hansboroughliam's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Malinovka, Kazakhstan

ALZHIR

A Stalinist prison camp for the wives and children of men accused of betraying the Soviet state is now a memorial museum.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Khan Shatyr

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Bayterek Tower

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

KarLag Memorial Museum

A sober museum housed in the original administrative building of one of Stalin's largest gulags.
Semey, Kazakhstan

Stronger Than Death Monument

This 100-foot tall tombstone memorializes victims of 40 years of nuclear testing in Kazakhstan.
Semey, Kazakhstan

Vladimir Lenin Busts and Statue

A collection of Lenin busts and other Soviet Era statues sit idly behind the Semipalatinsk Hotel.
Semey, Kazakhstan

Semipalatinsk Polygon

One of the most horrible legacies of the Cold War is a site where the Soviet Union tested nuclear bombs on civilians.
Kyrgyzstan

Ala Kul Lake

A stunning blue-green lake located in the Terskey Alatau mountain range.
Kyrgyzstan

Jeti-Ögüz Rocks

According to myth, there's a bloody explanation for the beautiful bright red color of this rock formation set amidst alpine vegetation.
Ak-Su, Kyrgyzstan

Merzbacher Lake

Glacial lake that mysteriously empties itself every year.
Ming-Kush, Kyrgyzstan

Min Kush

This village was once a thriving Soviet uranium mining center, but is now semi-abandoned and desolate.
Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Muzey Sulayman Too

An outstanding piece of retro Sci-Fi architecture built into a sacred mountain.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.
Istanbul, Turkey

Nakilbent Cistern

A sixth-century Byzantine cistern hidden below a modern carpet store.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombs of the Sultans

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.
Istanbul, Turkey

Viking Runes at Hagia Sophia

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.
Istanbul, Turkey

Golden Horn Chain

A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Spoonmaker's Diamond

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.
Istanbul, Turkey

Theodosian Wall Stone Ladder

Climb a set of vertiginous stone steps to the top of this impressive ancient edifice.
Istanbul, Turkey

Camondo Stairs

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.
Adalar, Turkey

Prinkipo Orphanage

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.