12.  England Approves World's First Underground Mansion

Developers in the English town of Bowdon have been given permission to build the world's first underground mansion, which they claim will be more private and eco-friendly than its aboveground counterparts. The $3.3 million mansion will sit below landscaped gardens, and descend more than 50 feet underground. According to initial plans, it will include three bedrooms, a gym, swimming pool, and hot tub. The approval came amid protest from local residents, who argue that construction will destroy the gardens above it, and frankly, is a bit weird. "I just don't understand who would want to live underground," a local politician remarked.

Read original story in Daily Mail | Friday, Nov. 6, 2009