karisbeeson's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Pavia, Italy

Antonio Scarpa's Head

What better way to honor a pioneering anatomist than by preserving his severed head like a specimen?
Panzini, Italy

Hermitage of St. Albert Butrio

A beautiful chapel on the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese claims to house the tomb of King Edward II of England.
Furore, Italy

Fiordo di Furore

A narrow opening between the mountains of the Amalfi Coast creates a scenic hidden beach.
Gubbio, Italy

Basilica of the Mummified Saint Ubaldo

The venerated body of a 12th century saint is celebrated each year with the 'Race of the Candles.'
Viterbo, Italy

The Incorrupt Body of Santa Rosa

The leathery remains of a woman who died in the 13th century now lie in a church named for her.
Ravenna, Italy

Baptistery of Neon

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung reported a paranormal experience after visiting this mosaic-lined Roman baptistry.
Lampedusa e Linosa, Italy

'Porta d'Europa' ('Gateway to Europe')

A monument to the migrants who cross the dangerous waters between North Africa and a tiny Italian island.
Rome, Italy

Passetto del Biscione

This hidden alley near the location of Rome's first theater was the site of a curious miracle.
Lampedusa e Linosa, Italy

Rabbit Islet

Contrary to what its name suggests, you won't find any bunnies here.
Rome, Italy

Cappella di San Zenone (Chapel of Saint Zeno)

Its interior is adorned with some of the best examples of early Christian mosaics.
Torre del Greco, Italy

San Michele Arcangelo Hypogeum

The old church, buried by the 1784 Mount Vesuvius eruption, is a remarkably well-preserved place where people now pray for the souls of the dead.
Chiavenna, Italy

Paradiso Botanical Archaeological Park

An archaeological treasure trove towers over the valley of Chiavenna.
Palermo, Italy

Santa Maria dello Spasimo

This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.
Capriate San Gervasio, Italy

Crespi d’Adda Cemetery

A massive mausoleum towers over the gravestones in a 19th-century Italian "model village."
Battaglia Terme, Italy

Castello del Catajo

Known as the Royal Palace of the Euganean Hills, this often overlooked castle has been home for multiple noble families over the centuries.
Pavia, Italy

Anatomical Theatre at the University of Pavia

This 18th-century dissection theater's frescoes display a gorgeous tension between the terrestrial and esoteric.
Torba, Italy

Faceless Nuns of the Torba Monastery

An unsettling painting of three faceless sisters that is surrounded by history and legend.
Masua, Italy

Porto Flavia

This cliff-face port is considered a masterpiece of mining engineering.
Bacoli, Italy

Casina Vanvitelliana

The Bourbon royal family had this unique octagonal hunting "cottage" built on a tiny islet in Lake Fusaro.
Naples, Italy

Church of Santa Luciella ai Librai

An unusual "skull with ears" sits in the crypt of this small church tucked away at the end of a narrow alley.
Palermo, Italy

Porta Nuova

This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.
Florence, Italy

Fresco of John Hawkwood

In Florence's great Duomo, a 26 foot fresco honors a mercenary famous for attacking Florence.
Matera, Italy

Chiesa del Purgatorio

Skulls and skeletons are omnipresent in this church dedicated to souls trapped in purgatory.
Genoa, Italy

Genoa Cathedral

This cathedral hides a sculpted dog that determines your fate and an unexploded shell from World War II.