This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.

Historic funicular railway, believed to be the shortest railroad in the world.

The legendary building that needed ghostly approval before being built.

Ruined 11th century abbey built by King David I in Edinburgh, Scotland.

This early version of the guillotine was used to execute the man responsible for its construction.

Now home to a drinking establishment, this building has a macabre history.

This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

The world’s first museum dedicated to the history of childhood opened in Edinburgh in 1955.

Brass bricks outline the locations of Edinburgh's lost, lively market stalls.

A snapshot of Scottish folklore and magical heritage.

This monument is dedicated to a young boy who survived a disaster that forced Edinburgh to reevaluate its building codes.

This mundane post marks the old location of the city's main postal hub.

Sprawled across the Great Hall ceiling are various constellations and images relating to the zodiac.

This painting of a beloved dog will be on display at the Scottish National Gallery at long as the museum exists.

Overlooked by many, the two famous Scottish warriors guard the main gate of Edinburgh Castle.

A six-ton wedding present for the King of the Scots.

The final resting place of soldiers' loyal canine companions.

This Scottish graveyard is the final resting place of the man who inspired the character Ebenezer Scrooge.

Overlooking the burial ground is a tower designed to prevent thieves from snatching the recently deceased.

A stone monument acknowledging Scotland's right to have a separate Parliament from the one in Westminster.

A never-finished memorial to the heroes of the Napoleonic War has become "Scotland's Folly."

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.

This small sculpture honors a shuttered bookshop that was the site of a fiery act of protest.

A book bound in the skin of an infamous criminal, along with countless other specimens.