ARB88's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Helsinki, Finland

National Memorial to the Winter War

Dedicated to the outnumbered Finnish forces who pushed back Soviet forces during the conflict.
Helsinki, Finland

'Oma maa mansikka'

This ten-ton fruit sculpture celebrates the Finland homeland.
Helsinki, Finland

'Roots of the City'

Hundreds of signs pointing to the birthplaces of current Helsinki residents form stalactites on the ceiling of the cave-like Kamppi metro station.
Helsinki, Finland

Kamppi Chapel

An alien church provides much needed silence in the midst of a Finland shopping center.
Helsinki, Finland

Lyhdynkantajat (The Lantern Bearers)

These enormous, stern-faced statues greet visitors with lanterns, and sometimes costumes.
London, England

Mount Street Gardens

Tucked away behind the mansions of Mayfair, this picturesque garden is a hidden London treasure with a spooky past.
London, England

Audley Square Spy Lamp Post

This overlooked street light once served as a KGB dead letter box.
London, England

Ziggy Stardust Plaque

This London plaque marks the spot where David Bowie's famous alien made his debut.
London, England

Huntsman & Sons

The real clothing store that inspired a fictional spy organization's front.
London, England

Allies Sculpture

Bronze sculpture celebrating the relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt.
London, England

Handel & Hendrix in London

The next-door homes of two very different musicians, George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix.
London, England

William Blake's Home

The townhouse where the English poet created some of his most influential work has been preserved in tribute.
London, England

The Beaumont Hotel

This five-star hotel was originally a swanky parking garage.
London, England

Brown Hart Gardens

It is still illegal to "quarrel" at this unlikely urban oasis built on top of an electrical substation.
London, England

'Potteries and Piggeries' Bottle Kiln

A relic from one of London's worst 19th-century slums.
London, England

'Peter Pan' Gravemarkers

Two tombstones associated with the much-beloved children's story.
Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen

Founded as a refugee camp, now a popular tourist spot.
Oakham, England

Oakham Castle Horseshoes

Hundreds of huge, centuries-old horseshoes adorn the walls of this nontraditional 12th-century castle.
Providence, Rhode Island

Ladd Observatory

A 132-year-old telescope continues to keep watch over the night skies above Providence.
Providence, Rhode Island

Stephen Harris House

A simple Colonial home with a past haunted by death and madness.
London, England

Smith Square World War II Ghost Sign

A faded reminder of what was once a common sight in London during the Blitz.
London, England

The Vincent Street Fireplace

A lasting remnant of the London Blitz.
London, England

London's Rose-Ringed Parakeets

Legend says these colorful, invasive residents are the descendants of birds released by Jimi Hendrix.
London, England

Leinster Gardens False Facades

You'd never know the houses at 23-24 Leinster Gardens were fakes—until you see the train tracks on the other side.