dbone's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Almaty, Kazakhstan

Ascension Cathedral

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.
Zhanaarka District, Kazakhstan

Soyuz 11 Memorial

The remains of a monument in the remote Kazakhstani desert dedicated to the only men to die in outer space, the crew of the Soyuz 11 rocket.
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.
Raiymbek District, Kazakhstan

Charyn Canyon

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.
Zharkent, Kazakhstan

Zharkent Mosque

This unique wooden mosque resembling a Chinese pagoda was said to be built without the use of nails.
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.
Almaly, Kazakhstan

Bayzhansay Ghost Town

An abandoned Soviet-era mining town in the mountains of South Kazakhstan.
Enbekshikazakh District, Kazakhstan

Issyk Lake

The lovely lake that was naturally dammed, then naturally destroyed, then unnaturally saved.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.
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.
Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aral Sea

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

Baikonur Cosmodrome

World's oldest and largest space launch facility, once a secret missile testing site.
Mykines, Faroe Islands

Mykines Hólmur Lighthouse

This isolated and westernmost point of the Faroe Islands archipelago is home to thousands of seabirds.
Sandavágur, Faroe Islands

Trøllkonufingur

Legend says this rock spire is the finger of a witch who wanted to throw the Faroe Islands towards Iceland.
Oyndarfjørður, Faroe Islands

Rinkusteinar

Two massive boulders, rocking back and forth with the ebbing of the sea.
Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands One-Lane Tunnels

The narrow passages will challenge even the bravest driver.
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Eysturoyartunnilin (Eysturoy Tunnel)

Located more than 600 feet beneath sea level, this tunnel boasts the world's first undersea roundabout.
Bordoy, Faroe Islands

Múli

Despite finally receiving electricity in 1970, this tiny town is now deserted.
Kirkjubøur, Faroe Islands

St. Magnus Cathedral

This mysterious, medieval cathedral remains unbuilt but fiercely protected.
Faroe Islands

The Nykur of Sørvágsvatn

In Faroese legend, this sinister horse-shaped beast lures unsuspecting passersby only to drown them in the lake.
Kunoy, Faroe Islands

Skarð

The abandoned village of Skarð aptly illustrates the idiom "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."
Gasadalur Village, Faroe Islands

Gásadalur Village

This remote island village was in danger of depopulating completely until a tunnel was built to connect it to the rest of the world .
Faroe Islands

Lake Sørvágsvatn

The largest lake in the Faroe Islands seems to be held hundreds of feet above sea level thanks to an optical illusion.