The fountain marks the area where hundreds of accused witches were burned at the stake.

This cannonball embedded in the side of an Edinburgh house once served a surprisingly pedestrian purpose.

Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.

17th century streets hidden under Edinburgh were once a breeding ground for the black death.

A quartet of brightly colored mythical beasts stand sentry at this gateway.

This small museum in a 17th-century building honors three iconic Scottish writers.

Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.

A sweet symbol marks the place where torturous executions were once carried out.

This was once a hall in which a 16th-century royal banquet was hosted by King James VI of Scotland.

Tiny effigies of the victims of Edinburgh's famous Anatomy Murders.

The most loyal of little dogs, or a Victorian era publicity stunt?

The final resting place of soldiers' loyal canine companions.

These steps offer a breathtaking view of one of Europe's most besieged fortresses.

Many of Edinburgh's more unsavory characters spent their final days behind this door while awaiting their executions.

A six-ton wedding present for the King of the Scots.

The tradition of open-air secondhand and antiquarian bookselling in Paris dates back to the Renaissance.

This iconic Parisian bookstore doubles as the "Tumbleweed Hotel" for traveling writers.

The block of aged dairy is probably still edible after 2,300 years in a peat bog.

The gorgeous library at Trinity College is home to remarkable treasures of Irish identity.

An Irish church where an 800-year-old mummy is reaching out of his coffin as if to shake hands.

The enchanting archway is the only surviving portal into Dublin's lost medieval wall.

The somber sculptures commemorating Irish Famine on the river Liffey in Dublin.

One of Ireland's most infamous prisons for rebels including men, women and children.

A particularly disconcerting tribute to Irish martyrs.