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

A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.

This former Imperial summer home was the venue for a royal slap that once echoed 'round the world.

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

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

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

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

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

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

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

Step back in time and witness the fall of Constantinople.

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

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

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

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.

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

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.

A Lycian city of the dead carved into the hillside of Southern Turkey, complete with startlingly human touches.

These tombs were built into the side of a mountain so that ancient angels could reach the dead.

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.

In this historic region, homes and churches are carved into ancient volcanic rock formations.

For decades, Puerta del Sol has been illuminated by a giant, guitar-wielding bottle of sherry.