A sixth-century Byzantine cistern hidden below a modern carpet store.

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.

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 newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.

This historic hotel preserves many treasures from its heyday hosting passengers on the Orient Express.

This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.

Dedicated to a Bolshevik revolutionary, this museum is a true time capsule of the Soviet era.

Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.

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

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

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

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

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

A bustling bazaar with an elaborate facade in Central Asia’s underrated capital.

Next to a newer mosque in Khujand’s main square lies the city’s oldest mosque, whose interiors are spectacularly intricate.

Once a luxurious flagship of the Soviet Union, this Brutalist structure remains a landmark of Tashkent’s communist past.

Prowl through this sprawling bazaar under a massive Soviet-era dome for delicious eats.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit.

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

Controversially restored in the 1970s, this giant 15th-century mosque is shrouded in legend.

An 18-meter-long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet.