Architectural Oddities - Atlas Obscura
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Architectural Oddities

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Madrid, Spain

Torres Blancas

Meant to resemble a massive tree, the building is the best example of Spanish organicist architecture in Madrid.
Lagos, Nigeria

Makoko

What started as makeshift fishermen's housing has grown into a massive, floating community.
Madrid, Spain

Carabanchel 24

Nicknamed the "Spirit of Paul Klee," this colorful apartment building features an array of multicolored panels.
Burgh Saint Peter, England

The Tower of St Mary's Church

The story behind this uniquely-shaped tower involves ancient empires, local legends, and new words.
Mohave County, Arizona

Gold King Mansion

A century-old miner's quarters turned mansion.
Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland

Elliðaey Island Lodge

Internet rumors, often involving Icelandic singer Bjork, have abounded regarding this isolated outcrop of rock.
Shawnee, Oklahoma

Santa Fe Depot

Though it's no longer a functioning train depot, this castle-like structure is an important piece of Oklahoma history.
Workum, Netherlands

It Lân Skip

A farm turned upside down.
subterranean

The Female Architect Behind Buenos Aires's Underground Necropolis

Ítala Fulvia Villa oversaw the building of the colossal Sixth Pantheon—but history nearly erased her contributions.
Daniel Maurer March 8, 2023
Toledo, Spain

The Smallest Window in the World

At least according to the Guinness World Records.
architecture

Podcast: The A. Everett Austin Facade House

How does such a grand mansion only have one room?
The Podcast Team March 2, 2023
Linden, Tennessee

Pinckney's Tomb

A house built specifically to shelter the dead.
Bowmore, Scotland

Bowmore Round Church

This remote Scottish island has the only round church in the nation.
Garching bei München, Germany

Atomei

This "Atomic Egg" appears on the city of Garching's coat of arms.
science

Podcast: Songs of Ice

How to appreciate ice without getting all that cold, with the Atlas Obscura Places Team.
The Podcast Team January 17, 2023
Las Vegas, Nevada

Underground House

A luxurious doomsday bunker hidden beneath an unassuming Las Vegas home offers the best of subterranean suburbia.
Port Gibson, Mississippi

First Presbyterian Church Golden Hand

A steeple in the shape of a golden hand pointing straight up commemorates Zebulun Butler, the first full-time pastor of this Mississippi church.
Valencia, Spain

La Estrecha House

With a facade that measures just 107 centimeters, this five-story building is one of the skinniest in Europe.