This metal tower in the desert provides views of a handful of Nazca geoglyphs.

The sophisticated hydraulic system of the Nazca civilization.

Plundered and left asunder by grave robbers, this ancient necropolis has been painstakingly pieced back together.

An unexpected desert oasis in South America.

The mysterious "Candelabra of the Andes" could represent anything from a god's trident to a hallucinogenic plant.

The remains of what was the most important religious complex in coastal Peru for over a millennium.

An Ecuadorian haberdashery that sets the record straight about the so-called "Panama" hat.

Ecuador’s historic seat of government has been quietly looted in recent decades, and no one knows how or by whom.

Quito's historic, main square dates back to the 16th century.

This historic street in Quito is known for its seven stone crosses—and one presidential assassination.

A short volcanic hill in Quito doubles as a stellar observation point of an iconic statue.

This 12-inch-tall wooden sculpture of a winged Virgin Mary has inspired much devotion and countless replicas.

It took 160 years to complete the most ornate church in Ecuador.

The world's tallest aluminum statue is also the world's tallest image of a winged Virgin Mary.

Legend says if this neo-Gothic basilica is ever officially completed, the world will come to an end.

The gondolas let you glimpse a bird's-eye view of one of the world's highest capital cities.

An elaborate shrine dedicated to the four corners of the world unfortunately misses its mark.

A dangling church built over a Colombian gorge.

The Andean town where every single building is decorated with a brightly colored frieze.

Ripped apart by a bomb in 1993, the shell of Pablo Escobar's infamous vacation house still stands.

A 10 million-ton rock once worshiped by the Tahamies Indians, accessed by an astounding staircase.

Three hundred illuminated pillars form an “artificial forest” in Medellín.

Two identical statues by Fernando Botero, one blown to pieces in a terrorist bombing, the other donated as a gift for peace.

An unusual and beautiful form of mass transit serves the city's steepest neighborhoods.