This architecturally eclectic early-20th century mosque was built as a place of worship for the Islamic followers of a Jewish messiah.

The nuns here cultivate silk to weave some of the finest scarves in the world.

This sixth-century church housed an icon with eyes so beautiful legend has it they inspired the name of a Greek city.

The oldest standing Byzantine church in Athens is tucked within a monastery in the middle of an upscale shopping district.

Recovered suit of a cannibalistic West African gang.

A 17th-century Shinto shrine that is home to statues of Mickey Mouse and Pikachu.

Rows of stone statues are dressed up to mourn children that are lost before birth.

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

Every color in the rainbow awaits.

A Ukrainian church canteen doles out hearty fare in an East Village basement.

The oldest pastificio in Queens offers visitors fresh noodles and a peek inside the macaroni-making magic.

Manhattan's deadly West Side railroad, which killed hundreds of New Yorkers, is remembered by this simple plaque.

One of the few remaining American elm trees in New York’s Tompkins Square Park was the birthplace of a new religion.

This apartment building designed by a notable Washington D.C. architect housed the Qing Dynasty's Legation.

Also known as the Founding Church of Scientology.

The first memorial dedicated solely to the Black troops who fought for the Union.

A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.

Seemingly unremarkable items like empty sushi trays, chef hats, and freshness stickers are being preserved so future generations can look back on this beloved cultural import.

A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.

The famous abolitionist’s preserved estate is one of Washington's finest monuments to its great Black citizens.

A monument in Washington D.C. marks the spot from which all other roads were supposed to stem.

A tiny piece of the Moon is embedded in this stained glass masterpiece.

Enormous piles of historically significant stones, dumped by Congress in a forest, and abandoned for 60 years.

A historic neighborhood church is reborn as a psychedelic arts collective.