A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.

The last operating synagogue in Afghanistan is run by Zablon Simintov, the last remaining Jew in Afghanistan.

This striking icon of the disputed Republic of Artsakh caused a stir at a Eurovision Song Contest.

The palace of the King of Kings, burned by Alexander the Great.

Azerbaijani ghost town, decaying after a war left it an armed forces buffer zone.

Once an impressive link to Afghanistan’s Buddhist past, now a sad reminder of intolerance towards other cultures.

Iran's "Rose Garden Palace," built during 131 years of rule by Qajar kings, consists of 17 stunning structures.

This mysterious but iconic tapered tower appears in many Azeri fairytales and legends.

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

This magnificent blue mosque in Afghanistan is surrounded by thousands of white doves.

Splashes of blue in an otherwise monotonous lunar landscape.

This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

The fire inside this temple has burned for more than 1,500 years.

Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.

Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.

This former Imperial summer home was the venue for a royal slap that once echoed 'round the world.

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.

An Art Nouveau gem hides beneath the layers of city grime obscuring this once-magnificent building.

The only Roman honorific column in Istanbul.

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.