Also known as the "Red Taj Mahal."

Dedicated to the life of a brave woman soldier.

These murals celebrate the oft-overlooked legacies of Iraqi-Jewish actresses in Bollywood.

The roof of one of the world’s largest spice markets provides a grand view over the neighborhood's glorious bustle.

A startling, centuries-old subterranean marvel hides in plain sight.

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

The largest Lenin statue in Central Asia was moved to an empty field rather than being destroyed.

This dark, damp, perilous tunnel is the only passage from north to south Tajikistan.

The world's second-tallest flagpole stands proud despite dropping rank.

A building facade covered with the statues of 11 giants of Tajik literature.

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

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

An 18-meter-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.

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

Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.

Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.

A boulder carved into the shape of the cosmonaut's head.

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

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

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

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

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.