The odd depiction of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus is rooted in the Catholic Church's eradication of Catharism.

According to tradition this is the oldest church in Venice, but its actual age is a mystery.

This palatial spiral staircase was so unusual the name "snail" was given to the noble family who built it.

Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.

A sinister pyramid in the Frari contains the heart of the famous neoclassical sculptor.

The world's most important buildings shrunk to a tiny size.

The medieval "dragon" on an Austrian city's coat-of-arms comes to life in a fountain.

Not far from the more famous House of Juliet, visitors will find the supposed residence of her lover.

The Bauhaus-style former industrial complex is considered the world's most beautiful coal mine.

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.

These bronze pamphlets remember a remarkable group of Germans who fearlessly opposed the Nazis in the very center of their power.

The scars of World War II are preserved on its walls.

One of the most easily accessible examples of the rare 1960s UFO houses.

The spot where the fascist dictator made some of his most famous speeches including declaring war on Britain and France.

In the past, Renaissance sex workers were encouraged to entice customers on this bridge.

Where Venice's gondolas go for a tune-up.

Thousand-year-old Viking runes adorn an ancient Greek lion at the entrance to the Venetian Arsenal.

These historic defenses ensured the city within would survive hundreds of years of occupations, sieges, and invasions.

A tiny church on a man-made island in the Adriatic.

Inside this mansion turned museum, the works of prominent Croatian artists are on full display.

This 15th-century church houses priceless works of art from a range of Croatian artists.

A full figure 4th century incorruptible saint lies in a glass coffin in Croatia.

An ancient knight and a symbol of the city's freedom.

Gargoyle head that brings good luck.