In Kazakhstan, a colorful cathedral with many lives once survived the most powerful earthquake in the region.

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

According to one story, this burial mound is made up of stones that represent the casualties of a major battle.

This museum is dedicated to one of Russia's greatest explorers.

Built entirely of interlocking pieces, construction of this Chinese Muslim house of worship required zero nails.

This mysterious complex of abandoned yurts and fading murals was meant to be a center of science and spirituality in Kyrgyzstan.

This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.

Time capsule of a museum, in which the Soviet Union remains alive and kicking.

Dedicated to a Bolshevik revolutionary, this museum is a true time capsule of the Soviet era.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

Touching displays of wishes for peace from the Cold War era.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Once a luxurious flagship of the Soviet Union, this Brutalist structure remains a landmark of Tashkent’s communist past.

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

Controversially restored in the 1970s, this giant 15th-century mosque is shrouded in legend.

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.

A public park commemorating the iconic works of a satirist, with medieval ruins on the side.

The building's fluid, wavelike walls are a true feat of architectural ingenuity.

A unique museum dedicated to culture and artistry of carpet weaving.

A massive collection of petroglyphs dating back some 40,000 years.

Foreign invaders almost left this lovely Caucasus palace alone—almost.

When the Soviets destroyed the historic Armenian monastery they somehow left its bell tower intact.