Deep in the heart of condo-laden Brickell lies a hidden monument harking back to an equally bustling civilization that occupied Miami tens of thousands of years before it became the city we know today. The Miami Circle was discovered in 1998. The sacred site was built by the Tequesta several millennia ago, though estimates of its time of origin vary greatly. The 38-foot Miami Circle was unearthed during the building process for — what else? — a luxury condo. Public outcry halted construction. After plans to relocate the site fell through, Miami-Dade County paid $26.7 million for the property in 1999. Today the Miami Circle remains buried in an effort to preserve it. But markers around the site delineate the vibrant culture that once flourished where modern Miami stands today.
Readers' choice: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens