December 07, 2021

An Overlooked History There are more than seventy-five thousand Stolpersteine, or “stumbling stones,” laid into footpaths across Europe. Collectively, it is the largest decentralized memorial of its kind anywhere in the world, with brass stones placed at the last known residential or working address of a human being who was murdered by the Nazis. Though most of the stones commemorate people who were Jewish, Roma and Sinti, homosexual, or disabled, there were many other groups persecuted by the Nazis–including Black people, whose stories had historically not been surfaced. New memorials, however, are aiming to change that.  READ MORE → NIENHAGEN, GERMANY Gespensterwald (Ghost Forest) The Gespensterwald (“Ghost Forest” in English) is located in Nienhagen in Germany, right next to the Baltic Sea. During the day, the forest is filled with dappled light and the sounds of woodland creatures. But at night, they sometimes look like they’ve been pulled straight from a horror movie. Maybe don’t walk here alone at night. Just to be safe. READ MORE → A Magical Mystery Beatles Tour If the hours of documentary footage in the recently-released Get Back made you long, long, long for more Beatles history, you can find places connected to the band spread across the universe. The long and winding road of music history connects a small street in Liverpool to an archaeological site in Ethiopia, an ashram in India to a courtyard back in the former U.S.S.R. These are some of our favorite places to celebrate the Beatles—individually and as a group—here, there, and everywhere. READ MORE → PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Westinghouse Atom Smasher The world’s first industrial Van de Graaff Generator is lying on its side, abandoned but still intact. Built by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1937, the atom smasher remained in use until 1958. In 2015, the bulb was taken off of its pedestal and laid on its side in hopes that someone would eventually restore it. It is a symbol of Westinghouse’s early involvement in nuclear power, but also the fleeting nature of our technological work. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Explore China's Regional Cuisines In tomorrow's discussion-based seminar, we’ll learn about various regions of China through their distinct cuisines, using food as a vehicle for deeper learning. Join Atlas Obscura trip leader and educator Dr. Xiaokun Song as she walks us through cuisines across the country, as well as the histories, narratives, politics, and culture they’re steeped in. ENROLL NOW → GASTRO OBSCURA A Very Gastro Holiday Need ideas for your loved one this Christmas? Our Gastro Obscura team is here to help. From vintage kitchen gadgets to quirky fruit, here’s a handy list sure to delight even the pickiest eaters in your life. Dig in! READ MORE → MUNICH, GERMANY Smokey Joe's Travellers at Munich Airport might be forgiven for mistaking Smokey Joe’s for an airplane. The currywurst stand, which sits in between two terminals, is actually made from real airplane parts. Known as the “sausage plane,” the cart serves up red or white curry sausages in Munich, Berlin, or Ruhr styles, along with soft drinks and beers. A real wiener here. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST The Deadliest Lake In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit Lake Nyos in Menchum, Cameroon. In 1986 an unknown natural disaster left more than 1,700 people dead in one night—and puzzled scientists. We learn how they solved the mystery. FROM THE ARCHIVES California Etymology California has long been associated with fantasy, but few people know that centuries before Hollywood, it drew its very name from an imaginary kingdom—one ruled by a Black queen. In the early 16th century, when Hernán Cortés’s conquistadors arrived at the peninsula on Mexico’s western side, they christened it “California,” after a fictional island in Las Sergas de Esplandían, a Spanish book published decades earlier. Its portrait of California’s warrior queen, Calafia, is worth revisiting—not just for its marvelous details, but for the light it sheds on medieval European attitudes about race. READ MORE → RAJSAMAND, INDIA The Great Wall of India Often referred to as Kumbhalgarh Wall or simply as Kumbhalgarh Fort as a whole, the wall is perhaps best known by its most sensational—and fitting—name: The Great Wall of India. This is appropriate, as the wall extends over 36 kilometers (22 miles) around the perimeter of the fort, making it the second-longest continuous wall on the planet after the far more well-known Great Wall of China. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY LAND ROVER In Case You Missed It In celebration of the Atlas Obscura app, we’re hosting a giveaway with Land Rover! Winners will receive one Half-Day Adventure with two of their guests at any of the 3 US based Land Rover Experience Centers, along with iconic Land Rover merchandise. Winners will also get a chance to go off-road, navigate various obstacles, and explore the off-road capabilities of a Land Rover vehicle of your choosing (subject to availability). LEARN MORE →