This 16th-century monastery has been turned into a surrealist architecture compound.

An Italian hillside ghost town.

The skull of the patron saint of lovers lies in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin—maybe.

The doodles of a genius line the walls of a secret room under the Medici Chapel, where they were hidden for nearly 500 years.

Sitting on an Italian hilltop is this surreal fortress built by the mad inventor of electrohomeopathy.

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

Geothermal waterfalls in Tuscany.

The only "Egyptian" pyramid in Europe and the legendary tomb of Remus.

According to the local folklore, the myriad colors of this lake are the result of a lovelorn wizard's blunder.

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

Renaissance villa and gardens complete with a tormented colossus.

Pompeii's less famous neighbor is still revealing her secrets.

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

A small island less than half a mile from Venice is a forbidden island with a dark and twisted past.

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

A submerged archeological park still holds the wonders of a Roman Sodom.

A 16th-century horror show built in a lovely Italian garden.

An Italian crevasse filled with abandoned buildings gives visitors a look at the world without humans.

This Hindu temple is an architectural marvel designed and built according to ancient Indian principles.

A memorial to the tens of thousands of Irish who fled to North America during the Great Famine.

This unusual structure may be on its way to becoming a cultural landmark in Toronto.

This colorful creation wasn't always a welcome part of Toronto's Moccasin Trail Park.

This Toronto garden collects stares and tchotchkes in equal measure.

A 98-room castle in the middle of Toronto that bankrupted a 19th century electricity multimillionaire.