A study of Fascist era Art Deco design in Italy.

An abandoned shopping gallery built during Fascist Italy tucked in the center of Palermo.

This triumphal 16th-century arched gateway leads to the oldest street in Palermo.

This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

Why a column on the entrance is inscribed with a verse from the Quran is one of Sicily's many mysteries.

Italian cave with exceptional acoustics and an unsavory history.

A monumental private palace behind an unassuming facade, with astonishing interiors including a rococo ballroom.

A mysterious ancient elephant said to possess magic powers is now the symbol of a Sicilian city.

This giant middle finger statue sends an unambiguous message to Italy's bankers.

Something's missing between the arcades of the Palazzo della Ragione in "the city of the three withouts."

The people of Padua pledged to construct this church if the city was spared from destruction during World War I.

A twisted steel beam from the wreckage of the World Trade Center is the centerpiece of this memorial for those who died on September 11, 2001.

The incorrupt tongue of the patron saint of lost things is venerated in this basilica.

One of the largest squares in Europe contains an entire artificial island.

The oldest botanical garden in the world that technically isn't the oldest.

The tomb of the mythological founder of Padua is not hidden in some obscure crypt, but stands right in the middle of the city square.

In medieval times this small stone seat was used as a bizarre way to punish insolvent debtors.

One of the world's oldest working clocks is curiously missing the Zodiac sign of Libra.

Over 100 towers were built in Bologna during the Middle Ages, but only 22 survive.

Stuck in the arcade of Casa Isolani are three arrows of mysterious origins.

This building features dozens of faces along its facade, although one is a bit chilling.

The remains of an ancient Roman city are hidden underneath Bologna's beautiful public library.

Once known for its horse-powered knife sharpening, this 200-year-old shop offers an array of blades and hard-to-find culinary tools.

A massive line that stretches across the floor of Bologna’s largest church was created by a 17th-century scientist to measure the movements of the Sun.