This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

A book bound in the skin of an infamous criminal, along with countless other specimens.

The fountain marks the area where hundreds of accused witches were burned at the stake.

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.

Near the former site of numerous witch burnings, this lavish Edinburgh mainstay pays homage to Scotland's brutal history.

Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.

Protecting the dead from opportunistic body snatchers.

The taxidermy remains of the first mammal ever cloned from an adult cell are on display in Edinburgh.

A sweet symbol marks the place where torturous executions were once carried out.

There are plenty of wonderful panoramic vistas in Edinburgh, but not many are hidden smack in the middle of the Old Town.

Tiny effigies of the victims of Edinburgh's famous Anatomy Murders.

The tomb of one of Scotland's bloody historic villains is a magnet for bumbling desecrators.

This was once a hall in which a 16th-century royal banquet was hosted by King James VI of Scotland.

Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.

This early version of the guillotine was used to execute the man responsible for its construction.

Remnants of the 16th-century defensive wall still stand unassumingly within Edinburgh.

The most loyal of little dogs, or a Victorian era publicity stunt?

Dublin's most modern, visually spectacular bridge is modeled after Ireland's national emblem.

A mysterious plaque to the even more mysterious "Fr. Pat Noise," killed in "suspicious circumstances."

The mummified heart of a saint lives on in this church—after a brief hiatus when it was stolen.

An Irish church where an 800-year-old mummy is reaching out of his coffin as if to shake hands.

Belfast's namesake river still winds below the city center, hidden from sight.

It was once nicknamed "the most bombed hotel in Europe."

This Victorian-era public house has set the standard for pub-style elegance for over a hundred years.