Atlas Obscura - Latest Articles and Places

Situated on a narrow bank between the Meuse and the hills, Sclayn is a small village. It is located in the Andenne municipality, 1 hour and 15 minutes from Brussels or Maastricht (Netherlands). From the village, a narrow green valley descends to the plain. It was here that a cave was discovered by speleologists in 1971. Working on the entrance uncovered carved tools. In 1978, the University of Li…

The Pëttenerbësch (literally "Pettingen Forest" in Luxembourgish) is a nature reserve located half an hour's drive north of Luxembourg City. At first sight, there is nothing special about this forest (apart from the fact that it is in the middle of the A7 motorway). In 2009, the land registry and topography department was in charge of the determination of the geographical centre of the Grand Duch…

Seraing is a town located to the south-west of Liège, on the banks of the Meuse. Its name immediately evokes industry. It is famous for its Cristallerie du Val-Saint-Lambert and its steelworks, now owned by CMI (Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie). These factories cover a large part of the lower part of the town (in the meander of the Meuse) and are still called "Usines Cockerill" by the locals. …

The Place de la Constitution is a balcony overlooking the Pétrusse valley in the heart of Luxembourg City, a stone's throw from the Place Guillaume II and the Cathedral. The Monument of Remembrance stands at its centre. The Gëlle Fra (« The Golden Lady » in Luxembourgish) stands at the top of the monument's granite column. It is a representation of the goddess Niké holding a laurel wreath. It is …

Nadrin is a small country town located between Houffalize and La-Roche-en-Ardenne. It is almost 2 hours by car south-west of Brussels. Situated in the Parc Naturel des Deux Ourthes, Nadrin boasts a number of remarkable natural sites: the dam of Nisrâmont, the Rock of Hérou and the archaeological site of the Cheslé fort. Leaving the village towards the south-east, a group of white megaliths and a …

The A42 motorway runs alongside Liège Airport and crosses several bridges, passing under just one: the 'L22' bridge. At first glance, it is clear that the bridge is no longer connected to anything on the north side; it ends at a building with a flight of steps, a situation that has existed since at least 1994. It therefore now serves only as a footbridge for a few airport workers who live in the …

De Panne is the westernmost seaside resort on the Belgian coast, located just before the French border. It is a one-hour-and-forty-five-minute drive from Brussels. Thanks to its lower prices and the fact that both French and Dutch are spoken there, the town has become the family destination on the Belgian coast. Consequently, many Belgians have discovered the sea at De Panne. Since the beginning …

The Hautes-Fagnes is the largest peat bog area in Belgium. It is located in the east of the country, close to the border with Germany. It occupies the highest point of the Kingdom, symbolised by the Signal de Botrange*. This immense peat bog, which is now about 10 km long and 6 km wide, was originally much larger. In this vast open space, man has added visual landmarks to avoid getting lost: isol…

20 km south-east of Brussels is the town of Braine-le-Château. This commune borders on Halle, which is home to the famous Blue Forest* (a part of which is located in this commune). Braine-le-Château is inseparably linked to the Counts of Hornes, especially Maximilien de Hornes (1475-1542), chamberlain to Charles V. He is responsible for the 5 listed monuments in the centre of the town: his recumb…

The Marolles district is the popular area of central Brussels par excellence. It is famous for its flea market on the Place du Jeu de Balle, its antique shops and its friendly atmosphere. The district is also inseparable from the dome of the Brussels Palace of Justice, which dominates it to the east. However, in 1969, a project to extend the offices of the prestigious building to the detriment of…

The early 17th century was a difficult period for Luxembourg City, which was then part of the Spanish Netherlands. The city was simultaneously contending with attacks from the Protestant Reformation, famine, plague and war. In an attempt to restore hope to the inhabitants and perpetuate veneration of statues in the face of Protestantism, Father Jacques Brocquart of the Jesuit College of Luxembour…

Huy - pronounced "Oui" ("Yes") - is a small Belgian town located at the confluence of the Meuse and Hoyoux rivers. It is halfway between Namur and Liège. The town is famous for its rich heritage. Some forty monuments and sites are protected. The fountain on the Grand'Place, known to the locals as "Li Bassinia" ("the basin" in Walloon), is one of the most remarkable. It was listed as a „Monument H…

Rue Saint-Paul is one of the main shopping streets in Liège. In the middle of the street, a shop window stands out from all the others: it displays only contemporary works of art, which change regularly. The window and the works belong to the Uhoda Collection, the largest private collection of contemporary art in the city. The Uhoda Collection was founded in the 1970s by the brothers Stephan and …

Mushkpuri Top is one of the most scenic hiking destinations in northern Pakistan, known for its peaceful trails and sweeping mountain views. The journey to the summit begins near Nathia Gali and takes hikers through dense pine forests, fresh mountain air, and open meadows that burst into color after the monsoon season. The hike is moderately challenging but rewarding, usually taking around three …

This small plot of land, only a third of an acre in size, is the smallest park in Harris County — and home to some of its largest public art: Mount Rush Hour. Donated to the state in 2012 by local sculptor David Adickes, the collection combines two of his famous Presidential busts with two Texas politicians, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. The eighteen foot-high Statesmen rest on marble pedest…

At the summit of Montpelier Hill in Rathfarnham Dublin are the stone ruins of a building constructed in 1725 for the then Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Connolly.  Intended and designed as a hunting lodge, the building was sold after Connolly’s death in 1729 and was later used as a meeting place for the Irish Hellfire Club. The summit of Montpelier Hill originally held a passage g…

Porto is a city that seems engineered for wonder. Its steep cobbled streets tumble toward the Douro River, where tiled façades glow amber at sunset and old trams rattle past wine cellars older than many nations. Travelers arrive for the port wine, the melancholic strains of fado, and the dramatic riverfront skyline, but Porto’s true magic lies in the way history and industry intertwine. Few place…

Long before massive steel coasters launched riders into physics-defying drops and corkscrews, Pennsylvania helped define the art of the wooden roller coaster. When they debuted in the early 20th century, many of the state’s classic amusement parks drew city dwellers to lakesides, river valleys, and wooded hillsides for fresh air and excitement. By the 1920s, innovative coaster engineers at local …

Open year-round (but closed on Tuesdays & Wednesdays), this alpine coaster offers fast turns and mountain views for all. The coaster combines modern engineering with the fresh Montana air to create a ride as timeless and unique as the state in which it resides. After ascending several hundred feet, riders will begin their descent down the coaster, their speed completely dependent on the rider's u…

Under the English "New Poor Law" of 1834, civil parishes in England were required to join together  to form workhouse  unions with the aim of housing two classes of poor people, the poor and destitute of the areas served by the union, who were given long term, often permanent, but very frugal  accommodation with a requirement  to work 12 hours per day for 6 days a week, and vagrants , just passin…