The reason for the strange contortions in the trunks of these "drunken" pine trees in Russia is still a mystery.

Norway's oldest cathedral still in use.

This abandoned mining village was predicted to resist decay longer than any other modern human settlement.

In the northernmost city in the world, it's illegal to be buried because it’s too cold for bodies to decompose.

This Arctic storage facility is a secure backup for agricultural biodiversity.

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

This building holds the embalmed remains of the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Moscow's other, lesser known kremlin is a fairytale-like cultural complex modeled after Old Russia.

This endearingly discomfited urinating statue commemorates the sneaky pees had by us all.

This irregularly shaped sea fortress has defended not one but three different sovereign states.

A small island dotted with old, historic Finnish buildings.

A stick-sprouting statue watching a duo of disembodied dancing deities.

If you visit Santa's village, you can get your passport stamped to show you crossed into the Arctic Circle.

A 246-foot-high revolving restaurant rises unexpectedly from a forested Finnish hilltop.

Roughly 17 million letters to Santa have found their way to this Arctic Circle post office.

The smallest restaurant in the world.

An abstract monument to a symphonic composer.

This fantastical icy castle is built anew every winter.