Hollywood's most famous landmark, the "temporary" sign that has stood for decades longer than intended.

The medieval center of the Islamic world was also once the seat of Saladin's sultanate.

Standing atop 2nd-century Roman ruins, this church is one of the oldest and most iconic in Old Cairo.

The deadliest diving spot in the world is also a stunning geological marvel.

The largest known Ancient Egyptian obelisk.

These Egyptian statues have survived for 3,400 years and were an acoustic wonder of the ancient world.

Ozymandias’ time-keeping temple.

An ancient instrument used to measure the waters of the Nile so Egyptian farmers would know whether to expect famine or flood.

One man’s passion for gas stations is on display along the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

Home of the unusual art of water puppetry, one of Vietnam's oldest curiosities.

A fire once nearly devoured this gorgeous 14th-century Gothic cathedral.

The European towns of Brașov and Râșnov each have proud signs reminiscent of the Hollywood sign.

This snug medieval lane is one of the narrowest streets in the world.

Something's watching you.

The possible imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler here earned the medieval castle its nickname, "Dracula's Castle."

This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

On the Pakistan-India border the militaries perform an elaborate theater of aggression each and every night.

Space-age minarets towering over Islamabad.

One of the last surviving ancient Buddhist sites in the region, it escaped the brunt of several Hun invasions thanks to its remote location.

The Great Wall of Sindh, Pakistan's mighty fort.

The place that allegedly inspired James Hilton's depiction of Shangri-La.