The hallucinogenic center of the ancient world.

This impressive collection of rare books on ancient mysticism inspired author Dan Brown.

Staves, storm-calling, and of course, necropants.

Where Aleister Crowley taught magick in "La Chambre Des Cauchemars," his "Chamber of Nightmares."

This ancient altar emerges from the thick forests to reveal the mysteries of Etruscan sacrificial rituals.

The plague quarantine island home to the alleged "Vampire of Venice."

Italian poet Dante Alighieri is entombed in this small mausoleum in Ravenna, and his hometown of Florence has never been too happy about it.

The location of the last witch trials of Italy, known as "The Salem of Europe."

This sword isn't waiting for a king to pull it out. It was placed there by a saint.

The mortal remains of a Russian prince, priest and paranormal investigator who came to America in 1792.

One of Catholicism's four major basilicas has a series of papal portraits that are said to predict the end of the world.

This ancient trail climbs the mountain where a Latin League cult worshipped Jupiter, its main deity.

Charles Dickens was not a fan of the ghastly wall dressings in this 6th century church.

The best preserved Paleochristian basilica in Rome hides a number of oddities and secrets.

A forgotten "city of water" underneath the famous Trevi district.

A mysterious chasm in the heart of the ancient Roman Forum, the Lacus Curtius was once believed to be a gateway to hell.

One of several skulls claiming to belong to the beheaded St. John the Baptist is on display at this Roman church.

The final resting place of the poets Shelley and Keats.

This hidden Art Nouveau courtyard is an opulent feast for the eyes.

The remains of the left arm of the levitating philosopher-saint are kept in a 13th-century Neapolitan basilica.

The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead still cares for the skulls at this mini-Fontanelle.

The burial place of an obscure North African saint was turned into a macabre body preservation factory for the 17th-century Neapolitan elite.

An underground paleo-Christian burial site composed of the remains of several cemeteries and Basilicas.

Skulls from the plague of 1656 and World War II bombings are united by a cult dedicated to caring for the ancient dead.