A small villa said to have inspired the design of the court jester at the heart of Giuseppe Verdi's 1851 opera.

A young Italian couple has been locked in an embrace for over 6,000 years.

The seat of the Mantua bishop holds many secrets within its walls.

A medieval tower with a suspended iron cage used as an open-air jail for criminals who were exposed as a warning.

An expansive collection of vehicles and other paraphernalia marking the history of firefighting.

The oldest church in Mantua was buried for centuries under the facades of other structures.

This decoration above a door, an unofficial family crest, is said to come alive during the night to try to get free of the stone.

Wander through a maze of empty tombs to find the poles used to hang revolutionary patriots.

Inside the small garden of two mid-century apartment buildings stands a centuries-old bell tower, separated from its original church and hidden from view.

A room filled with frescos that make it seem like the walls are crumbling down while giants die in despair.

An architectural oddity where the triglyphs of the courtyard of walls create an optical illusion.

Fortified medieval tower house with lovely roof garden.

The naturally mummified body of a peasant girl saint.

This bustling Italian plaza is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater.

An incredible mosaic-lined monument said to have held the remains of an ancient Roman empress.

A medieval, mosaic-lined baptistry built by a heretical Christian sect.

One of the world's largest collections of pharmaceutical artifacts.

An unassuming Swiss institution houses Europe's largest toy museum.

This artistic fountain display pays homage to this area's theatrical history.

This ferry carries passengers across the Rhine propelled by no engine or paddles but by the river's current.

The most impressive of Basel's three remaining city gates.

The smallest museum in Basel, Switzerland, is a two-foot-by-two-foot window in the door of a 600-year-old house.

Nobles would stage mock naval battles on this large lake at the Royal Palace of Caserta.

In a city that boasts four separate inclined cable railways, this is one of the busiest funicular lines in the world.