A sculptor's dream castle turned fantastical ruin.

An unusual monument to a gentle giant who became a Kyrgyz hero.

Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.

Legend says these stone structures are where the doomed citizens of a vanished village sent themselves to die.

The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.

Touching displays of wishes for peace from the Cold War era.

Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit.

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 90 miles away from the shore.

Where the father of Persian poetry is laid to rest.

The largest lake in the Faroe Islands seems to be held hundreds of feet above sea level thanks to an optical illusion.

The pits used to load the nuclear bombs onto the aircraft that dropped them over Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

An impressive collection is dedicated to the legendary beast.

This ancient village and its adjoining cemetery have a beautiful history of death and remembrance.

This foolish Victorian sea fort was converted to a deluxe hotel.

Inside this chapel, Victorian jailers took the separate system to new levels.

Azerbaijani ghost town, decaying after a war left it an armed forces buffer zone.

The village's cobblestone streets are lined with shops displaying exquisite copper craftsmanship.

This mysterious but iconic tapered tower appears in many Azeri fairytales and legends.

Foreign invaders almost left this lovely Caucasus palace alone—almost.

A shrine of fire worship built on top of a natural flame.

Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.

Extremely isolated Silk Road caravanserai in the middle of nowhere.

Stelae-eyed stones greet visitors to a corner of Kirov Park.