A preposterously luxurious hotel with gold-plated iPads, Rolls Royce chauffeurs, and a staff that trains by watching "Downton Abbey."

This artificial archipelago was supposed to resemble a map of the world.

This indoor ski resort has a mountain contained inside a mall.

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.

This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.

A nearly abandoned Jewish settlement perched atop a hill in the heart of Yemen.

Yemen's "Stone Palace" looks like it was carved right out of the tall stone column on which it is built.

A fire once nearly devoured this gorgeous 14th-century Gothic cathedral.

The European towns of Brașov and Râșnov each have proud signs reminiscent of the Hollywood sign.

This snug medieval lane is one of the narrowest streets in the world.

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

This communist behemoth is the heaviest building in the world and a legacy of a brutal regime.