The other side is actually green.

It took 40 years to build this Eden-like garden in Marrakech, later restored by Yves Saint-Laurent.

The remains of a magnificent medieval fortress that was the capital of a vast empire.

Morocco's Argania trees are infested with nut-hungry goats.

Known as the Sistine Chapel of Egypt, this tomb houses some of the most well-preserved paintings in Egypt.

Named for the biblical warrior, the largest castle in Israel actually dates to the Middle Ages.

This modernist cinema has survived war and reconstruction to become a symbol of Lebanon’s revolutionary spirit.

Giant reed houses made in the marshes of Southern Iraq.

Flames have been burning within this mountain for more than 2,500 years.

This church houses the tomb—but not the remains—of St. Nicholas, the likely progenitor to Santa Claus.

A little-known caravanserai hidden among farmhouses in the Turkish countryside.

Unfinished monument to peace between Turkey and Armenia, long divided by a dispute over genocide.

Balanced on four stone pillars, this historic tower was the site of a tragic political assassination.

This historic hotel preserves many treasures from its heyday hosting passengers on the Orient Express.

The eclectic home of a leading Turkish architect is a gorgeous piece of eye candy.

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.

Brawny guys rolling around in oil is the oldest regular sporting event besides the Olympics.

A beautiful 19th-century Armenian mansion is preserved above an unassuming cafe.

This beautiful train graveyard is one of the largest collections of steam locomotives in the Mediterranean and Europe.

This ancient city - home to nine civilizations - is soon to be buried under 200 feet of water.

The ancient abodes are a testament to human ingenuity amid harsh climates.

A sacred lake with thousands of sacred carp and a biblical history.

An ancient church on a tiny island covered in stone bible stories has controversially been turned into a museum.

Standing proud atop a Turkish bluff, this Ottoman palace has retained its grandeur despite being abandoned for centuries.