REMARKABLE PLACES. EXTRAORDINARY STORIES.
Every Place Has A Story.
Earth Curiosa explores remarkable places through history, landscape and human experience. Discover carefully researched articles, documentaries and podcasts uncovering the extraordinary stories that have shaped our world.
Explore Places
Featured Place
Petra
REMARKABLE PLACE.
Visiting Petra:
The Nabataeans' Lost Capital
Explore Petra’s history, archaeology and remarkable rock-cut architecture. Walk through tombs, temples and facades carved directly into sandstone, discover how the Nabataeans engineered a thriving desert city with no permanent river, and plan your visit to one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological sites. Combining history with practical visitor information, our guide reveals not only what happened here, but why Petra continues to captivate millions of visitors every year.
EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
The Imposter Who Saw Petra in 1812, but Had to Look Away
When Johann Ludwig Burckhardt walked into Petra in 1812, disguised as an Arab pilgrim, he had to hide the fact that he was standing in front of one of the ancient world’s great lost cities. He hadn’t intended to look for Petra at all. He was a Swiss scholar trying to reach Timbuktu, and this was only a detour built on a rumour and a false vow. Discover the remarkable story of the man whose need to look away is the reason Petra was given back to the world.
Latest Guides
Themes
Ancient & Lost Civilisations
Explore the remains of the world’s greatest ancient cultures. From forgotten cities and monumental temples to archaeological discoveries and vanished empires, these are the places where the stories of past civilisations continue to shape our understanding of history.
Explore the collection.
Sacred & Spiritual Places
Discover places shaped by belief, devotion and ritual. Temples, churches, mosques, monasteries, shrines and pilgrimage routes reveal how faith has influenced landscapes, communities and cultures across the world.
Explore the collection.
Conflict & Battlefields
Visit the places where history was forged through conflict. Battlefields, fortresses, prisons, resistance movements and sites of remembrance tell stories of war, power, justice and the people caught between them.
Explore the collection.
Disaster & Catastrophe
Explore places transformed by catastrophe. From volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to nuclear disasters and abandoned communities, these landscapes reveal how sudden events have altered both human lives and the world around us.
Explore the collection.
Engineering & Human Ingenuity
Celebrate humanity’s greatest achievements in design, invention and construction. Bridges, canals, tunnels, observatories, mines and remarkable feats of engineering demonstrate the creativity and ambition that have shaped civilisation.
Explore the collection.
Natural Wonders
Experience the extraordinary landscapes created by nature itself. Towering mountains, vast deserts, dramatic coastlines, volcanic landscapes, caves and geological marvels showcase the incredible forces that continue to shape our planet.
Explore the collection.
Islands & Remote Frontiers
Journey to the world’s most isolated and remote places. From distant islands and polar outposts to wilderness frontiers and communities at the edge of the inhabited world, these destinations offer stories shaped by isolation, resilience and exploration.
Explore the collection.
Living Heritage
Explore historic places that remain part of everyday life. Ancient towns, villages and cultural landscapes continue to thrive, preserving traditions, architecture and ways of life that connect the past with the present.
Explore the collection.
Living Traditions & Festivals
Discover the customs, celebrations and ceremonies that continue to define communities today. Festivals, rituals and age-old traditions reveal how history and culture remain alive through the people who keep them going.
Explore the collection.
Maritime & Exploration History
Follow the stories written across oceans, rivers and coastlines. Historic ports, shipwrecks, naval landmarks and the routes of great expeditions reveal how exploration and the sea have connected, challenged and transformed the world.
Explore the collection.
Folklore & Legend
Step into the places where myth, legend and local tradition come alive. Haunted landscapes, mysterious monuments and enduring tales blur the line between history and storytelling, revealing the beliefs that have shaped communities for generations.
Explore the collection.
Monuments & Memorials
Explore the places built to remember, honour and inspire. From towering statues and national memorials to monuments that commemorate triumph, tragedy and sacrifice, these landmarks reveal the people, events and ideals that societies have chosen to preserve for future generations.
Explore the collection.
STAY CURIOUS
Three Remarkable Places.
One Extraordinary Story.
Every Week.
Earth Curiosa explores the world’s most remarkable places through history, landscape and human experience. Subscribe to receive our latest stories, documentaries and discoveries, delivered directly to your inbox.