A black and white painted wall creates an optical illusion in the California desert.

A giant knight, sex education, date shakes, and Jesus coexist happily in this Coachella Valley desert oasis.

Version of the French Riviera destroyed by the sea.

The American rainmaker and a burst dam.

Giant nude woman of Tijuana is also the artist's home.

A historic chapel filled with colorful murals and a colorful past.

This daunting 1st century fortress was purportedly the site of one of the most dramatic revolts of the Jewish-Roman wars.

This small church was constructed over the ruins of three temples dating to the Roman Republic.

This basilica is dedicated to two saints, one of which is known more for his famous quote.

Stone memorial that's said to predict the death of the pope and the site of the Cadaver Synod.

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

This grisly effigy displays an early Christian martyr who was skinned alive and beheaded.

A dismembered holy head stares out from her beautiful reliquary at the St. Dominic Basilica.

The remains of this 2nd-century Roman temple are incorporated into a modern building.

Overshadowed by the theme park opposite it, this small museum explores a major moment in American history.

This bank is widely believed to be the inspiration for the offices of Philip Marlowe, the hardboiled detective featured in a number of Raymond Chandler's stories.

This iconic neon jester is a local landmark that you might recognize from his cameos in film and television.

Find regional specialties from the Thai-Laotian border inside in a North Hollywood swap meet's food court.

A 1950s Googie burger stand is now a Los Angeles landmark.

A master of deception, Harry Houdini's greatest trick may have been living in two places at once.

First founded in 1472, this is the oldest bank in the world. Its history may explain why we call financial institutions "banks."

A sculpture serving as an homage to Pope John Paul II.

Also known as the Square Colosseum, this building is a prime example of fascist-era rationalist architecture.

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.