The curious afterlife of a fascist utopia

An abandoned hotel, a divine script, and more. Email not displaying correctly? [View in your browser](. [73ed94ee-f881-4ea1-8e1f-44f98483021c.png]( September 13, 2022 [Architectural History]( [An Experiment’s Afterlife]( [In the 1930s, the Italian village of Tresigallo was the site of an extraordinary experiment. This impoverished village of 500 inhabitants was transformed into a “utopian city” which could be replicated across Fascist Italy. But these weren’t just hastily built prefab structures; they were works of astonishing beauty, blending the metaphysical dreamscapes of Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico with the latest trends in modernism to create an urban environment quite unlike anywhere else. But what happens to a fascist utopia after fascism?]( [Read more →]( [Gastro Obscura]( [The Original McDonald’s French Fry]( [They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. From Julia Child to Paul Bocuse to James Beard, some of the biggest names in food history are also people who have professed their love for the original McDonald’s french fry—a french fry that, in no exaggerated manner, birthed an empire. A french fry that no one has eaten in more than 30 years. So one of our writers went on an epic quest to recreate the recipe, and it involved literal blood, sweat, and perhaps tears.]( [Read more →]( [Oteshevo, North Macedonia]( [Abandoned Hotel Evropa]( [Following the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the pacification of the newly-born countries (circa 1992), optimism was in the air. It was a time of new opportunities and hope for a prosperous future. The sheer size and architectural boldness of Hotel Evropa epitomize this sense of rebirth—though by 2005, the hotel lay abandoned, and has been vandalized since then.]( [Read more →]( [Atlas Obscura Courses]( [Taste Chocolate Like an Expert]( [Join chocolate sommelier Sophia Contreras Rea for a journey through the rich history of cacao, the art of chocolate making, and the many ways people have taken pleasure in and made meaning from chocolate. We'll taste and create various chocolate products along the way, exploring how aroma, surroundings, and ritual affect the tasting experience. Enroll now to be sure to receive your chocolate-tasting kit by the time class starts!]( [Enroll Now →]( [Atlas Obscura Puzzles]( [A Divine Script]( [For Wabeladio Payi, staring at a wall was life-changing. In 1978, the 21-year-old car mechanic looked at the brick wall of his home, saw the shapes of a “5” and a “2” in the contours between the bricks, and used the elements as the basis of a new writing system. The script he developed, Mandombe, is now understood by up to 10,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of the Congo, and Angola. Can you identify the words in today’s puzzle?]( [Read more →]( [Somerville, Massachusetts]( [Charles William Jr. House]( [Many people have trouble remembering telephone numbers, but what if your phone number were 1? The Charles Williams, Jr. House located on Arlington Street, Somerville, is the location of the first residential telephone line. The phone inside the house connected to Mr. Williams’ office at 109 Court Street in Boston, about 3 miles away. These two properties had the first telephone numbers – 1 & 2. Easy peasy.]( [Read more →]( [Linguistic Discoveries]( [Easter Island’s Lost Language]( [On the outskirts of Hanga Roa, Easter Island’s only town, the Museo Rapa Nui has a small but striking collection. It includes a rare female version of the monolithic statues known as moai, finely worked obsidian tools, and a carved wooden fish covered with rows of stylized glyphs. This particular object represents a great—and unsolved—linguistic puzzle. You’re looking at rongorongo, the only indigenous writing system to develop in Oceania before the 20th century.]( [Read more →]( [Royal Animals]( [England’s Swans and the Queen]( [For hundreds of years in England, eating swan was a mark of status. No one could own or eat one without paying the monarchy for the privilege, and an elaborate system of marks developed to track swan rights. By default, though, the king or queen owned the country’s swans, and that’s still true today.]( [Read more →]( [Rome, Italy]( [Mausoleum of Augustus]( [Shortly after his return from Egypt in 28 BCE, the first Roman emperor, Augustus, began construction on his mausoleum. The tomb was crafted with a circular plan that was perhaps inspired by Hellenistic mausoleums such as Alexander the Great, and consisted of various concentric rings, a conical roof, and possibly a statue of Augustus.]( [Read more →]( [Atlas Obscura Courses]( [The Art of Death]( [In this course, we'll take an inquisitive approach to more deeply understand notions of death and dying around the world. We'll learn about different practices in rituals surrounding dying, death, and mourning, and draw upon experts in all kinds of death-related fields—from death doulas and morticians to scientists who use flesh-eating beetles to clean carcasses.]( [Enroll Today →]( [Add a place to the Atlas]( [Subscribe to our other newsletters]( [The definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Visit AtlasObscura.com]( · [View in Browser]( · [Unsubscribe]( · [See All Newsletters]( 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222