An 18th century wonder of the world, lost in WWII, re-created at the Catherine Palace.

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

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

Synagogue built from the stones of Solomon's temple contains the golem of Prague.

Monument to a suicide protesting the Soviet invasion.

The tallest hotel in Europe.

Home of the future Emperors of Russia.

Dozens of padlock-trees along the Moscow River.

Thirteen sculptures in central Moscow graphically depicting vices of the modern world.

World's largest bell sits on the grounds of the Kremlin in Moscow.

Moscow's imposing monument to the Space Age.

The world's tallest church tower reveals a spectacular view to anyone up to the task of climbing the daunting staircase.

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.

The oldest museum in Russia is home to a fascinating collection of nearly two million anthropological artifacts and anatomical curiosities.

Monastery, army base, and infamous Soviet Gulag in the far Russian north.

Stunning examples of Russia's 18th-century wooden architecture.