The abandoned palace stands as a wounded but proud beacon of Afghan hope.

What was once supposed to be the symbol of a shining Afghan future is now a bombed-out ruin.

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

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

The West's first incursion into the Afghan world lies buried beneath a military base.

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

A colorful kitschy temple and floating market off the beaten path.

This dazzling Buddhist temple was constructed from over one million ceramic tiles salvaged from a British shipwreck.

A shrine built to combat the bad karma of a commercial venture.

A pocket of jungle amidst urban expansion in Panama.

This elegant Colombian fortress was one of the torture headquarters for the Spanish Inquisition.

The colonial city's social history is reflected in its fanciful door knockers.

A cozy bookstore and coffee shop in the heart of Cartagena's Old City.

An inspired museum dedicated to the patron saint of enslaved people, inside the cloisters where he lived and died.

Two identical statues by Fernando Botero, one blown to pieces in a terrorist bombing, the other donated as a gift for peace.

Three hundred illuminated pillars form an “artificial forest” in Medellín.

Home to 23 voluptuous and instantly lovable sculptures by one of Latin America's most celebrated artists.

Located outside Medellín, this Colombian park focuses on conservation and sustainability.

An unusual and beautiful form of mass transit serves the city's steepest neighborhoods.

Outdoor escalators and art have helped change what was once a notoriously dangerous part of Medellín.