A Soviet era flat that refused to conform to the dull gray standards.

Remnants from a time before electricity.

Extremely famous in his native country, this Cracovian painter is all but unknown beyond Polish borders.

Learn the fine art of making a centuries-old treat at this hands-on food museum.

The unsettling remnants of a torn down movie set lies nearby the ruined location of the actual Płaszów Labor Camp.

In the midst of a living monument to Soviet social engineering, Polish Catholics built this church by hand.

An artificial hill and apparent calendric structure built in the Early Middle Ages immortalizes a legendary Polish princess.

This sprawling concrete suburb of Kraków was designed by the Soviet Union as the model proletarian city.

St. Mary's features one of the most spectacularly decorated cathedral interiors in all of Europe.

Flamboyant architecture from the turn of 20th century.

A collection of expressive stone sculptures in a scenic and serene riverfront location.

A stone marker and sculpture in the city of Riga stake a claim for the very first community Christmas tree.

This charming Latvian lane doubled as Baker Street on the Soviet Union’s version of Sherlock Holmes.

The reconstruction of this prominent building fulfilled a long-written command.

A black cat protests the City Guild in Riga's Old Town.

A preserved oak tree about 3,500 years old found in Riga, Latvia.

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

A statue built to honor the elite soldiers who fought for Latvia during World War I.

Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.

This seaside pine grove features an exclusive watchtower that presents amazing views.

A map store filled with original Cold War era Russian maps of the world.

This celebration of Latvia’s freedom and independence avoided demolition over half a century of Soviet occupation.

A former Latvian headquarters of the brutal KGB secret police is now open as a grim reminder of their atrocities.

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.