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Moving
into and decorating a new home is an exciting process for everyone, but
there are some people who take their creativity to a whole new level.
From upside-down homes, to miniature castles, people in all corners of
the globe have created some weird and wonderful properties. Here are
some of the most isolated, oddly shaped and downright whacky we've seen
yet...
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The Katshki Pillar Monastery, Chiatura, Georgia
This home sits on top of a pillar high above a Georgian monastery.
Maxime Qavtaradze, a 59-year-old monk, lives here in virtual solitude.
When he wishes to leave, he spends 20 minutes climbing down a 131ft
ladder. Supplies are winched up to him by his followers, with whom he
prays twice a week. The Katskhi Pillar was used by stylites, Christians
who lived on top of pillars to avoid worldly temptation until the 15th
century when the practice was stopped following the Ottoman invasion of
Georgia. |
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The River House, Drina River, Serbia
Balancing on a rock in the middle of the Drina River in Serbia, this
house was built by students 45 years ago. The idea for it came in 1968
when a group of swimmers in the river needed a place to rest. The
structure is located near the town of Bajina Basta and despite floods
and high winds, it still stands strong. |
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Elidaey Island, Iceland
About 300 years ago, this island used to be inhabited by 5 families who
lived off the land and the sea, hunting puffins, raising cattle and
fishing. In the early 1900s, the land was abandoned by the families and
nobody lived there at all. But in recent years, a cabin was erected on
the land for a local hunting association who come to the area to hunt
puffins. |
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Errante Guest House, Ritoque, Chile
The Errante guest house is situated in the Open City near Ritoque,
Chile, which was a settlement formed as part of an experiment in the
1970s. The city sits between Concón and Ritoque and was an initiative
created by teachers of the Design and Architecture School in the
Catholic University of Valparaíso. For the last 40 years, the
collaborators have been building architecture on their 300 hectares that
aims to be in keeping with the terrain. |
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Eagle's Nest Lodge, Namibia
Eagle's Nest Lodge is a collection of rock houses built at the foot of
the Aus Mountains in the Klein Aus Vista Nature Reserve, Namibia. The
buildings are partially built from granite boulders and they all have
stone floors and walls. With the Namibian desert stretching out
endlessly from the front door, this property is not recommended for
sleepwalkers...
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The Haines Shoe House, Hallem, Pennsylvania, USA
Built by shoe salesman Mahlon Haines in 1948 to advertise his wares,
this five-story curiosity has a living room in the toes, a kitchen in
the heel, two bedrooms in the ankle and an ice cream shop in the instep.
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The Hermit's Castle, Achmelvich, Scotland
This tiny concrete castle is said to be the smallest in Europe. Built by
architect David Scott in the 1950s, inside is one small room with a
single concrete bed and fireplace, but Scott left the area shortly after
its completion. It is now occasionally used as a hut by hikers.
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One Log House, Garberville, California, USA
The One Log House is a one-bedroom house hollowed out from a single log
that came from a 2,100-year old redwood tree. After felling the 13 foot
diameter forest giant, Art Schmock and a helper spent 8 months of hard
labor to hollowing out the log into a room 7 feet-high and 32 feet-long,
weighing about 42 tons. |
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