Colorful mineral deposits turn these mountains into an Impressionist fantasy.

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

This lake in northwest Iran has started turning from green to red more frequently than scientists are comfortable with.

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

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

The palace of the King of Kings, burned by Alexander the Great.

Putrefaction plateaus in Iran, where the dead were sent for decontamination before going to their final resting place.

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

This monument honors the life of a long-suffering lion whose story captivated the world.

An abandoned resort in North Macedonia is a relic from the Communist Party of Yugoslavia.

A futuristic, brutalist masterpiece that is also strangely prison-like.

These abundant, over-the-top monuments are so widely scattered that they define the entire compact capital cityscape, often leading to jokes about whether there are more statues than residents.

As of 2022, the 124 rooms of Kosovo ski resort remain empty.