A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.

This Birdsill Holly fire hydrant is the remnant of a very different type of hydration innovation.

A sweet symbol marks the place where torturous executions were once carried out.

Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.

One of the few remaining relics of the meatpacking hub that made Chicago the "hog butcher to the world."

A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.

Arguably the best example of an authentic Dutch windmill in the United States, rivaling its counterparts in the Netherlands.

This elaborate Hindu temple is located in a Chicago suburb, but looks like it was transported directly from India.

This huge clock made of flowers and simple machinery was once used a political weapon.

This grave marks the final resting place of a legendary frontiersman... unless it doesn't.

A replica viking ship from the Chicago World's Fair is still in dry dock in an Illinois park.

The famous author's birthplace is preserved in a town that he once described as narrow-minded.

The clothes-washing king doubles as a community center with some unusual features, including an aviary filled with finches.

The world's longest known cave system.

"No writer ever gave more to a city and got back less.”

These mansions date back to Chicago's days as a brewer's paradise.

Orthodox church partially financed by Tsar Nicolas II.

All of Chicago's wood-paved streets are long gone but two alleys remain.

A monument to the art of slicing people open.

The palatial McDonald's that inspired Wesley Willis.

The city is full of whimsical portals to another world.

The Beaux-Arts aquarium boasts a vast collection of saltwater and freshwater fish on an island in the Detroit River.

Yo, Adrian!

This elaborate towering structure was once famed for its revolutionary height.