Madurodam is a miniature city located in Scheveningen, The Hague, in the Netherlands. It is a model of a Dutch town on a 1:25 scale, composed of typical Dutch buildings and landmarks, as are found at various locations in the country. This major Dutch tourist attraction was built in 1952 and has been visited by tens of millions of visitors since then. The miniature city was named after George Maduro, a law student from Curaçao who fought the Nazi occupation forces as a member of the Dutch resistance and died at Dachau concentration camp in 1945. His parents donated the money to start the Madurodam project.

On July 2, 1952, teen aged princess Beatrix was appointed mayor of Madurodam, after which she was given a tour of her town. When Beatrix became queen of the Netherlands, she laid down this function. Today, the mayor of Madurodam is elected by a youth municipal council consisting of 25 pupils from schools in the region. [wikipedia]

Contributed by Kevin.

The Parthenon is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena built in the 5th century BC on the Acropolis of Athens. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered to be the culmination of the development of the Doric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered one of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy, and is one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments. The Greek Ministry of Culture is currently carrying out a program of restoration and reconstruction. [wikipedia]

The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. It was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.

Contributed by Kevin.

Here is a spike with eight real cars on it. It is actually a piece of art, “Spindle” by artist Dustin Shuler.

Contributed by Kevin.

This is the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis, MN that recently collapsed.

Contributed by Steve.

We’ve posted a link to Paris Hilton’s Hollywood Hills home before. But now that it’s up for sale, for 4.25 million dollars, we thought we’d post it again so you can be one of the first to preview it in case you’re interested in purchasing it.

In honor of the new Harry Potter book coming out this weekend, as well as the latest Harry Potter movie in theaters, here are four great bird’s eye views of Harry Potter movie set locations:

Two Night Buses from Prisoner of Azkaban.

The Walkway set used in Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix.

Hagrid’s Hut, with the Pumpkin Patch to the side.
The North View is the only one without scaffolding.

Harry’s Muggle Home

Contributed by Megan Lucas.

This is Notre Dame de Fourvière basilica in Lyon, France. Built between 1872 and 1896 it’s known for its unusual design drawing from a variety of architectural influences.

Contributed by Dan.

The home of Deion Sanders in Prosper, Texas.

Contributed by Andy VanGuilder.

A Wyland whale mural on the Milwaukee Courthouse Annex/Parking Garage getting torn down. Wyland is famous for painting life-sized whale murals in public places all over the world.

Contributed by Chase Dammtor.

The Gold Pyramid House in Wadsworth, IL. Not only is it 6 stories tall and 17,000 square feet, they also claim it’s the largest 24 karat gold plated object ever created. Read more on their website.

Contributed by Chase Dammtor