Setagaya City is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, known for its serene greenery and upscale neighborhoods. Curiously, it is also a little exotic, with vaguely Indian-sounding place names such as Setagaya, Sangenjaya, and Yōga, the last of which has etymology that comes from yoga. Founded circa 1648-1651, the Buddhist temple of Zen'yō-ji in the...

In medieval Zürich, waste management meant that sewage, trash, and other unwanted materials were dumped into the small alleys, called ehgraben, behind the old town's houses. Some of that sewage was then flushed into the river, while the more coveted stuff, like urine for tanning and feces for fertilization, was collected, dried, and transported to...

Created in 1988 by Bertrand Chenu, the Musee de l'insolite (French for Museum of the Unusual) is a fantastic display of humoristic sculptures, paintings, and objects. The museum is as fascinating as it is surprising, and it is constantly expanding. From the artwork in the little house to the gigantic restructured car or metallic boat in the garden,...

On the outskirts of Tuzluca are the Tuz Mağarası, or the Tuzluca Salt Caves. Operating officially since 1923 but known since medieval times, the mines descend 885 feet underground, although the tourist section remains on ground level. Only very recently opened to the public, the trundling trucks still transport salt from the active parts of the mine...

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, host Dylan Thuras brings us to a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia. On Sable Island, we learn how—against all odds—a group of beloved feral horses have not only survived, but thrived. There’s only one...

Still standing in the heart of the city’s downtown, near Rossio Square and Figueira Square, Lisbon’s Church of St. Dominic has survived two earthquakes–one in 1531 and a more devastating quake in 1755–and a fire in the 20th century. Its foundations date back to the 13th century. Today, the church retains a few of its Romanesque origins, such as its...