zstaehling1127's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Sevan, Armenia

Sevanavank

This ancient monastery complex was transformed from an island to a peninsula when the lake was partially drained.
Arinj, Armenia

Levon's Divine Underground

She asked for a potato cellar and over the next 23 years he gave her a network of holy caves.
Garni, Armenia

Garni Gorge

A geological oddity topped with a 2,000-year-old pagan temple.
Goght, Armenia

Geghard Monastery

This Armenian monastery was carved out of cliffs and named after the spear used to stab Jesus.
Lusarat, Armenia

Khor Virap Monastery

The most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia once held a saint in a pit for 13 years.
Tatev, Armenia

Gavazan Column at Tatev Monastery

Centuries before the modern seismograph, Armenian monks measured quakes with this tilting pillar.
Khndzoresk, Armenia

Old Khndzoresk Cave Village

Right up until the 20th century this network of man-made caves was the biggest village in Eastern Armenia.
Stepanakert, Azerbaijan

We Are Our Mountains

This striking icon of the disputed Republic of Artsakh caused a stir at a Eurovision Song Contest.
Şuşa, Azerbaijan

Hunot Gorge

A scenic canyon with thick forests and historic ruins.
Baku, Azerbaijan

The Maiden Tower

This mysterious but iconic tapered tower appears in many Azeri fairytales and legends.
Baku, Azerbaijan

Heydar Aliyev Center

The building's fluid, wavelike walls are a true feat of architectural ingenuity.
Volgograd, Russia

'The Motherland Calls'

The world's tallest statue of a woman wields the world's tallest sword and is at risk of toppling over.
Gamsutl', Russia

Gamsutl

Propped high atop the peak of Mount Gamsutlmeer, this abandoned village is one of the oldest settlements in the region.
Derbent, Russia

Ekranoplan Lun

An enormous Soviet aircraft, the only one of its kind, stands at the deserted shore of the Caspian Sea.
Baku, Azerbaijan

Fire Temple of Baku

A shrine of fire worship built on top of a natural flame.
Baku, Azerbaijan

Yanar Dağ (Fire Mountain)

Mysterious hillside with a continuously burning natural fire.
Baku, Azerbaijan

Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan

Home to nearly a third of the world's mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan is home to a messy, bubbling, and sometimes explosive landscape.
Qobustan, Azerbaijan

Gobustan Rock Art

A massive collection of petroglyphs dating back some 40,000 years.
Shaki, Azerbaijan

Palace of the Shaki Khans

Foreign invaders almost left this lovely Caucasus palace alone—almost.
Elista, Russia

Chess City

The largest Buddhist city in Europe is a haven for chess fanatics.
Tambov, Russia

Museum of Sin

A homemade anatomical collection of medical anomalies and accidental catastrophes.
Kondrovo, Russia

Home Museum of Wooden Sculptures

A curated museum of wooden sculptures inhabits this Russian home.
Moscow, Russia

Lenin Museum

One of the last examples of Soviet architectural propaganda has a few technological tricks up its sleeve.
Moscow, Russia

Golosov Ravine

Legends of time travel and magical woodland creatures bolster the natural charm of this verdant sanctuary in the midst of Moscow.