According to a satirical conspiracy theory that persists today, this German city of 300,000 is a hoax invented by the CIA.

A monument to the three wars that led to German unification towers within a Berlin traffic circle.

The world's first clock to use set theory as a measure of time required the invention of a new light bulb just to maintain its obtuse measurements.

This stunning mountain lake was named for a pair of tragic lovers whose statues stand at the center.

Launch site for nuclear war against Western Europe.

A narrow strip of land is home to the tallest migrating dunes in Europe.

An old hill fort covered in over 100,000 crosses is a symbol of Lithuanian nationalism and beliefs.

This lonely Lithuanian chapel looks more beautiful and haunting in decline than it ever did in life.

Built to ward off Napoleon's army, this city-sized abandoned Russian fort is now perfect for urban exploration.

Open-air museum with a large collection of Soviet-era statues.

The pyramid and dome deep inside the Dzūkija forest are believed to channel divine energy.

This wooden recreation of a 9th century lake village looks as though it was built yesterday (which it relatively was).

This abandoned beacon is moving closer and closer to the sea.

The widest waterfall in Europe is a natural wonder and one of the only places where fish are caught in the air.

Just another terrifying garden filled with hundreds of endlessly smiling doll people.

This impressively complicated radioastronomy research center was once a tool of Soviet spies.

These crumbling Latvian forts make for some haunting seaside ruins.

Guests become prisoners on a visit to Latvian prison.

The mile-long pier stretches from a ruined fortress out into the Baltic.

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

Flamboyant architecture from the turn of 20th century.

The statue of a legendary giant who carried Christ and shouldered the world's sins.

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

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