This Midwestern Tourist Attraction Will Transport You To Europe For A Day

Europe is an unimaginably varied and diverse place to visit, brimming with history, culture, and some extraordinarily beautiful landscapes. There are plenty of overrated tourist attractions in Europe, but each country also boasts its own unique landmarks that are unmissable and worth making a trip across the Atlantic for.

Of course, it isn't always feasible to drop everything and jump in a plane to explore Paris, London, or Rome whenever the mood strikes you. Luckily, there are a few places in the heart of the United States where you can get that special European experience without having to stamp your passport. Niles is one of the most charming small towns in Illinois and boasts a unique, unusual, and eye-catching tourist attraction that is guaranteed to transport you from the wide-open fields of the Midwest to the elegant sophistication of Italy in a single glance.

Niles is a small village in Cook County, Illinois, located on the northern edge of Chicago near Lake Michigan. It's just a stone's throw from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, which is about 6 miles away and reachable in just 10 minutes by car, making it incredibly easy to get to. It is also just a 20-minute drive from the Chicago city center, making it the perfect spot to visit as part of a longer stay in the Windy City.

As you drive into the village of Niles, you might find yourself momentarily confused as to where you are. Standing out from the pancake-flat countryside and low-rise buildings, the Leaning Tower of Niles is an exact, half-size replica of the world-famous, free-standing bell tower of Pisa Cathedral, offering an eye-catching and somewhat surreal sight as you enter town.

The Leaning Tower of Niles provides a quirky and delightful alternative for travelers who can't make it to the glorious surroundings of Tuscany in Northern Italy. It was built in 1934 by Robert Ilg, a local businessman, as a water tower, with the bizarre design paying homage to the famous astronomer Galileo, who conducted a variety of scientific experiments using the original tower in Italy. The tower is surrounded by charming fountains, a 30-foot pool, and also houses seven historic bells, three of which were transported all the way from Italy and chime at specific times throughout the day.

This delightful architectural oddity isn't the only attraction that Niles has to offer. Dedicated in 1999, the beautiful Veteran's Memorial Waterfall is another lovely spot to visit, with its artistic "Lincoln Bench" another interesting thing to see. The Niles Historical and Cultural Center, housed in the historic former Cook County Sheriff's Police Department's Station #1, is also well worth a look, filled with artifacts and exhibitions about the town's past.

Niles isn't the only quirky spot to visit in the Prairie State. Even if you want to steer clear of Chicago, there are loads of interesting and unusual things to do in Illinois. Looming above South Morrison Avenue just outside of St. Louis, the Brooks Tomato Products Bottle is another eye-catching tower with a very different vibe from Niles' Italian facsimile. This is the largest bottle of catsup in the world, originally serving as a water tower and an advert for Brooks Tomato catsup. The Brooks Food factory in Collinsville was closed in 1960, but the tower was saved and restored in 1995, and now stands as an iconic, if extremely unusual, monument for the town.

Other unusually large objects can be found in Casey, near the state border with Indiana. This otherwise unremarkable town is filled with a collection of the world's largest objects, with several Guinness World Record holders, and is undoubtedly the world's largest collection of the world's largest objects. From 30-foot golf tees and enormous mailboxes to working wind chimes that measure 54 feet and hang suspended 49 feet off the ground, Casey is an extraordinary place to explore.