Four steel monoliths stand in the Qatari desert, in a breathtaking work of large-scale art by Richard Serra.

A creepy, deserted mock Arabian village can be found in the middle of the Qatari desert.

Some of the ancient-looking huts among these strange rock formations aren't ancient at all, but built as part of a movie set.

An abandoned fishing village in pre-oil Qatar.

A 19th century pearling and fishing village abandoned before Qatar's economic boom.

This mix of Islamic art, vintage vehicles, weaponry, architecture, and history is an ode to eclecticism. 

These beautiful historic watchtowers were used for both scanning the desert for enemy invaders and observing the celestial world.

Fourteen sculptures showing the development of a fetus stand outside a hospital for women and children.

The enormous diamond-shaped building packs a trove of academic and literary treasures into one futuristic space.

The building is a gigantic piece of art inspired by the shape of a desert rose.

This 23-foot-tall bear stands amid the hustle and bustle of Hamad International Airport.

A state-of-the-art medical facility dedicated to treating beloved birds of prey.

Qatar's oldest market can trace its origins back more than a century.

This fountain pays homage to Qatar's history of pearling, the primary industry before oil.

This seemingly random 30-foot statue of an oryx in Qatar's capital was a mascot for the 2006 Asian Games.

This archaeological site boasts temple ruins that date back 5,000 years to the Dilmun culture, and may have been described in the tale of Gilgamesh's search for immortality.

Skyscraper powered by wind turbines attached between its towers.

This beautifully historic Bahrain fortress might not be the most popular attraction around, but that might make it all the better.

This centuries-old tree tells an unusual tale of vegetation and fertility in the desert.