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

This deconsecrated church has seen many uses, from a tobacco storehouse to a cinema.

Those who own or stay at this 500-year-old, allegedly cursed house often meet terrible fates.

The only museum with its curator—and her pets—buried inside.

Where Venice's gondolas go for a tune-up.

A curious cave church carved into the face of a cliff.

A tiny church on a man-made island in the Adriatic.

These historic defenses ensured the city within would survive hundreds of years of occupations, sieges, and invasions.

This exclusive resort has completely covered a tiny Balkan island in a 5-star warren of guest rooms.

This ominous Albanian fortress houses tanks and downed planes as a reminder of their victories over Western imperialism.

In the heart of Tirana, this underground nuclear bunker has been transformed into a museum.

An Albanian monument to the Communism that nearly crushed the country is now a crumbling wreck.

A memorial to the atrocities of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.

Once the fallout shelter of a dictator, this sprawling bunker is now a combined history museum and contemporary art gallery.

These abundant, over-the-top monuments are so widely scattered that they define the entire compact capital cityscape, often leading to jokes about whether there are more statues than residents.

In the hometown of the Catholic saint and Nobel Peace Prize winner, a memorial dedicated to her legacy.

Whitewashed mosque contains the world's largest carpet.

This indoor ski resort has a mountain contained inside a mall.

A preposterously luxurious hotel with gold-plated iPads, Rolls Royce chauffeurs, and a staff that trains by watching "Downton Abbey."

A unique configuration of blown glass can be found inside this hotel lobby.

The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.

This futuristic building is yet another architectural wonder in Dubai.

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.

This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.