This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.

A 605-page Quran penned in the blood of a dictator is locked away in a mosque.

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.

Leaking natural gas never stops burning on this hill, making it an infinite inferno.

One of the world's largest shopping malls covers an area of 15 million square feet—and it's still set to grow.

Two Chinese dragons guard the caves of this medieval temple in Iran.

In this tiny Iranian town playing on the roof isn't just encouraged, it's the only place to go.

Putrefaction plateaus in Iran, where the dead were sent for decontamination before going to their final resting place.

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

Iran's colorful terraces are a rare geological masterpiece.

Yemen's "Stone Palace" looks like it was carved right out of the tall stone column on which it is built.

One of the most remote and isolated villages on the Arabian Peninsula.

A mesmerizing reservoir nestled at the heart of a pre-Islamic Yemeni village.

The most alien-looking place on Earth.

Tucked in an urban forest, this restaurant specializes in homemade, healing rakijas.

The bizarre rocks of Đavolja Varoš are the result of natural erosion.

For over 40 years, this quaint little house has teetered on a rock in the middle of a river.

Legends of treasure and spirits flow from this this fairy tale-like oasis.

A sinuous path among steep cliffs creates a stunning sight in southwestern Serbia.

Nikola Tesla's ashes are held in a golden sphere, surrounded by his works.

This one-time health resort was used by aristocrats around the world.