Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.

Sofia's legislative center is continuously reinventing itself.

A striking symbol of the Bulgarian capital.

This historic black and white monastery is one of Bulgaria's architectural jewels.

A mountain pass in Bulgaria's Balkan Mountains was the site of four historic battles.

A magnificent, glittering building tucked into a tiny Bulgarian mountain town.

An abandoned saucer-shaped monument in the Bulgarian mountains.

The ceiling of Prohodna Cave in northern Bulgaria affords a peek at the sky via two deity-sized-eye-shaped holes.

The bust of Romania’s most notorious ruler, Vlad Dracula aka "Vlad the Impaler," keeps watch over the ruins of his medieval court.

One of the most controversial statues in Romania is an emperor with no clothes.

Romania's triumphal arch looks out over Bucharest.

This solitary monastery may hold the remains of Vlad the Impaler (but probably not).

This elaborately decorated, fairytale-like Romanian royal palace is one of the most striking castles in Europe.

Conspiracy theories and occult legends surround this mysterious natural rock formation.

The European towns of Brașov and Râșnov each have proud signs reminiscent of the Hollywood sign.

The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."

Gaudí's famously flamboyant architectural style is on full display in this sprawling park and garden.

A vista of the city and sea from atop the little-known viewing deck on an unassuming Columbus statue.

Construction of Barcelona’s iconic (but controversial) church was finally completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.

One of Antoni Gaudí's most classic buildings is well-known for its "dragon-back" design.

The iconic boulevard is the perfect place to catch sight of a bicycling skeleton, a levitating Satan, or a chef with his head stuck in a pizza.