A large statue of Pope Gregory XIII in Bologna was disguised as Saint Petronius to avoid destruction.

Legend has it this fountain built to symbolize the Pope’s power hides a strange secret concerning Neptune's manliness.

A striking memorial recalls thousands of Bolognese men and women killed fighting fascists in World War II.

A small window on Via Piella offers a lovely and rare peek at Bologna's lost canals.

A beloved local artist has been honored with this statue of a man emerging from a toilet.

Time has been frozen at this station since the bombing in 1980—or so it was believed.

Filled with goldfish swimming in a shallow pool of sea water, this ancient crypt is more wishing well than burial site.

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung reported a paranormal experience after visiting this mosaic-lined Roman baptistry.

An incredible mosaic-lined monument said to have held the remains of an ancient Roman empress.

This 6th-century church has the largest and best-preserved collection of Byzantine mosaics outside Constantinople.

Italian poet Dante Alighieri is entombed in this small mausoleum in Ravenna, and his hometown of Florence has never been too happy about it.

A medieval, mosaic-lined baptistry built by a heretical Christian sect.

Where members of the Crossbow Corps of San Marino demonstrate their skills.

The smaller of the three towers of San Marino is a former prison inaccessible from the ground level.

A historic cavernous cistern lies hidden behind a wall at San Marino’s stamp and coin museum.

A refurbished locomotive from a bygone era in the middle of the Jordanian desert.

Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.

This flagpole ranks among the world’s tallest and can be seen from three countries.

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.

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

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the ruins of this ancient monastic community.

The world's oldest map of the holy land gives us a fragmented glimpse of the layout of biblical nations.

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

This restored eighth-century palace is a shining example of ancient Umayyad architecture.