Bangkok's men with dangerous jobs come here in search of protective talismans.

The headquarters of the Mahanikai school of Buddhism, Thailand's largest monastic order.

This series of Baroque passageways in Vienna's cultural center mix old architecture with modern art.

The Habsburgs' royal collections of art and wonders.

Vienna's giant wonder wheel had a starring role in one of the greatest noir movies of all time.

Beautiful Austrian natural history museum with carved ceilings and row after row of ancient taxidermy.

This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.

A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.

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

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.

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

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

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

The deepest underground city in Turkey was designed to protect 20,000 people behind massive stone doors.

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.

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

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.

In this historic region, homes and churches are carved into ancient volcanic rock formations.

Hundreds of Buddhas in a re-discovered Indonesian temple.

Many Hindus make the long pilgrimage to this holy city to have their remains burned on the banks of the Ganges River.