Places JonAkzar Wants to Go

Only a handful of these gorgeous historic waterwheels remain but even those are in danger from local unrest.

This ornate mosque is said to hold the remains of Muhammad's granddaughter beneath its dome of pure gold.

This ancient mountain monastery welcomes all manner of faith in an effort to keep Christians in Syria.

Amid the rubble of Aleppo's Old Quarter, part of a historic market has been restored and re-opened.

What is left of the pillar of Saint Simeon, the voluntary martyr who climbed the column to give his sermons, remaining perched there for thirty-seven years.

One of the oldest and largest castles in the world.

The Syrian headquarters of alleged hashish-smoking assassins.

A 1,500-year-old ghost settlement is slowly fading away.

Ruins of the Crusaders' headquarters.

Mysterious lost empire of the Silk Road.

The most sacred Jewish shrine in Iran and a fine example of restoration works gone wrong.

The largest covered bazaar in the world.

A graveyard of old and rare planes that once were the glory of Persian aviation.

This steamship has been beautifully rusting off the coast of an Iranian island since the 1960s.

Leaking natural gas never stops burning on this hill, making it an infinite inferno.

Two Chinese dragons guard the caves of this medieval temple in Iran.

This ancient fortress in Iran was once the oldest and largest treasury in the world.

The colorful soil of Iran’s "Rainbow Island" attracts artists and nature lovers.

Salt cured mummies continue to turn up in this Iranian mine.

The fire inside this temple has burned for more than 1,500 years.

In this tiny Iranian town playing on the roof isn't just encouraged, it's the only place to go.

A historic trade hub teeming with gorgeous architecture, colorful goods, and vibrant designs.

One of the largest and oldest caravansaries in Persia.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.