Built on the remains of one the Incas’ most important gathering spots, this square keeps the spirit of a fallen empire alive.

A Christian monastery stands on what was once a holy Incan temple.

This geometric feat is a testament to the Incas' mesmerizing architectural abilities.

An Inca spa, military outpost or maybe… both?

The world's largest clay lick, where parrots gather to snack.

A remote candy-striped mountain in the Peruvian Andes straight out of the pages of Dr. Seuss.

On this tiny spot of land in the middle of Lake Titicaca the only ones who do the knitting are the men.

Ancient Peruvian fertility temple or modern money-making hoax? Either way these monoliths still look like penises.

This 16th-century monastery was founded to cloister the daughters of wealthy local families.

The sophisticated hydraulic system of the Nazca civilization.

This metal tower in the desert provides views of a handful of Nazca geoglyphs.

These overlooked ruins give an intimate look at the Inca Empire's urban planning prowess.

Plundered and left asunder by grave robbers, this ancient necropolis has been painstakingly pieced back together.

A set of ancient drawings in the desert of Peru that are so massive, many of them can only be fully seen from the sky.

An unexpected desert oasis in South America.

The mysterious "Candelabra of the Andes" could represent anything from a god's trident to a hallucinogenic plant.

The mortal remains of an estimated 70,000 people lie in the basement of a monastery in Lima, Peru.

The large collection of pre-Columbian pottery might make you blush.

A short volcanic hill in Quito doubles as a stellar observation point of an iconic statue.

Ecuador’s historic seat of government has been quietly looted in recent decades, and no one knows how or by whom.

This historic street in Quito is known for its seven stone crosses—and one presidential assassination.

Quito's historic, main square dates back to the 16th century.

It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.

This 12-inch-tall wooden sculpture of a winged Virgin Mary has inspired much devotion and countless replicas.