This church houses the tomb—but not the remains—of St. Nicholas, the likely progenitor to Santa Claus.

One of the most exquisite Lycian hilltop citadels in Turkey.

A Turkish ghost town abandoned in a population exchange with Greece.

These tombs were built into the side of a mountain so that ancient angels could reach the dead.

These ruins once flourished as the capital of the Lydian kingdom, often credited with the invention of metal coinage.

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.

The alleged house of the Virgin Mary is tucked away in a park and nature preserve on Mt. Koressos in Turkey and is holy to both Catholics and Muslims alike.

This famous city eluded concrete detection until the early 2000's.

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

The most metal church of all time was built in record time because of an international, pious pissing contest.

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.

One of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe.

A minotaur, a labyrinth, and a dubious restoration pull in visitors from around the world.

This famous archeological mystery may be an ancient example of movable type.

This stone tower was built to protect Crete from incoming pirates.

This ancient Greek place of assembly and marketplace is being revealed layer by layer below the modern Athens cityscape.

A 2,000-year-old computer demonstrates remarkable engineering and astronomical precision.