This 16th-century monastery was founded to cloister the daughters of wealthy local families.

This space-age looking obelisk rises over a city in the rainforest, meant to resemble the local castaña tree.

Built on the remains of one the Incas’ most important gathering spots, this square keeps the spirit of a fallen empire alive.

Situated on a sacred Inca site, this 16th-century cathedral took nearly 100 years to build.

This stone complex marks the urban center of a lost civilization.

The remains of what was the most important religious complex in coastal Peru for over a millennium.

A backdoor to Machu Picchu that only the most foolhardy infiltrator would attempt to breach.

These steeply terraced ruins are a stop along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

The stones of this Incan wall complex fit together so well you couldn't fit a piece of paper between some of them.

Preserved Inca city and site of the last Inca stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors.

The intricate stonework of Machu Picchu serves as a testament to Incan engineers.

The ruins of a pre-Columbian fortress city so secure it held off the Spanish conquistadors for over 20 years.

This observatory high on a hilltop in the center of Santiago got its start in 1852.

The largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere is a spectacular sight.

One of the largest ancient geoglyphs in the world is a tall desert god used for predicting the weather.

What was once a unique system of urban elevators is turning into a mechanical ruin.

A sculpture of a giant hand reaches for the stars in the middle of the Atacama desert.

A tower devoted to — and modeled after — the Divine Comedy.

A bright little alley in La Boca is a part of tango history.

Buenos Aires' city of the dead contains some very famous remains, including Eva Perón.

A series of waterfalls so massive they straddle the border of Argentina and Brazil.

This stunning mass of ice spans 121 square miles and is still growing.

Groups of prehistoric tombs that dot the mountains of northern Oman.

Where artisans use centuries-old techniques to build traditional Arabian ships.