West Cheshire has been known for its underground salt deposits for centuries, and people have been mining the salt since prehistoric times. Various processes had been used to extract the salt, including physically removing the solid salt, pumping freshwater through the salt layers (including the salt mines) to dissolve it and transport it to the surface,...

Taking inspiration from Alberto Giacometti and Lucian Freud, British artist Sean Henry specializes in sculpting lifelike clay and bronze human figures. Two of Henry's sculptures, a man and a woman, can be seen on High Street in Colchester, England, a city around 60 miles northeast of London. Walking Woman portrays a larger-than-life, seven-foot-tall...

During the first half of the 20th century, public mosaic works were common across Europe, often combining Symbolist themes with depictions of allegorical figures, historical events, and national heroes. One outstanding example is found in the arched street passage beneath the tower of the Stærekassen theater in central Copenhagen. Crafted from 3...

Nestled among England's picturesque South Downs, this tiny church is one of the country's smallest. Measuring just 16 square feet, the Church of the Good Shepherd, also known as Lullington Church, can accommodate a congregation of only about 20 people. Interestingly, the church was once the chancel of a larger church destroyed in a 17th-century fire.  ...

Located in the Polish city of Poznań, about 180 miles west of Warsaw, the Museum of the History of Poznań (or The Town Hall Poznań Museum) traces the city's history from the 10th century until today. The museum is housed in the city's historic town hall, which can trace its earliest origins to the early 14th century. Some of the most important objects...

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, Dylan sits down with science writer and journalist Rebecca Boyle, who has a new book about all the ways in which the moon has impacted nearly every aspect of human life—including our conception and invention...