In the town of Battle, named for its role as the site of 1066’s Battle of Hastings, stands St. Mary's Church. The church is home to a grand piece of embroidery known as The Battle Tapestry. Designed by local artist Tina Greene, this masterpiece showcases the key historical events that took place in the town between the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and...

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we travel back to the eve of World War II, when there was one place that was the source for all good stories: the Hotel Imperial in Vienna. It exuded luxury and power, and in the 1920s and ‘30s it was also the...

One of the few "official" trails in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, this path follows an old Jeep road some 5.5 miles up into the Sheep Range. It goes all the way from the low-desert Joshua tree-creosote bush biome in the valley beyond the range front to a ponderosa pine forest, the "Hidden Forest." The route follows a rugged, scenic canyon flanked...

Founded by nuns of the Order of the Sacred Hearts, this church opened in 1908 and took the same name: Sveta Srca means "Sacred Hearts." Following World War II, the order abandoned the church and adjoining convent, both being given over to the Archaeological Museum of Istria instead. The association used it as a warehouse and depot starting in 1958. ...

The Secret Spitfires memorial is a poignant tribute to the remarkable and pivotal efforts of the people of Salisbury, Trowbridge, Reading, and Southampton during World War II. Inaugurated in July 2021, an esoteric operation that remained in mystery for 75 years, these heroes contributed to building these remarkable fighter aircraft. These critically...

As golden hour settles in around a hiker in the Santa Lucia Mountains of the Central California Coast, what should be a peaceful moment in nature turns to one of panic. The solo traveler can’t shake the feeling they’re being watched. Looking around wildly, their gaze settles on an eerie figure surrounded by swirling mist on a peak ahead. It looks...