Places Edited by Sarah Durn

Hidden in an enchanting ravine, numerous mysterious sandstone grooves hint at ancient pagan rituals.

Next to a newer mosque in Khujand’s main square lies the city’s oldest mosque, whose interiors are spectacularly intricate.

One of the best places to dig—some say on the planet—for six different types of chalcedony.

This mysterious church sits discreetly above the Aude countryside, right in the heart of "Grail Country."

An ancient Roman snake god, carved expertly into stone.

This iron building in the Amazon allegedly shares an architect with the Eiffel Tower.

A bustling bazaar with an elaborate facade in Central Asia’s underrated capital.

Constructed for defense, this fort oversaw the dress rehearsal for one of the largest invasions in history.

The biggest depiction of Don Quixote's love interest in the whole world.

Built in 1981 in collaboration with Andy Warhol, this giant piece of pop art stands on the campus of Colorado State University.

After witnessing the rise and fall of three empires, this ancient city was finally destroyed by a series of earthquakes.

Collection of scores of race cars from the 1900s to recent lovingly maintained and displayed.

This lesser-visited gallery in a corner of the Tokyo National Museum complex is an architectural beauty dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji.

It bustled briefly in the late 1860s, but little is now left at this stage stop on the Hamilton/Pioche Stage and Freight Road

This massive Art Deco-inspired mural was the world's largest augmented reality artwork at the time of its completion.

In 1977, an eccentric book lover formed a micronation for book lovers.

A well-preserved example from a 1920s network of airmail navigation arrows sits near Interstate 15 in southern Nevada.

The wreck of a World War II cargo ship has become an unintentional time capsule at the bottom of the Red Sea.

The origin of this bizarre, ghostly idol is a local mystery, even to the temple it calls home.

The former site of the world's largest paper mill is now a museum preserving the heritage of Canada's pulp and paper industries.

How did the front of a supersonic jet make its way to a display case in a Kansas City yard?

The site of a legendary 14th-century battle and a controversial 20th-century speech.

An epic statue dedicated to the memory of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments of the U.S. Army

Featuring a Loretta Lynn display and a re-created coal mine exhibit.