A barbarous band of serpents guard the bases of these Aztec temples.

If you can look past the nearby sewer pipes, this urban sinkhole grotto is a mini-paradise.

Clap your hands at the base of the pyramid, and the song of a sacred Mayan bird will echo through the air.

A magical sinkhole on the Yucatán Peninsula is adorned with mini waterfalls and hanging vines.

Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.

These azure waters were thought to lead to the Mayan Underworld.

This 700-year-old Cyprus castle is the birthplace of the world's oldest wine, said to be toasted by Richard the Lionheart at his wedding.

For nearly 2,000 years this church has been waging war on local snakes by importing cats.

The last moments of the ill-fated Pompeiians, frozen forever in plaster.

Architectural monsters are devouring this palace's every door and window.

The remains of three different ancient civilizations have been found at this rich archaeological site.

Concentrated around the Dead Sea, these surprising canyons are filled with coursing water, fish, and even crabs.

As the Dead Sea continues to deplete, massive sinkholes open along its banks.

These ruins by the Dead Sea is where John the Baptist met his untimely end.

The world's oldest map of the holy land gives us a fragmented glimpse of the layout of biblical nations.

Ruins of the Crusaders' headquarters.

The Syrian headquarters of alleged hashish-smoking assassins.

A monumental underground karstic wonderland is also the water source for over a million citizens of Beirut.

Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds.

The ancient mosaics here are considered among the finest in the world, and serve as a stunning record of Greco-Roman daily life.

Breathtaking Byzantine paintings cover the inside of this 12th-century church.

This hydrochronometer was invented by a Dominican monk and is a prime feature in this garden.

A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.