Elaborately carved to showcase the glorious wealth that the age of exploration brought to the Portuguese empire.

A king's pet, a pope's gift, an artist's inspiration, and a tragic shipwreck.

For decades, Puerta del Sol has been illuminated by a giant, guitar-wielding bottle of sherry.

This sweet-toothed bear searching for snacks has been a symbol of Madrid for decades.

This funky former tobacco factory is one of the most striking examples of Madrid's cultural diversity.

Over two centuries old and counting, Madrid's massive botanical garden contains one of Europe's only desert environments.

An ancient Egyptian temple in the middle of Madrid, Spain.

Built on a medieval synagogue, this church has a burial crypt, tunnel system, and Jewish ritual bath hiding deep underneath.

Italian cave with exceptional acoustics and an unsavory history.

A mysterious ancient elephant said to possess magic powers is now the symbol of a Sicilian city.

This beautiful 150-year-old synagogue survived Italy's fascist period and the Second World War.

The largest catacomb system in the world.

A collection of miniature, symbolic sculptures hides in plain sight across Kyiv.

340-foot statue built to honour the Heroes of the Soviet Union.

A reconstructed medieval gateway that was the magnificent entrance to the capital city dating back to 1037.

The dining hall that nourishes workers in Chornobyl's Exclusion Zone is also open to visitors.

The ghost town left by the worst nuclear disaster of all time is being taken over by nature and urban explorers.

One of the most poignant ruins of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the local football team's stadium has been quickly reclaimed by nature.

150 or so scrounged-up lamps, chandeliers, and lanterns light up this alley in central Athens.

A crushed gate and giant bronze head serve as a reminder of Greece's fight for freedom.

The only surviving choragic monument is a trophy awarded in 334 BC for the winning dramatic chorus.

The ruined doorway is a portal to the building's turbulent and torturous past.

The Cycladic architecture makes this Athens neighborhood feel like an island paradise hidden in the shadow of the Acropolis.

This small 16th-century church in Athens is almost entirely surrounded by a modern building.