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Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Inside America’s First Destination Ski Town
In the heart of Idaho, about 150 miles east of Boise, the steep slopes of Bald Mountain tower over a sun-kissed valley. For roughly a century, visitors have flocked to Sun Valley from all over the country for its premiere skiing and snowboarding.
But behind these sought-after slopes, there’s an impressive history and one-of-a-kind cultural experiences that make it a unique destination. Hollywood’s most celebrated stars have traveled to the valley for decades, yet Sun Valley has managed to maintain a laid-back local life and spirit even amid such A-list appeal.
That rare blend of low-pretension modernity—coupled with nonstop flights from eight major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles—make Sun Valley a low-stress, culture-packed getaway.
But behind these sought-after slopes, there’s an impressive history and one-of-a-kind cultural experiences that make it a unique destination. Hollywood’s most celebrated stars have traveled to the valley for decades, yet Sun Valley has managed to maintain a laid-back local life and spirit even amid such A-list appeal.
That rare blend of low-pretension modernity—coupled with nonstop flights from eight major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles—make Sun Valley a low-stress, culture-packed getaway.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Enilchek in Enilchek, Kyrgyzstan
The Soviet Union built this town as a mining hub in the 1980s. When the USSR collapsed, the workers left to leaving just a few families, an abandoned mine, and a largely abandoned town.
The abandoned mine facilities are a time capsule of the 1980s USSR. Due to its proximity to the Chinese border you will need a special border permit to enter this region.
This can easily be obtained if you go with a local tour group.
The abandoned mine facilities are a time capsule of the 1980s USSR. Due to its proximity to the Chinese border you will need a special border permit to enter this region.
This can easily be obtained if you go with a local tour group.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Shibaozhai in Zhong County, China
Chinese mythology tells of how the goddess Nuwa mended the sky using five-colored stones after it suddenly collapsed. According to legend, the hill of Shibaozhai ("Precious Stone Fortress") was originally one of those stones accidentally dropped by Nuwa.
As such, this hill has been a sacred place of worship for centuries. Originally only accessed by being lifted up on chains, a twelve-story pagoda was constructed in the 18th century.
The vermillion structure currently seen today dates from the early 19th century. At 56 meters tall, it is among the tallest wooden pagodas in China, yet was built without a single nail.
As such, this hill has been a sacred place of worship for centuries. Originally only accessed by being lifted up on chains, a twelve-story pagoda was constructed in the 18th century.
The vermillion structure currently seen today dates from the early 19th century. At 56 meters tall, it is among the tallest wooden pagodas in China, yet was built without a single nail.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
The Somme Cross in England
This large wooden cross is a memorial to the men of the 1st Division of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), who died amidst the brutal battle at High Wood during the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. Standing approximately nine feet tall, the cross is not only a memorial to those lost but a witness to the devastation of war itself, for it is formed from timbers salvaged from the ruined village of Bazentin.
What makes this unique cross especially remarkable is its journey and survival. The 1st Division, among the first of the British army to join the First World War, in August 1914, was made up of men sent from Aldershot, straight to the front line.
Having fought in the Battle of Mons, the Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres, and the battles of Aubers Ridge, Loos and the Hohenzollern Redoubt, by 1916, the division had already suffered catastrophic losses.
What makes this unique cross especially remarkable is its journey and survival. The 1st Division, among the first of the British army to join the First World War, in August 1914, was made up of men sent from Aldershot, straight to the front line.
Having fought in the Battle of Mons, the Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres, and the battles of Aubers Ridge, Loos and the Hohenzollern Redoubt, by 1916, the division had already suffered catastrophic losses.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Danei Totoro Bus Stop in Taiwan
Danei is a rural district in Tainan that suffers from drastic population loss. Young people have moved to the cities and visitors rarely stop by.
Like many small towns across Taiwan, the community turned to murals as a way to brighten the neighborhood. (See also Rainbow Family Village .) Totoro and friends from Studio Ghibli arrived for that reason.
Along otherwise ordinary residential lanes, you’ll find Totoros and their companions painted onto concrete walls—waiting for the bus, holding umbrellas, or taking a good nap. The scenes are perfectly Instagrammable.
Like many small towns across Taiwan, the community turned to murals as a way to brighten the neighborhood. (See also Rainbow Family Village .) Totoro and friends from Studio Ghibli arrived for that reason.
Along otherwise ordinary residential lanes, you’ll find Totoros and their companions painted onto concrete walls—waiting for the bus, holding umbrellas, or taking a good nap. The scenes are perfectly Instagrammable.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
The Illusory Window in Wrocław, Poland
Hidden in plain sight on Wrocław’s bustling market square is a window that doesn’t quite exist. Known as the Iluzoryczne Okno (“Illusory Window”), this curious architectural feature is painted onto the façade of a Baroque townhouse, giving the impression of a real window where none was ever built.
Its clever trompe-l’œil design was created to maintain the symmetrical appearance of the building, fooling the eye with a perfectly shaded frame and panes that seem to reflect the sky. The building itself is a historic townhouse that now houses the restaurant and hotel Dwór Polski.
The illusion is so convincing that many passersby never realize it is an architectural trick. Visitors can spot the illusory window on the left side of the third floor.
Its clever trompe-l’œil design was created to maintain the symmetrical appearance of the building, fooling the eye with a perfectly shaded frame and panes that seem to reflect the sky. The building itself is a historic townhouse that now houses the restaurant and hotel Dwór Polski.
The illusion is so convincing that many passersby never realize it is an architectural trick. Visitors can spot the illusory window on the left side of the third floor.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Cy Young Statue in Boston, Massachusetts
Former site of the Boston Red Sox former home, the Huntington Avenue Grounds, which is now occupied by Northeastern University, was the site of the first Fall Classic in 1903, when the then-Boston Americans defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates and brought the very first title to the city of Boston, and started one of the most famous championships in the world. The campus has honored its legacy and historical significance with a home plate plaque and a statue of the legendary Cy Young in the pitcher mound reading a pitch against you in a moment frozen in time for America’s favorite pastime and is an often ignored landmark of one of the most iconic baseball cities in the country.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
Siebold Memorial Museum in Nagasaki, Japan
Filipp Franz von Siebold is seen as one of the fathers of western style science (or Dutch studies, Rangaku 蘭学) in Japan. He taught medicine, science, botany and more, and was father to the first Japanese female doctor.
A memorial to him stands north of Nagasaki close to a school that he founded. The center is a replica of his house in the Netherlands, and is built on the former location of one of his clinics.
Inside one can find items belonging to him, information about his family tree, and his life in general. The museum also covers the Siebold incident, which refers to his banishment from Japan after trying to smuggle maps out of the country.
A memorial to him stands north of Nagasaki close to a school that he founded. The center is a replica of his house in the Netherlands, and is built on the former location of one of his clinics.
Inside one can find items belonging to him, information about his family tree, and his life in general. The museum also covers the Siebold incident, which refers to his banishment from Japan after trying to smuggle maps out of the country.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
‘Japanese Lantern’ in Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Public Garden is one of the most scenic and picturesque locations within the city. Located next to the Common, it offers visitors walking paths, areas for picnicking, and relaxing with the swan boats being an iconic fixture.
There are many statues and sculptures scattered throughout the park, but one in particular is unique not only for its origin, but also for the fact that it’s older than the city of Boston itself. The Japanese Lantern was donated to the city in 1905 by Bunkio Matsuki, the first Japanese person to establish a Japanese art and antique store in Boston located on Boylston Street.
He had lived and was educated in Salem, MA by antiquarian Edward S. Morse, who had done a lot of archaeological work in Japan.
There are many statues and sculptures scattered throughout the park, but one in particular is unique not only for its origin, but also for the fact that it’s older than the city of Boston itself. The Japanese Lantern was donated to the city in 1905 by Bunkio Matsuki, the first Japanese person to establish a Japanese art and antique store in Boston located on Boylston Street.
He had lived and was educated in Salem, MA by antiquarian Edward S. Morse, who had done a lot of archaeological work in Japan.
Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.
On 'Turtle Island,' Indigenous Food Is Not the Past—It’s the Future
Join Gastro Obscura's Sam O'Brien each week for Kitchen Dispatch as she tests new recipes and explores wondrous foods from her home kitchen. Subscribe to get it in the Gastro newsletter .
One of my favorite parts of researching The Gastro Obscura Cookbook is talking to leaders in the food world about the recipes that matter most to them. When it comes to Indigenous food of North America, few experts rival Sean Sherman .
An Oglala Lakota chef raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota, Sherman has devoted his career to studying and promoting Indigenous cuisine. From his Minneapolis restaurant, Owamni —which focuses on native ingredients and eschews post-colonial additions like dairy, wheat flour, sugar, and pork—to his first cookbook, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen , Sherman has made it his mission to showcase the bounty of Indigenous foodways.
One of my favorite parts of researching The Gastro Obscura Cookbook is talking to leaders in the food world about the recipes that matter most to them. When it comes to Indigenous food of North America, few experts rival Sean Sherman .
An Oglala Lakota chef raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota, Sherman has devoted his career to studying and promoting Indigenous cuisine. From his Minneapolis restaurant, Owamni —which focuses on native ingredients and eschews post-colonial additions like dairy, wheat flour, sugar, and pork—to his first cookbook, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen , Sherman has made it his mission to showcase the bounty of Indigenous foodways.
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