Over the centuries, this island paradise has done it all, from providing monks with ecclesiastical respite to sheltering an exiled Leon Trotsky.

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet your wish will be granted.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

This half-forgotten fortress was constructed by the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople.

These abundant, over-the-top monuments are so widely scattered that they define the entire compact capital cityscape, often leading to jokes about whether there are more statues than residents.

This massive monument was unveiled the day Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.

On top of a resort town as old as the Bronze Age sits an incredible war memorial statue overlooking the beaches below.

According to a local legend, this old castle could only be built after a woman was immured in the walls.

This ominous Albanian fortress houses tanks and downed planes as a reminder of their victories over Western imperialism.

A naturally beautiful, seemingly bottomless deep blue spring.

The elliptical citadel resisted the advance of the mighty Ottomans several times, thanks to the military prowess of the "Dragon of Albania."

The most metal church of all time was built in record time because of an international, pious pissing contest.

This former Imperial summer home was the venue for a royal slap that once echoed 'round the world.

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.

Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.

Taking the subway here means doing so over a bridge located in the middle of an estuary.

This 15th-century Ottoman bridge was modified to keep up with the changing course of the river Erenik.

This lonely minaret with an unusual decorative symbol is all that remains of a historic Ottoman mosque.

A 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church that was once converted into a mosque under the much-disfavored Ottoman Empire.

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.

The mummified right fist of a 1,000-year-old saint-king sits inside an ornate golden reliquary.

A highly-criticized monument in Budapest has become the site of a makeshift Holocaust memorial.