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life

  The Kazakh word "bayterek" translates literally to mean "tall poplar," as in the tree. That's what makes Bayterek Tower such a fitting name for a national monument steeped in symbolism and... »

  Unusual Monuments, Commercial Curiosities, Architectural Oddities | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 17, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Beatles Statue of Almaty
  

  Almaty, Kazakhstan

  Beatles Statue of Almaty

  The Beatlemania is still strong... at least in Kazakhstan

  Bronzing items which one finds important, and well worth saving, isn't a rare practice. Attics and closets across the world are filled with bronze baby shoes, bronze hand prints and, less... »

  Unusual Monuments, Strange Statues | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 11, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Chaukhandi Tombs
  

  Razzaqabad, Iran

  Chaukhandi Tombs

  Reputedly haunted sandstone necropolis with exquisite stone carvings

  If you're going to bury someone above ground, the container should probably be both secure and reverent. This knowledge seems to be almost instinctive, as ornate tombs and mausoleums can be found... »

  Memento Mori, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries, Incredible Ruins | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 10, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Derawar Fort
  

  Bahawalpur, Pakistan

  Derawar Fort

  Massive fortress bastions in the desert of Cholistan

  There was once a time when not just anyone could step into the massive stone fortresses whose ruins now dot the countryside mostly as tourist attractions. They weren't historical landmarks for... »

  Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 9, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Chilzina and the Forty Steps of Kandahar
  

  Kandahar, Afghanistan

  Chilzina and the Forty Steps of Kandahar

  Rock-cut chamber at top of an outcroup, reached by a mountain stairway of forty steps

  Sometimes, simplicity speaks volumes. A short tower can seem imposing on a featureless plain. A tiny word can say a lot if it's on a blank wall. And 40 simple steps can tell a complex story of... »

  Curious Caves, Unusual Monuments, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 9, 2012 Mark_Casey added Coconino Lava River Cave
  

  Coconino Lava River Cave

  Eons ago, a rushing lava river formed this pristine passage through solid rock

  Lava does weird things. When it flows from a volcano or some other fiery leak in the earth's crust, its surface cools and hardens in the open air, but a viscous molten core continues to flow... »

  Fiery Wonders, Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Natural History, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Mark_Casey and Rachel

• May 3, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Ship Breaking Yard of Gadani
  

  Gadani, Pakistan

  Ship Breaking Yard of Gadani

  The third largest ship breaking yard in the world has created an eerie shipping graveyard in southern Pakistan

  Uncluttered beaches with gleaming white sand and gently lapping waves are really quite common. Or at least images of them are, as they decorate office cubicles, computer screen savers and vacation... »

  Watery Wonders, Unique Collections, Cultures and Civilizations , Commercial Curiosities | Edited by Tawsam, Mark_Casey and others

• May 1, 2012 Mark_Casey added Sewers of Toronto
  

  Sewers of Toronto

  A well-preserved network of cavernous tunnels have spent silent centuries removing Toronto's waste

  It takes a truly special set of circumstances to turn sewage into a landmark. Or, more appropriately, to turn the path it takes to sewage heaven into a landmark. Large cities have elaborate sewer... »

  Architectural Oddities, Follies and Grottoes, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Mark_Casey, Rachel and others

• April 26, 2012 Mark_Casey added IceCube Research Station
  

  IceCube Research Station

  The world's largest neutrino telescope searches for secrets of the universe at the South Pole

  When your grade-school science teacher described the various methods one can use to construct a telescope, drilling countless holes a mile and a half deep into Antarctic ice probably wasn't one of... »

  Inspired Inventions, Instruments of Science, Architectural Oddities | Edited by Mark_Casey, Rachel and others

• April 24, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Citadelle Laferrière
  

  Citadelle Laferrière

  This iconic fortress was once the crown jewel of Haiti's national defense

  War creates great art. You hardly ever hear that claim being made by the often-artsy peaceniks of the world, but it's true. Indelible, iconic images are a key result of almost any war, big or... »

  Museums and Collections, Crime and Punishment, Unusual Monuments, Memento Mori, Relics and Reliquaries, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries, Micro-Nations, Cultures and Civilizations , Lost Tribes, Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins | Edited by MaudeSwift, Mark_Casey and 2 others

• April 24, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the The Forts of Dessalines
  

  The Forts of Dessalines

  An entire town in Haiti memorializes one man and his historic revolution

  The air was still, the moment tense. A legion of ragged, weary troops watched wide-eyed and breathless as their commander shouted, demanding their very best as he waved a torch above a keg of... »

  Unusual Monuments, Strange Statues, Cultures and Civilizations , Lost Tribes, Architectural Oddities, Incredible Ruins | Edited by MaudeSwift, Mark_Casey and others

• April 24, 2012 Mark_Casey added Vortex Spring
  

  Vortex Spring

  A humid oasis combines recreation with exploration in a unique underwater cavern

  Freshwater and Florida isn't always a combination that conjures good feelings among the locals. More often than not, Floridians identify freshwater with swampland, mosquitos, snakes and alligators... »

  Natural Wonders, Watery Wonders, Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Follies and Grottoes | Edited by Mark_Casey and Rachel

• April 21, 2012 Mark_Casey updated the Ellora Caves
  

  Aurangabad, India

  Ellora Caves

  This complex of vertically-excavated Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu monolithic temples in India's Maharashtra providence illustrates a spirit of tolerance characteristic of ancient India.

  Religious devotion was not uncommon in ancient times, but tolerance was often much harder to come by. Happily, for curious travelers and religious devotees alike, the caves at Ellora offer a truly... »

  Architectural Oddities, Curious Places of Worship, Incredible Ruins, Subterranean Sites | Edited by capvt, Mark_Casey and 2 others