Dedicated to the life of a brave woman soldier.

An imperial fortress city that incorporated cultural elements from the entire Mughal empire, only to be abandoned the year it was finished.

This opulent 16th-century Maharaja’s palace is a unique mix of Hindu and Muslim designs.

Sacred Indian temple that’s all monkey business.

A symbol of hope, survival, and national character, especially after it rose phoenix like from the flames.

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.

The monastery survived the Communist revolution in Mongolia as a religious museum.

Buddhist pilgrims journey to this sacred rock to leave offerings and have their wishes granted.

Established hundreds of years ago, Gandan remains the premier Buddhist monastery in Ulaanbaatar.

A jagged silhouette of shamanistic stone heaps rises from the shore of this dazzling mile-high lake.

An exceptional assortment of fossils recovered from private collections.

Dinosaur eggs were first discovered at these fiery red cliffs.

An institution dedicated to curiosity, logic, riddles, and Mongolia's long history of puzzles.

The solemn exterior conceals an opulent interior of this 17th century church.

The Habsburgs' royal collections of art and wonders.

Op-art architecture designed for happiness.

This effigy of Peter the Great is greatly disproportionate.

Moscow's most popular cemetery includes the graves of numerous cosmonauts.

Moscow's other, lesser known kremlin is a fairytale-like cultural complex modeled after Old Russia.

Stalinist skyscraper built with help of cryotechnology.

This newly renovated Soviet-era outdoor exhibition center is bigger than the principality of Monaco.

An iconic Soviet statue of working-class people.

One of the largest collections of socialist realist art shows the surprising depth of the official art of the Soviet Union.

Gargantuan home of Russian science.