Flamboyant architecture from the turn of 20th century.

A stone marker and sculpture in the city of Riga stake a claim for the very first community Christmas tree.

A preserved oak tree about 3,500 years old found in Riga, Latvia.

This enigmatic artifact remained buried in a churchyard for years.

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.

A statue built to honor the elite soldiers who fought for Latvia during World War I.

The reconstruction of this prominent building fulfilled a long-written command.

This charming Latvian lane doubled as Baker Street on the Soviet Union’s version of Sherlock Holmes.

A black cat protests the City Guild in Riga's Old Town.

A former Latvian headquarters of the brutal KGB secret police is now open as a grim reminder of their atrocities.

This celebration of Latvia’s freedom and independence avoided demolition over half a century of Soviet occupation.

Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.

In Egypt's expanding metro area, many of the neighbors are dead.

Marvel at this immense work of art that greets arrivals to the city.

Giant topiary dog once played a role in a terrorist bomb plot.

Hundreds of stone stairs and a winding medieval bridge connect this haunting Spanish island to the mainland.

Two towns are linked by an engineering marvel masquerading as a boring suspension bridge.

A former Nazi lookout tower with a magnificent view of the Rhineland.

An ornate century-old elevator still connects the two halves of Bad Schandau.

These ungulates have quite literally bounced back from the brink of extinction.

A historic Christian shrine nestled within a spectacular natural cave.

This huge abandoned fortress hidden inside a mountain holds a world of subterranean secrets.

A famous big wave from Japan serves as a tribute to the victims of the disastrous Elbe flood.

Europe's largest natural bridge has a 19th century royal chateau built into its side.