This medieval castle overlooking the Elzbach river looks just like it did hundreds of years ago.

The birthplace of an eccentric alchemist and possible inspiration for the fictional reanimator of monsters.

The most visited, and possibly most controversial, museum in Germany.

Once the tallest building in the world, this abandoned church is now a monument to the destruction of WWII.

This beautiful 19th-century temple stands atop the ruins of its predecessor.

A fearsome dragon clings to a corner of Munich's city hall.

These bronze pamphlets remember a remarkable group of Germans who fearlessly opposed the Nazis in the very center of their power.

A stairway to heaven, or to nowhere at all.

Silent memorial, using bone conduction to take people back to the Dresden Bombing of 1945.

Tourists often confuse this beautifully ornate former cigarette factory for a mosque.

This Dresden church was purposely rebuilt Protestant after being demolished in World War II.

A typical "Old South" manor, once owned by author Anne Rice, served as the setting for several of her witchcraft sagas.

Once the site of a Native American harvest festival, this humble clearing later played an invaluable role in the birth of jazz.

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

The only home of the famous French impressionist painter open to the public is now a museum and bed and breakfast.

Parts of the civil rights movement unfolded in this historic eatery, helmed by the "Queen of Creole Cuisine."

Shop for books in the New Orleans house where William Faulkner once lived.

The oldest family-run restaurant in the United States is a living museum of New Orleans dining history.

A house of courtship where the Jazz Age's most storied lovers got their start.

Legend says a primate-like cryptid prowls this otherworldy sliver of the Louisiana bayou.

This abandoned Civil War fortress is slowly being swallowed by the waters of Lake Borgne.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

A snapshot of the city's fascinating voodoo culture.

A key producer of charcoal iron in the early 1800s, the structure still stands today.