Take respite inside this jaw-dropping church while climbing the volcano where Georgia's Prometheus was once chained.

Underground monastery and fortress.

An underground network of massive stone arches and their skylit vaults support ruins of portico structures above.

Remnants of successive wars and Muslim colonialism in the 11th century.

Climb a set of vertiginous stone steps to the top of this impressive ancient edifice.

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.

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

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

Over the centuries, this island paradise has done it all, from providing monks with ecclesiastical respite to sheltering an exiled Leon Trotsky.

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

A sacred lake with thousands of sacred carp and a biblical history.

Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.

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

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

A Turkish monastery tucked into a cliff wall.

Standing proud atop a Turkish bluff, this Ottoman palace has retained its grandeur despite being abandoned for centuries.

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet, your wish will be granted.

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

Ottoman-era houses lovingly preserved.

The deepest underground city in Turkey was designed to protect 20,000 people behind massive stone doors.

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

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.