One of the most poignant ruins of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the local football team's stadium has been quickly reclaimed by nature.

This attraction was abandoned after the Chornobyl disaster.

The ghost town left by the worst nuclear disaster of all time is being taken over by nature and urban explorers.

Ancient weaving techniques are used to create these colorful souvenirs.

With only one flight in and out a week, the unfenced runway at this small island's airport transforms into a seaside park for locals and visitors.

Located along Lysaya Mountain, this monastery is home to the largest statue of Buddha in Russia.

Intricate wood carvings on an island in Siberia.

This massive glowering Lenin head gazes out over eastern Siberia.

A uniquely authentic display of traditional Russian culture.

This Russian museum stresses the importance of keeping clean and even holds one of Pavlov's dogs.

Church built on the site where the last tsar of Russia and his family were killed.

World's largest bell sits on the grounds of the Kremlin in Moscow.

An 18th century wonder of the world, lost in WWII, re-created at the Catherine Palace.

The gorgeous entrances into the city's underbelly look more like grand halls than subway stops.

This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth.

A Stalinist prison camp for the wives and children of men accused of betraying the Soviet state is now a memorial museum.

This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world.

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.

Beatlemania is still going strong... at least in Kazakhstan.

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.

In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.