A gigantic statue of a Russian soldier watches over the ancient city of Plovdiv, a prominent reminder of the Soviet period in Bulgaria.

One of the dwarven trees dates back to 1625 and survived the Hiroshima bombing.

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.

A sobering account of the vibrant multicultural neighborhood that was destroyed under apartheid.

This seemingly out-of-place gas station by the Watergate hotel was once described as the most expensive gas station in the world.

The most accurate timepiece in the world.

This pun was simply waiting to come to life, and one defense contractor made it so.

One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."

These naturally balancing rocks were pictured on every Zimbabwean banknote, up to the 100 trillion-dollar note.

The famous abolitionist’s preserved estate is one of Washington's finest monuments to its great Black citizens.

This mysterious structure by the Washington Monument is a flood barrier designed to protect the White House against rising waters.

"Congress may voluntarily remain in session throughout the summer, in order that our Congressmen may be protected from the intolerable discomforts and dangers of the ordinary outdoor weather!”

This fort down the Potomac from Washington, D.C. was once the only defensive fort protecting the capital.

The sweet story of how American cargo planes became known as "Candy Bombers" during the Berlin Blockade.

During the Industrial Revolution this “Temple of Invention” was full of intricate miniature machines and gadgets.

This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.

This quirky curiosity shop takes its cues from the world's bazaars.

An homage to the medieval rulers of Bulgaria.

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

"Unity, Creativity, Beauty."

Two flush headstones mark the only known graves to be embedded in an airport runway.

The bank that helped fund the Mexican-American War and the purchase of Alaska met its downfall after helping Augusto Pinochet launder money.

A bas relief commemorates the "Nuns of the Battlefield" who cared for soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

This "dead marsh" sits among the largest sand dunes in the world, a forest frozen in time.