A secluded, little-known temple hidden amid the dense jungle.

A small 12th-century temple surrounded by waters believed to have curative properties.

Though it was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, Baphuon was converted to a Buddhist temple in the 15th century, complete with a massive hidden statue.

During the Soviet era, the medieval capital of Volga Bulgaria served as a substitute for Mecca.

Russia's own leaning tower was built on a tragic historical fable.

Replica of mosque destroyed by Russia in the 16th century.

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world.

Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.

18m long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet.

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.

Over the centuries, this island paradise has done it all, from providing monks with ecclesiastical respite to sheltering an exiled Leon Trotsky.

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.

A charming beach town in Turkey captures all the colors of the rainbow.

A deadly ancient portal to the underworld.