Recent Activity

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Tipu's Tiger
  

  London, United Kingdom

  Tipu's Tiger

  A delightful crank-operated pipe organ depicts a tiger calmly devouring a hapless colonial

  First discovered by the British East India Company amongst the belongings of a tiger-obsessed sultan, Tipu's Tiger is a physical reminder of the enmity felt between the residents of India and the... »

  Musical Wonders, Amazing Automata | Edited by Annetta

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Replica of the Golden Hinde
  

  London, United Kingdom

  Replica of the Golden Hinde

  This one has sailed five times as far as Sir Francis Drake's famous ship

  When Sir Francis Drake returned from his epic circumnavigation of the globe in 1580, the Queen declared that his ship should be preserved so the public could revel in his success for years to... »

  Museums and Collections, Retro-Tech | Edited by Annetta and wythe

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to The dome illusion
  

  The dome illusion

  A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling

  The Jesuit church of Saint Ignazio was supposed to have a glorious dome, but when the money ran out in 1642, the plans were scrapped. Instead of foregoing the dome entirely, painter and Jesuit... »

  Optical Oddities, Curious Places of Worship | Edited by Annetta, Sanglorian and others

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Torre Argentina - Roman Cat Sanctuary
  

  Torre Argentina - Roman Cat Sanctuary

  Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered

  In Rome the cats have an ancient temple-complex all to themselves. Known as Largo di Torre Argentina, this archaeological wonder was excavated as part of Mussolini's rebuilding efforts in 1929,... »

  Fascinating Fauna, Long Now Locations | Edited by Annetta, wythe and 2 others

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Catacombes de Paris
  

  Paris, France

  Catacombes de Paris

  The Catacombs hold secrets much stranger than the bones stacked within them

  In 2004, Parisian police were assigned to do a training exercise in a previously uncharted part of the Catacombs of Paris beneath the Palais de Chaillot. Entering the catacombs through a drain,... »

  Memento Mori, Ossuaries, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries, Subterranean Sites | Edited by CPilgrim, Dylan and 6 others

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Père Lachaise Cemetery
  

  Paris, France

  Père Lachaise Cemetery

  France's Most Famous Cemetery

  A large cemetery by itself wouldn't seem too odd; even one containing famous remains might not be enough to more than raise an eyebrow. Instead, it's the culture and atmosphere that set Père... »

  Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries | Edited by meelar, Dylan and others

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Santa Maria della Concezione
  

  Santa Maria della Concezione

  The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises"

  In 1775, the Marquis de Sade wrote of it, “I have never seen anything more striking.” Granted, the crypt was to his tastes. Mark Twain wrote about it in his 1869 book Innocents Abroad. When... »

  Memento Mori, Relics and Reliquaries, Ossuaries, Mummies, Catacombs, Crypts, & Cemeteries, Curious Places of Worship | Edited by michelle, Dylan and 2 others

• February 25, 2011 kcc138 has been to Solomon's Castle
  

  North America

  Solomon's Castle

  Florida castle built with aluminum printing plates

  Standing in a central Florida swamp, shining in the sun, is a hand-built medieval castle complete with a moat. The sculptor Howard Solomon started building the castle in 1974 out of aluminum... »

  Eccentric Homes | Edited by Tre and As she is spoke