• Tagged Hundertwasser architecture

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an artist turned architect at age 55. He spurned traditionally boring 20th century designs, put out manifestos such as one proclaiming Window Rights, pushed his point across by giving lectures in the nude, used bright colors, distorted lines and designed with the desire to be in harmony with nature. Here’s a look at some of creations by the “the doctor of architecture.” [41 Photos]

• Tagged grass roof, green roof, living roof, sod roof

If it is springtime where you live, then it’s time to start mowing the grass again. Can you imagine if you also had to control the grass growth on your roof? Sod roofs have been around for about a thousand years out of necessity; in modern times, living green roofs have become more popular again by environmentally conscious people. However for many people, grass roofs are not something you see every day. If that describes you, then here’s a big collection of grass roofs from around the globe. [54 Photos]

• Tagged Easter, Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

Nearly 185 years ago, Lithuanians placed the first crosses on this hill which has become a sacred pilgrimage site. After researching the Hill of Crosses, we’d like to tell you the story of the people and site as it’s become a symbol of hope, of religious perseverance, of faith and even of freedom for Lithuanian people. [65 Photos]

• Tagged Tunnel of Love

If you have love on the brain, then everything can tie back to love; the reality of a place can be tinted by a whimsical and romantic notion that makes a tunnel into a tunnel of love. It was curious to see places that actually are real tunnels of love and what photographers tagged as “tunnel of love.” So tap into your inner romantic, let your imagination run wild and let your heart “see” what the photographers saw. Happy Valentine’s Day! [35 Photos, 3 Videos]

• Tagged love locks, love padlocks, Valentine's Day

Sometimes when two people are in love and believe in happily ever after, they memorialize that commitment with a padlock, a “love lock” that is; together you lock it, then throw away the key as a symbol of a “forever together until the end of time” love. Some folks love the romantic gesture, while others regard love locks as vandalizing architecture and infrastructure. No matter how many thousands are removed, thousands upon thousands of lovers continue the phenomenon of love locks all over the world. [50 Photos]

• Tagged amusement parks, roller coaster, roller coaster thrill rides

What do you like best about roller coasters? Are your favorites the tallest, fastest, longest, steepest or most loops? Is it wooden or steel, based on various track layouts, train types or the mechanics that run it? Or is it all about the thrill? Roller coasters are ranked by height, speed, length and inversions in the Roller Coaster Database, and there are other rankings for steepness, as well as thrill seekers voting for their favorite adrenaline rush roller coaster. Although amusement parks compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides, those records rarely last long before another park beats that record. Here are the Inverted, Wing Coaster, Flying, Suspended, Stand Up, Sit Down and 4th Dimension roller coaster world record holders for 2015. Buckle up and take a virtual ride on the highest ranked roller coasters in the world. [71 Photos & 23 POV Videos]

• Tagged cityscapes, miniatures, tilt shift

One of the reasons photographers use tilt-shift is to make life-size locations look like photos of miniature scale models. Tilt-shift photography is not only used for miniature faking, but these miniatures reminded us of the song “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” So let’s do some virtual globe hopping to view amazing miniature worlds in which city-scapes appear like toy cities. [60 Photos]

• Tagged abandoned, abandoned asylum, abandoned DC, abandoned Forest Haven asylum, abandoned schools, Forest Haven, urban exploration, urban explorers, urbex

Once upon a time, the story of Forest Haven was happy and hopeful because the state-of-the-art D.C. Training School would help developmentally and mentally handicapped children and adults learn skills to help them survive in the real world instead of being institutionalized. That was 1925; the Forest Haven facilities grew to a compound with over 22 buildings spread over 250 acres. By 1991, the story of Forest Haven was a heartbreaking horror story as hundreds of residents died of abuse and neglect before the U.S. Justice Department forced the District of Columbia institution closed. “What we have here are quiet little murders,” explained a Justice Department expert witness in a 1994 article. “They’re killed one day at a time because people don’t pay attention and then no one finds out the real cause of death.” Before everything was said and done, Forest Haven ended up being one of the worst cases of criminal institutional abuse that the U.S. has ever seen. Oh the sickeningly sad stories the walls would tell you if only they could. Now, over 20 years later, this is the abandoned Forest Haven asylum. [44 Photos]

• Tagged outdoor scenes, people, photo contest, photographers, photography, places, travel, Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year

A decade ago, there were not tons of terrific photos to choose from in the Commons, but photographers have really stepped up by licensing their photos so people can share them along with knowledge. While you may or may not agree with the 12 Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year winners, most everyone could agree the competition was smoking hot. Categories like animals, plants, people, panoramas, nature, space, architecture and even miscellaneous objects give us a chance to go globe hopping as we celebrate these 45 sizzling snaps. Congratulations winners and thank you to all photographers who make the Commons a fountain of beautiful knowledge! Why don’t you consider uploading your photos to the Commons and maybe we’ll see you listed as a winner next year? [45 Photos]

• Tagged archaeological, Inca Empire, Incas, Machu Picchu, Maras salt ponds, Moray Terraces, Peru, rock-cut architecture, ruins, Sacred Valley of the Incas

When you think about the Incas, does Machu Picchu come to mind? While that might be where your destination starts or ends in Peru, there is so much more to see in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, or El Valle Sagrado de los Incas. Look up along the Urubamba River and Valley to see Andes Mountain peaks stretching to a height of 20,000 feet. It is over these steep hillsides that the Incas managed to move massive stones without the help of the wheel. They had no iron tools to cut the stones, but still the pieces fit together so tightly that not even a knife blade can slide between them. The “how’s” are part of the secrets to which we might never know the answers. Huge circular terraces at Moray were thought to be where Incas conducted experimental agriculture. Carved into the mountains are also thousands of small salt ponds, Salineras de Maras, or Inca salt pans. All of this is located in the Peruvian Andes, with Cusco on one end and Machu Picchu on the other; this is the heartland of the Inca Empire. This is the Sacred Valley of the Incas. [42 PICS]

• Tagged architecture, environment, holiday, Ireland, Irish, National Park, nature

We’ve looked at Ireland Now and Then (100 years ago), but to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a look the six national parks of the Republic of Ireland. Killarney National Park was first, and Ballycroy was the last to be established. The Burren National Park is the smallest and Wicklow Mountains National Park is the largest in Ireland. There are also Connemara and Glenveagh as well as landscapes with castles, karst, cliffs, waterfalls and green mossy forests. [38 Photos]

• Tagged Black Sea, Crimea, Crimea caves, Crimea ruins, crisis in Ukraine, nature, Russia, Russian ruins, Ukraine

The Swallow’s Nest castle high on the cliff above the beautiful Black Sea has become an icon for Crimea, Ukraine. But the Crimea you hear about now involves the Ukraine crisis. While we hope for a peaceful resolution, Crimea lawmakers voted in favor of leaving Ukraine for Russia, as Russia already has the Black Sea peninsula under its control. In 10 days, citizens of Crimea must choose: Stay in Ukraine or join Russia. The crisis in Ukraine made us remember Gagra, the resort paradise turned to ruins, aka the abandoned Russian Riviera. We became curious about what else does Crimea look like, besides a castle? Here are some of what we found; here are amazing natural wonders in Crimea, gorgeous landscapes and seascapes, places with so many caves that they are known as cave towns, as well an ancient ruins that go back to medieval times. [38 Photos]