This celebration of Latvia’s freedom and independence avoided demolition over half a century of Soviet occupation.

A black cat protests the City Guild in Riga's Old Town.

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

This enigmatic artifact remained buried in a churchyard for years.

A stone marker and sculpture in the city of Riga stake a claim for the very first community Christmas tree.

The reconstruction of this prominent building fulfilled a long-written command.

With a design inspired by traditional Latvian textiles, this monument honors the Latvian people who suffered under Soviet occupation.

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.

Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.

An old hill fort covered in over 100,000 crosses is a symbol of Lithuanian nationalism and beliefs.

In Rome’s Jewish ghetto, a 200-year-old bakery still makes the neighborhood’s historic sweets.

This ritzy Italian market is built around a statue of an unforgiven heretic who was burned for his belief in an endless universe.

A statue built to honor the elite soldiers who fought for Latvia during World War I.

This charming fountain honors Felix Salten, the creator of the iconic storybook deer.

The world's first ice hotel is still one of the most elaborate and beautiful.

Stockholm's decidedly unique public transit system has doubled as the world's longest art gallery for decades.

Now home to a drinking establishment, this building has a macabre history.

This enchanting hill is home to fairy lore and a sinister local mystery.

Largest lake in Great Britain measured by surface area.

A glacial pothole was once a hideout for a notorious Scottish outlaw.

A beautiful Greco-Roman structure houses a well once believed to have healing powers.

Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.

The highest peak in the United Kingdom has a history of physics, specters, and a pilgrimage of strange objects.

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.