cristiangarciauk's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rome, Italy

Saint Victoria's Incorruptible Body

The martyr's wax-enhanced skeletal remains lie preserved in a glass case in the Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.
Rome, Italy

Campo de Fiori

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.
Rome, Italy

St. Valentine's Skull

The skull of the patron saint of lovers lies in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin—maybe.
Rome, Italy

The Dome Illusion

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

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.
Istanbul, Turkey

Galata House Restaurant

Housed in an old British jail, this spot serves up Georgian, Russian, and Ukrainian specialities with a side of Turkish history.
Istanbul, Turkey

Taksim Mosque

One of the newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.
Istanbul, Turkey

Haliç Metro Bridge

Taking the subway here means doing so over a bridge located in the middle of an estuary.
Istanbul, Turkey

Baris Manco House and Museum

The home-turned-museum of Barış Manço, the mustachioed Turkish Elvis for children.
Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul 2461

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.
Istanbul, Turkey

Museum of Energy

This shuttered power plant is now Turkey's first industrial archaeology museum.
Istanbul, Turkey

Rumeli Hisari

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.
Istanbul, Turkey

Vedat Tek House

The eclectic home of a leading Turkish architect is a gorgeous piece of eye candy.
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

Pudding Shop (Lale Restaurant)

This crucial gathering spot along the "hippie trail" still displays old notes between traveling beatniks and backpackers.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tünel

Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.
Istanbul, Turkey

Serpent Column

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

Hagia Sophia Wishing Column

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet, your wish will be granted.
Istanbul, Turkey

The Museum of Innocence

This museum was invented in a novel before being made real by the author.
Istanbul, Turkey

Panorama 1453 Museum

Step back in time and witness the fall of Constantinople.
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

Obelisk of Theodosius

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

Tombs of the Sultans

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

Ottoman Bird Palaces

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.