10 Unexpected Things Found in Completely Unexpected Places

Sometimes, things just end up where they shouldn’t be. Take a trip to Scotland and you might spot wallabies, or head to Australia to discover a surprising number of camels. These 10 unusual buildings will definitely make you ask, 'What in the world is this doing here?'

10. The Floating Farmhouse in Manhattan

In Manhattan, most homes are tall and made of brick, a result of a 19th-century ban on wooden houses to prevent fires. That’s why the wooden house on 203 East 29th Street seems out of place. It almost looks as though a three-story farmhouse has been dropped from the sky and squashed onto a brick building.

The origins of this unusual house are shrouded in mystery. Historical records show that a house of some kind was at this location in 1840, and by 1860, a three-story building was listed in tax records. By 1880, it had grown to four floors. It’s believed the wooden structure was lifted and supported by a shallow brick foundation, which may explain why its front door is on the second floor.

For several decades, the house functioned as a junk shop, where items like metal, rubber, rope, and paper were bought and sold. In 1979, it was restored and returned to its original use as a private residence.

9. The Lenin Statue in Seattle

Throughout the former Soviet Union, statues of Vladimir Lenin can be found. One notable example is a bronze sculpture created by sculptor Emil Venkov, which was unveiled in 1988. This 5-meter (16 ft) tall depiction of the communist revolutionary was initially placed in Poprad, a Slovakian town that was then a part of Czechoslovakia. However, with the collapse of the USSR, it was discarded and left in a local trash heap the following year.

The statue was later discovered by an American businessman, Lewis Carpenter, who appreciated its craftsmanship. Carpenter went so far as to mortgage his house to purchase the statue and had it transported to Seattle. Tragically, he passed away in a car accident in 1994, and his family loaned the statue to Fremont, Seattle, where it has stood for two decades. While technically up for sale, the price tag today is $300,000.

8. Mo‘ynaq

Uzbekistan is home to a town that seems completely out of place. Mo’ynaq, once a bustling fishing community with tens of thousands of residents, is now a barren desert, 88 kilometers (55 miles) away from the sea. The town’s transformation is a direct result of the USSR’s draining of the Aral Sea. The water still available for drinking is heavily polluted, and the mortality rate in the town is now 30 times higher than it once was.

Despite its dramatic change, Mo’ynaq still retains its fishing fleet, with dozens of boats slowly decaying on the sand. The town’s welcome sign depicts a fish leaping out of the water, and a billboard by the roadside showcases a painting of fishermen in overalls happily hauling in their catch. The fish-canning factory is still operational, though it’s used far less than the ship graveyard, which has turned into an impromptu playground for the local children.

7. Viaduct Petrobras

The Viaduct Petrobras is an elevated highway that stretches 40 meters (131 ft) above the Brazilian jungle. Built in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the Rio-Santos Highway project, it was abandoned after a last-minute change in the route in 1976. The surrounding jungle swiftly overtook the area, leaving the 300-meter (984 ft) road standing unused, never connected to any other roads.

Ironically, the viaduct is inaccessible by car. While you can get close on a narrow rural road, the final stretch must be completed on foot. The only access is a rudimentary wooden staircase. This has transformed the abandoned viaduct into a surprising tourist destination, where visitors can even rappel into the jungle canopy below during an organized tour.

The viaduct is just one of several abandoned construction projects that were overtaken by the jungle during the BR-101 highway’s development. Among the foliage, there are hidden tunnels, walls, and foundations. In the early 2000s, the mayor of Sao Sebastiao sent a request to Brazil’s transport minister asking for the completion of the highway. Though originally bypassed by the planned route, the town now struggles with regular traffic congestion.

6. The Reading Pagoda

In 1906, businessman William A. Witman envisioned a luxury resort on Mount Penn, just outside Reading, Pennsylvania. The highlight of this project was a seven-story pagoda, completed in 1908. However, the resort plans quickly unraveled when Witman failed to obtain a liquor license. On April 21, 1911, the building was handed over to the city. Over time, the pagoda has become an iconic symbol of Reading, despite the city having an Asian population of only 1.2 percent, half the state’s average. At one point, the pagoda’s lights were used to signal messages in Morse code, including sports scores.

While the pagoda itself might seem out of place, the real surprise lies within. Inside, you’ll find a bell that was cast in Obata, Japan, in 1739. This bell was once part of a Buddhist temple called Choshoji, located in the city of Hanno (now part of Tokyo), but the temple has long since been demolished. The details of how the bell made its way across the Pacific remain a mystery, as all records have been lost. Some other artifacts from Choshoji are preserved and continue to be worshiped at a nearby temple. The chief priest there has expressed interest in adding the bell to their collection, though he believes returning it to Japan would be “impossible.” At the very least, he hopes the city of Hanno could form a sister city relationship with Reading.

5. Colonia Tovar

Colonia Tovar is often referred to as the 'Germany of the Caribbean.' This may sound paradoxical, but the town’s German influence is undeniable. From its Bavarian-style architecture to its traditional German cuisine, it offers a slice of Europe in the heart of South America. The town’s unique charm is deeply rooted in its fascinating history.

Founded in 1843 by Italian cartographer Agustin Codazzi, Colonia Tovar owes its existence to the Venezuelan government’s efforts to revive the economy through immigration. Codazzi identified a prime location and invited 376 German settlers to inhabit it. However, upon their arrival, they found themselves in an isolated jungle region, as the government had lost interest in the project.

The settlers worked to recreate their homeland in every way possible, intentionally isolating themselves from the surrounding culture for nearly a century. Up until 1940, marriage outside the community was forbidden, and it wasn’t until 1963 that a road was finally constructed to Colonia Tovar. Today, the town's population is growing, and it draws many visitors from far and wide.

4. Prada Marfa

In 2005, Texas unveiled its very first Prada store. Stocked with pieces from the fall collection of that year, including shoes personally selected by Miuccia Prada, this store became a celebrity attraction, with figures like Beyonce visiting. However, it has never opened its doors for business and is located on a desolate roadside far from any urban area.

Designed as an art installation, the store aimed to challenge the world of luxury goods. Just three days after it opened, it was vandalized and its merchandise was stolen. Though it was repaired and received enhanced security, its future remains uncertain. It’s been hit again, this time much worse. The artists intend to restore it, but they now face an even greater challenge.

In 2013, the Federal Highway Administration deemed the building to be illegal roadside advertising. According to the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, using company logos by the roadside without permission is prohibited, and the transportation department has vowed to take action. Some people, including the creators of Prada Marfa, argue that this is unnecessary red tape, especially since the installation had been there for eight years before any issues were raised.

3. Madrid’s Real Egyptian Temple

If you’re looking for a safer place to explore ancient Egyptian architecture, Madrid has the Temple of Debod. This 2,200-year-old structure was built by the Egyptian King Adikhalamani and is the oldest monument in Madrid by far. The original walls of Madrid date back to the ninth century, making them over 1,000 years younger than the Temple of Debod.

The story behind how an Egyptian temple ended up in Spain is quite remarkable. In the 1950s, Egypt's population growth necessitated increased agricultural and energy production. To achieve this, the country constructed a massive dam that created Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest artificial reservoirs. Unfortunately, this meant that many monuments, including Debod, would be submerged. To preserve them, archaeologists hurriedly disassembled and stored the temple's blocks.

In 1967, Spain was gifted the temple by Egypt as a gesture of thanks for the country’s financial support. The temple’s components were transported by a combination of barge, ship, and truck. The final shipment of 1,350 boxes arrived in Madrid on June 28, 1969, and over the course of three years, the temple was meticulously reassembled. If you prefer something smaller, you can always visit the obelisks in New York and London.

2. London Bridge In Arizona

In 1831, a new bridge across the Thames was constructed in London, designed by the renowned civil engineer John Rennie. It was made from 130,000 tons of granite, replacing an earlier version that had stood there since Roman times. The previous London Bridge had lasted 600 years, and at one point, it featured as many as 200 buildings along its span.

Rennie’s bridge was intended to accommodate the increasing traffic of a rapidly growing city. However, it began to sink over time. By 1967, the bridge was deemed unsustainable and was put on the market. The buyer was Robert P. McCulloch, an American businessman who purchased it for $2,460,000. A year later, the bridge was dismantled and shipped to Arizona, where it was reassembled in Lake Havasu City as the focal point of a British-themed park, where it remains today.

1. Buildings In The Middle Of Roads

There are two main ways that structures can end up sitting in the middle of a public road. One is a mistake, like when a miscommunication caused a telephone pole to end up jutting out from the pavement in Quebec. The more common situation, however, involves determined homeowners who refuse to relocate for the sake of new highways.

Stott Hall Farm is a famous case in England. When the M62 motorway was constructed in the 1970s, farmer Ken Wilde stubbornly refused to leave his farm. Despite having the legal authority to enforce a purchase, the local council relented and routed the carriageways around the house. As a result, the farm is now situated right in the middle of the road, with a tunnel beneath the tarmac to ensure safe exits.

Similarly, in China, authorities found themselves at odds with retiree Luo Baogen and his wife over a road project, but they didn’t own a farm. Their house was part of a larger structure. Unlike in England, the Chinese government doesn’t have the legal right to force sales, so they simply demolished the building surrounding Luo’s section, leaving it standing in the center of a circle of tarmac. Drivers must navigate around the house, with the road curving inches away from the walls.