Looking for a unifying history, Uzbekistan finds its answer in a 14th Century Turco-Mongol conqueror... despite the fact he wasn't Uzbek.

One of the most ethnically diverse spots on the planet.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.

18m long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet.

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

Former island in the Aral Sea used to be a top-secret Russian bio-weapons facility.

Final palace complex of the last of 29 Kokand rulers.

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.

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

Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 90 miles away from the shore.

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

This striking icon of the disputed Republic of Artsakh caused a stir at a Eurovision Song Contest.

This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture

Two Chinese dragons guard the caves of this medieval temple in Iran.

Iranian tombstones shaped like male and female sexual organs.

This lake in northwest Iran has started turning from green to red more frequently than scientists are comfortable with.

Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.

Salt cured mummies continue to turn up in this Iranian mine.

The hottest, driest, and most scenic desert on Earth.

Hundreds of stones dangle from barren trees in the middle of the desert.

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

Modern-day cave dwellers carve elaborate homes out of volcanic debris.