msabigailbrown's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Istanbul, Turkey

Vlora Hanı

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.
Turkey

Yanartaş

Flames have been burning within this mountain for more than 2,500 years.
Manazan, Turkey

City of Manazan

Naturally protected city carved from a rock face.
Istanbul, Turkey

Piri Reis Map at Topkapi Palace

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.
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.
Derinkuyu, Turkey

Derinkuyu Underground City

The deepest underground city in Turkey was designed to protect 20,000 people behind massive stone doors.
Bayatbademleri Köyü, Turkey

Termessos

Once described as the "Eagle's Nest," this ruined ancient city rests on a remote mountaintop.
Kayaköy, Turkey

Abandoned Village of Kayakoy

A Turkish ghost town abandoned in a population exchange with Greece.
Ocaklı Köyü, Turkey

Ani Ghost City

An abused and forgotten metropolis, abandoned for centuries.
Kaleüçağız Köyü, Turkey

Kekova Island Sunken Ruins

Hidden just under the waters around this Turkish island are the ruins of a once great city.
Denizli Merkez, Turkey

Pluto's Gate

A deadly ancient portal to the underworld.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombs of the Sultans

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

Ottoman Bird Palaces

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

Lycian Rock Tombs

These tombs were built into the side of a mountain so that ancient angels could reach the dead.
Çanakkale, Turkey

Troy

This famous city eluded concrete detection until the early 2000's.
Demre, Turkey

Myra Necropolis

A Lycian city of the dead carved into the hillside of Southern Turkey, complete with startlingly human touches.
Aksaray, Turkey

Cappadocia

In this historic region, homes and churches are carved into ancient volcanic rock formations.
Denizli, Turkey

Pamukkale Water Terraces

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.
Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.
Örencik, Turkey

Gobekli Tepe

This hunter-gatherer architecture is believed to be the oldest religious complex known.
Karachi, Pakistan

Pir Mangho

A shrine in Karachi is home to around 100 crocodiles that are regarded as sacred.
Karimabad, Pakistan

Baltit Fort

Tibetan-influenced mountain fortress in Northern Pakistan.
Jamshoro District, Pakistan

Ranikot Fort

The Great Wall of Sindh, Pakistan's mighty fort.