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

This skeletal, unfinished Gothic church once housed a miraculous masterpiece by Raphael.

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

Haunting graffiti left by prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition.

A study of Fascist era Art Deco design in Italy.

This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.

Why a column on the entrance is inscribed with a verse from the Quran is one of Sicily's many mysteries.

Thousands of well-dressed mummies below a monastery.

Behind medieval walls in a corner of bustling Palermo is a breathtaking former mosque once inhabited by a wolf-taming hermit.

Gorgeous views of Italian mountains and valleys form the backdrop of this unique open-air theater.

A madman's personal garden filled with 1,000 sculpted heads.

"Stairs of the Turks", a chalky white cliff eroded conveniently into stairs, allowing for easy pillaging.

This constantly evolving art space saved an Italian town from its own crippling reputation.

A mysterious ancient elephant said to possess magic powers is now the symbol of a Sicilian city.

Built on a medieval synagogue, this church has a burial crypt, tunnel system, and Jewish ritual bath hiding deep underneath.

Italian cave with exceptional acoustics and an unsavory history.

The world's most active stratovolcano is almost always erupting.

These stairs were built to accommodate royals mounted on elephants.

This grand Pakistani mausoleum can only be accessed via an almost 1,000 foot long alleyway.

On the Pakistan-India border the militaries perform an elaborate theater of aggression each and every night.

A tower built by an emperor for an antelope.

One of New York's best collections of pinball is hidden in a secret bar in the back of this laundromat.

A 15th-century granary that played the role of futuristic slave quarters in the world of 'Star Wars.'

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years old and harbors many surprises.