A 16th century chapel decorated with bones, skulls, and entire bodies hanging from the wall.

A surreal statue honoring Prague's favorite literary son.

A turn of the century building boasting some of the most beautiful art nouveau architecture in Prague.

Despite attempts by local police to discourage it, Beatles-inspired graffiti has been a means for artists to air grievances for decades.

This Prague museum collects brutalist relics and memories from the country's former Soviet rule.

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.

Two stunning 17th-century libraries and a cabinet of curiosities.

The world's oldest known salt mine.

The topiary maze at the Habsburg hunting lodge.

Marked by the hand of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley.

Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.

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

Named after a legendary garden called Eram in southern Arabia, built by order of Shaddad, an Arab king who wanted to compete with Paradise.

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

A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.

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

This ancient burial site is believed to be one of the first earthquake-protected structures in the world.

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.

Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.

Putrefaction plateaus in Iran, where the dead were sent for decontamination before going to their final resting place.

A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

The palace of the King of Kings, burned by Alexander the Great.