Places Added by Max Cortesi

This abandoned hospital facility is associated with regicidal conspiracies and paranormal activities.

A perfectly restored 17th-century hammam in the heart of Lahore.

Unrefined, uneven, and unstable—this is the real McCoy of Pakistani suspension bridges.

These boulders bear testimony to thousands of years of cultural exchange along this trading route.

A rare instance of a historical Peshawari mansion restored and opened to the public.

Time and local lore colluded to turn this fear-defeating Buddha into a man-eating demon.

The history of the oldest fort in Baltistan is steeped in familial rivalry and gruesome deaths.

Hidden among Rawalpindi’s modern buildings are the remains of dilapidated Hindu temples.

At an altitude of 3,700 meters, this is the highest polo field in the world.

The caskets in this graveyard have not been opened—they have always been open.

This mosque was built overnight as an act of defiance against the British colonial authorities.

The rich cultural heritage of the Kalasha people is on display in this state-of-the-art museum.

The last place in Bahrain where you can get a custom-made dhow.

These 4,000-year-old tombs form a surreal landscape.

Is this amazing tableau depicting Gilgamesh and Enki 4,000 years old?

This unassuming oil well changed the history of the Arabian Gulf.

A ghostly mansion in the middle of downtown Tunis.

The ruins in this village were caused by something more sinister than neglect.

If you dare visit this fort, fire-breathing hyenas might devour your camels.

This mysterious anthropomorphic statuette is on display at the National Museum of Oman.

This jar honors the role that pottery has played in this Tunisian village over the past millennia.

The biggest cave system in the Arabian Peninsula is home to a rare variety of blind fish.

This 19th-century church was built for Sicilian immigrants, survived World War II, and today stands on a landfill.

An abandoned mountain village in Habib surrounded by walnut, apricot, and pomegranate trees.