Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Nerd Fun: Atlas Obscura and Fascinating Places

I just got this link from a friend of mine, and it's too good not to share.

Check out Atlas Obscura, a collection of weird, wild, and wonderful places around the world! Every day the website showcases several new locations.

A personal favorite: take a look at Brooklyn, New York's Green-Wood Cemetery, where Minerva is waving at the Statue of Liberty. I love everything about this. Here is the photo:


Buon giorno, principessa!

Here is the explanation:
In 1920, Charles M. Higgins, an Irish immigrant (and local history buff) decided to build an altar on Battle Hill to the long-slighted Revolutionary War Battle of Long Island, the first major battle after the Declaration of Independence. He chose to top the monument with a statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Perhaps anticipating that Minerva might get lonely at the top, he made sure she had a friend nearby: Minerva’s waving hand is reciprocated directly 3.5 miles to the West by Lady Liberty’s upraised torch.
I repeat: I love everything about this.

2 comments:

lumpy said...

Do I sense a pilgrimage coming up?

And thanks for pointing that site out. It'll join Strange Maps as one of my regular stops, I think.

Mad Minerva said...

Just checked out Strange Maps. It's FABULOUS! I'm going to bookmark it.