Over time, this castle grew to encompass the entire island.

A quarry cum sculpture park where the works of art are chiseled into the very walls.

A mysterious phallic rock on the grounds of a Buddhist monastery.

History, geography, and shamanism meet in this eye-catching monument to the greatness of three empires.

An exceptional assortment of fossils recovered from private collections.

Dinosaur eggs were first discovered at these fiery red cliffs.

The oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia has survived centuries of invasions, political shifts, and religious purges.

The grassy landscape is home to the world's last truly wild horses.

This monument is a stark reminder of the horrors of the Zanzibar slave trade.

This slowly crumbling mansion was home to one of East Africa's richest and most powerful slave traders.

In Zanzibar, a historic 19th-century palace is a reminder of the world's shortest war.

Freddie Mercury's childhood home is now a monument to the iconic Queen rockstar.

This sacred, circular cave is lined with pools so clear and still that it's hard to tell where the water begins.

A little sculpture with a large wardrobe.

An Orthodox church built by the Royal Family for the Russian community exiled to the French Riviera.

Where artisans use centuries-old techniques to build traditional Arabian ships.

This beautifully restored fortification kept the city safe for centuries.

This lonely tomb is all that remains of a once-bustling ancient trade hub visited by Marco Polo.

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.

This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.

A sinkhole and now a swimming hole, too, full of dazzling turquoise water.

No building in the world leans as far as the so-called “Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi.”

This living legend of maritime history is enjoying a second life.

On any given day this sprawling market houses literally tons of government-regulated gold, gems, and precious metals.