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

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

Resonant stone, that has been played since prehistoric times.

Home to nearly a third of the world's mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan is home to a messy, bubbling, and sometimes explosive landscape.

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.

This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.

An underground network of massive stone arches and their skylit vaults support ruins of portico structures above.

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

This crucial gathering spot along the "hippie trail" still displays old notes between traveling beatniks and backpackers.

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

With over 10,000 lights, this engineering marvel lights up the city after dark.

A small but hugely whimsical theater where marionettes play out the "The Battle of Stalingrad."

A cluster of historic bathhouses built on the famed hot springs that gave the Georgian capital its name.

You'll find just about anything in this funky Tbilisi flea market.

The charmingly disheveled clock tower of Tbilisi's puppet theater.

Brass cobblestones mark the places where individual Holocaust victims were taken from their homes.

This former estate of a fascist leader is now a burnt out ruin leading to a system of secret tunnels.

A magnificent Victorian garden that brings the charm and style of old-time aristocracy to the 21st century public.

Skulls and skeletons are omnipresent in this church dedicated to souls trapped in purgatory.

A cave in southern Italy adorned with thousand-year-old Biblical frescoes existed in obscurity until fairly recently.

People have been living in the cave houses on this Italian hillside since the Neolithic era.

This imprint of an old computer keyboard has a unique backstory.