This sturdy, circular stronghold served as one of the forts that protected the Venetian Lagoon.

The marble facade hides a little-known medical museum with early surgical instruments and rare copies of canonical texts.

Thousand-year-old Viking runes adorn an ancient Greek lion at the entrance to the Venetian Arsenal.

Originally a leper colony, the island is now an Armenian monastery that's home to an incredible manuscript library and eclectic museum.

As can be expected from a centuries-old church built in a canal city, the undercroft of this house of worship is beautifully flooded.

A sinister pyramid in the Frari contains the heart of the famous neoclassical sculptor.

At this Oaxaca contest, artists turn purple produce into stunning depictions of saints, buildings, and La Pietà.

A Bibliophile's Dream.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Constructed on the ruins of a convent, this tower saved countless lives.

The humble tomb of an Argentine general, hand-built by his son using stones brought down from the Andes.

Buenos Aires' city of the dead contains some very famous remains, including Eva Perón.

This historic, palatial theater is now one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores.

The most southern point you can drive to in the Western Hemisphere.

This plaza at the end of the world teems with monumental tributes to a problematic history, and laser discs.

This haunting ghost ship stands beached in the waters off the coast of the Falkland Islands.

The southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world has whale bones standing in its yard.

An abandoned whaling station on an active volcano offers hot springs in Antarctica, surrounded by ruined giants of industry.

A grove of colossal man-made flowers built to collect the sun's rays.

This unassuming North Austin neighborhood was built to test the novel idea of home air conditioning.

Locals dubbed it the "Owl Building" because of its bird-like appearance.

This simple frog painting created by musician Daniel Johnston embodies the spirit of Austin.

A taste of Middle Earth, in the middle of the Bayou City.

Once seen as a bit of an eyesore, this sculpture has become a staple of downtown Houston.