Ruins of the Crusaders' headquarters.

Mysterious lost empire of the Silk Road.

A cave covered with bizarre stalactites of cloth.

An eccentric dictator's take on a Turkmen version of Disneyland.

Few people have ever heard of, let alone visited, one of Turkmenistan’s most impressive natural attractions.

If you want to get married in the White Marble City of Ashgabat, you should do it in this surreal disco ball building.

This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.

The largest Lenin statue in Central Asia was moved to an empty field rather than being destroyed.

The vertical-axis windmills of ancient Persia have been grinding flour for 1,000 years and counting.

One of the largest and oldest caravansaries in Persia.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

A graveyard of old and rare planes that once were the glory of Persian aviation.

Iran's colorful terraces are a rare geological masterpiece.

This beautiful system of tunnels built into natural rock serves as a centuries old plumbing system.

The palace of the King of Kings, burned by Alexander the Great.

A 1,500-year-old, 3-story subterranean city where ancient Persians took refuge in times of war.

A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

Mirrors and glass shards cover every inch of this arrestingly beautiful mosque.

A giant bisected onion dome remembers the Iraqis who died in the Iran-Iraq War.

An ancient fortified mound raised over the millennia from settlements built one on top of the other.

Celebrated as a center of civilization, the remains of the ancient city have been nearly destroyed by greed, egoism, and war.

Standing proud atop a Turkish bluff, this Ottoman palace has retained its grandeur despite being abandoned for centuries.

Large miniature theme park with 100-plus models.