Rome’s legendary peephole vista is also a former Crusader stronghold.

A Nesting Doll of Churches.

The best preserved Paleochristian basilica in Rome hides a number of oddities and secrets.

Its interior is adorned with some of the best examples of early Christian mosaics.

A detailed pachyderm supports Rome's smallest Egyptian obelisk.

A large replica of a monumental Roman inscription is located on the side of this museum.

Romans decided this 16th-century "talking statue" was so ugly, they named it after a primate.

This immaculately preserved church from late antiquity was originally the mausoleum of the Emperor Constantine's daughter.

The first statue to be added to Saint Peter's Square in over 350 years is an ode to migrants and refugees around the world.

This equestrian statue of Constantine the Great has been the subject of criticism for centuries.

Despite their macabre past, these hooks are said to bring good luck to those who touch them.

Thousand-year-old Viking runes adorn an ancient Greek lion at the entrance to the Venetian Arsenal.

In the past, Renaissance sex workers were encouraged to entice customers on this bridge.

An iron dragon with a long neck covered in feathery scales perched above one of Venice's most popular squares.

This Roman statue is missing a limb from when the Venetians stole it from Constantinople during the Crusades.

The only museum with its curator—and her pets—buried inside.

100 year tradition of fist fights, marked by marble footsteps.

A small island less than half a mile from Venice is a forbidden island with a dark and twisted past.

An image of two murdered magistrates became iconic and is reproduced in metal as a memorial on the Civitavecchia sea front.

This statue in Civitavecchia recreates a famous photograph from the end of World War II in massive scale.

This picturesque Umbrian city has a subterranean side that has long remained hidden.

Water and windows define this defensive Italian well.

In Florence's great Duomo, a 26 foot fresco honors a mercenary famous for attacking Florence.

A monument celebrating the idea of reaching inaccessible places.