Republic of Kugelmugel by MOs810 licensed under the terms of CC BY-SA 4.0
Created in 1984, this strange spherical structure was once home to artist Edwin Lipburger. But its “Death Star” appearance is the least crazy thing about it.
When Lipburger got into conflicts with building inspectors, he eventually decided to secede from Austria and turn his home into its own micronation, Kugelmugel. He stopped paying taxes, issued his own stamps and even renamed his address “Anti-Fascism Square.”
Of course, Austria didn’t take kindly to this—in fact, the only thing that kept him out of prison was a pardon from the Austrian president. Eventually the building found a new purpose as a tourist destination in Vienna’s Prater Park.
Lipburger may have overreacted, but at least it makes for a good story—and a nice view.
