This imposing Masonic temple a mile from the White House was the first public library in Washington, D.C.

The beloved statue at the National Academy of Sciences is oh so inviting to sit on.

All that remains of a Japanese fishing vessel that ran aground in 1982.

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.

An island made out of shells, including a cemetery.

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.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

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

This striking icon of the disputed Republic of Artsakh caused a stir at a Eurovision Song Contest.

The only quarter of the Old City not dedicated to a major world religion.

A "miracle" that seems to produce more holy fistfights than holy revelations.

The remains of three different ancient civilizations have been found at this rich archaeological site.

Gladiators battle and chariots race daily in the ruins of a once-great Roman city.

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years and harbors many surprises.

One of the oldest temples in Ho Chi Minh City, dedicated to a deified Chinese military leader.

Giant pagoda houses the car that drove Thích Quảng Đức to his death by self-immolation.

The lavish temple of the Cao Dai religion that includes Buddha, Mohammed, Joan of Arc, and Victor Hugo.

This network of tunnels housed an entire village for years, and even had a hall for screening movies.

Ha Long Bay's "Cave of Surprises" houses a popular phallic rock formation.

These crumbling towers are some of the last remnants of a centuries-old Vietnamese culture.

This striking landscape in northern Vietnam contains both geological and archaeological wonders.

An extravagant monument to an extravagantly unpopular Emperor.