Witness traditional silk production in the Uzbek city that's been a hub of sericulture for over a thousand years.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

Touching displays of wishes for peace from the Cold War era.

One of the most ethnically diverse spots on the planet.

Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit.

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.

Final palace complex of the last of 29 Kokand rulers.

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

Dedicated to a Bolshevik revolutionary, this museum is a true time capsule of the Soviet era.

This mysterious complex of abandoned yurts and fading murals was meant to be a center of science and spirituality in Kyrgyzstan.

This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.

Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.

Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.

Glacial lake that mysteriously empties itself every year.

Time capsule of a museum, in which the Soviet Union remains alive and kicking.

A boulder carved into the shape of the cosmonaut's head.

An outstanding piece of retro Sci-Fi architecture built into a sacred mountain.

Extremely isolated Silk Road caravanserai in the middle of nowhere.

A statue of traditional Kazakh dancers adds some beauty to this Soviet-era mining city.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

A Stalinist prison camp for the wives and children of men accused of betraying the Soviet state is now a memorial museum.