This giant statue is the product of a mixture of corruption, Stalinist architecture, and North Korean manpower.

Despite a fraught and controversial history this African island holds a powerful monument to the tragedy of the slave trade.

This deceptively salty lake looks like blushing pink lemonade.

These homes carved into the mountains seem to defy the laws of nature.

The central mosque of this Mali town is entirely built from mud.

This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.

This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world.

Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.

Mystic Incan rock piles three miles above sea level.

An Inca spa, military outpost or maybe… both?

Built on the remains of one the Incas’ most important gathering spots, this square keeps the spirit of a fallen empire alive.

Situated on a sacred Inca site, this 16th-century cathedral took nearly 100 years to build.

The Uros people live on floating reed islands in lake Titicaca.

The stones of this Incan wall complex fit together so well you couldn't fit a piece of paper between some of them.

An unexpected desert oasis in South America.

Preserved Inca city and site of the last Inca stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors.

The intricate stonework of Machu Picchu serves as a testament to Incan engineers.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

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