buckblaze's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Demre, Turkey

Church of St. Nicholas

This church houses the tomb—but not the remains—of St. Nicholas, the likely progenitor to Santa Claus.
Şırnak Province, Turkey

Mount Judi

A small mountain at the crossroads of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria that some believe was the landing point of Noah's Ark.
Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul 2461

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Mongolian Military Museum

Thousands of artifacts tell Mongolia's military history, from the Bronze Age to the present.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Centre of Shaman Eternal Heavenly Sophistication

A nondescript dirt lot hides an intriguing center of shamanic healing.
Sainshand, Mongolia

Danzanravjaa Museum

Hidden treasures belonging to Mongolia's most revered and multi-talented monk spent decades buried in the Gobi desert.
Battsengel, Mongolia

Taikhar Rock

People have been scribbling on this massive chunk of granite for more than 1,500 years.
Tariat, Mongolia

Ovoos at Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake

A jagged silhouette of shamanistic stone heaps rises from the shore of this dazzling mile-high lake.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Natural History Museum of Mongolia

An exceptional assortment of fossils recovered from private collections.
Shammar, Mongolia

The Mother Tree

This spiritual landmark for practicers of Shamanism is drenched in milk and vodka and covered in blue scarves.
Urgun, Mongolia

Khamriin Khiid

Mongolian Buddhists believe this monastery in the Gobi desert to be the center of the world's spiritual energy.
Bulgan, Mongolia

Flaming Cliffs

Dinosaur eggs were first discovered at these fiery red cliffs.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The Zaisan Memorial

A huge communist-era propaganda monument and mural that offers stunning views of the Mongolian capital.
Kharkhorin, Mongolia

Erdene Zuu

The oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia has survived centuries of invasions, political shifts, and religious purges.
Mongolia

Khustain Nuruu National Park

The grassy landscape is home to the world's last truly wild horses.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Genghis Khan Statue Complex

Enormous statue of the Emperor of the Mongols.
Sauran, Kazakhstan

Ruins of Sauran

This was once the largest city in Kazakhstan, and a major stop on the Silk Road.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Zelionyj Bazaar

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.
Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome

World's oldest and largest space launch facility, once a secret missile testing site.
Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aral Sea

Rusting ships sit in a desert where a sea used to be.
Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.
Kula, Hawaii

Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area

Ten acres of the Kula Forest Reserve make up this wondrous state park.