A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

This crucial gathering spot along the "hippie trail" still displays old notes between traveling beatniks and backpackers.

A fountain standing as a testament to a doomed alliance.

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

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

No one is sure if the world's fourth-largest diamond had been found in a rubbish heap or was pawned by Napoleon's mom.

One of the newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.

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

Bangkok celebrated its shifting monarchy with a militaristic homage to democracy.

For centuries young Thai men used this Giant Swing as a slingshot to heaven.

The bank's whimsical shape was inspired by a child’s toy.

This museum has a most unusual location: inside a giant, three-headed elephant.

Limestone outcrop decorated with a large laser engraving of the Buddha.

This nugget of paradise earned its name for obvious reasons.

This lonesome Monterey cypress has survived centuries of wind, salt, and at least one attempt at arson.

This quirky UFO-shaped curiosity is often mistaken for the airport’s control tower.

Scores of vintage street lamps shine along L.A.’s Miracle Mile.

The dramatic upward-curving roof is one of the most iconic examples of Googie architecture that still stands today.

Every weekend, the parking lot of this Buddhist temple turns into a Thai street-food paradise.

The Los Angeles flood disaster that took 400 lives and ended the career of William Mulholland.

According to legend it was a nap taken under this tree that kicked off the California Gold Rush.

Gouged in the mountain to make stage coach access easier through the Fremont Pass.

Built in 1870 at the bridge that connected Buda and Pest, this spectacular incline railway was almost lost forever during World War II.