A monument to the more than one million enslaved Africans deported from the port of Ouidah.

Dozens of snakes are housed and worshipped within the walls of this Vodun temple.

Africa's Venice on stilts.

The Voodoo Superstore of the world.

An enormous public square and parade ground built to celebrate Ghana's independence.

Where thousands of slaves passed through the "Door of No Return."

This series of rope-style bridges brings visitors into a jungle layer that is usually reserved for birds and monkeys.

The world's largest church atop a political fault line.

Empty since 1989, now falling into ruin.

The oldest of its kind in the country, this tree sits where formerly enslaved people are said to have founded the city of Freetown.

The first European-style university in western Sub-Saharan Africa.

Built by Portuguese colonizers, the palace is now the seat of power for the independent nation.

This beach in Senegal marks the westernmost point on the African continent.

This tiny, tranquil Senegalese island serves as a powerful symbol of the Atlantic slave trade.

This unique religious structure is an architectural gem with arresting ocean views.

This giant statue is the product of a mixture of corruption, Stalinist architecture, and North Korean manpower.

Despite a fraught and controversial history this African island holds a powerful monument to the tragedy of the slave trade.

This deceptively salty lake looks like blushing pink lemonade.

This iconic water tower and failed bandstand is open for panoramic views once a year.

One of two giant blue cockerel statues erected with an intentional double meaning.

The only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River.

A toweringly silly piece of modern art has been delighting locals since the 1980s.

This church houses the “incorrupt” body of its founding Bishop.

The alley connecting two of country music’s most historic venues has a rich history of its own.