A memorial to those who died at the hands of the Kuomintang while fighting for communism in China.

A labyrinth of clothing, electronics, and other counterfeit items.

A bloody history is captured in this former prison turned museum.

This former monument to an invented Iraqi victory was turned into a military camp during the subsequent invasion.

An ancient fortified mound raised over the millennia from settlements built one on top of the other.

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.

Celebrated as a center of civilization, the remains of the ancient city have been nearly destroyed by greed, egoism, and war.

A giant bisected onion dome remembers the Iraqis who died in the Iran-Iraq War.

The tower in this 1,000-year-old mud-brick village seems to vibrate for no apparent reason.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

A historic trade hub teeming with gorgeous architecture, colorful goods, and vibrant designs.

This remote mountain shrine is one of the most sacred Zoroastrian temples remaining in the world.

This circular Iranian jail was once a political prison run by the country's secret police.

One of the world's largest shopping malls covers an area of 15 million square feet—and it's still set to grow.

Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.

Marked by the hand of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley.

Named after a legendary garden called Eram in southern Arabia, built by order of Shaddad, an Arab king who wanted to compete with Paradise.

This ancient burial site is believed to be one of the first earthquake-protected structures in the world.

This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture

A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.

The fire inside this temple has burned for more than 1,500 years.

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.

Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.