kattrewerts's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Nashtifan, Iran

Nashtifan Windmills

The vertical-axis windmills of ancient Persia have been grinding flour for 1,000 years and counting.
Kish, Iran

Kariz-e-Kish

Hydraulic systems in an ancient underground Iranian city.
Iran

Radkan Tower

A sophisticated astronomical tower built by one of the greatest Persian scholars of the Islamic Golden Age.
Yazd, Iran

Zoroastrian Towers of Silence

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

Nushabad Underground City

A 1,500-year-old, 3-story subterranean city where ancient Persians took refuge in times of war.
Meybod, Iran

Yakhchāls

Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.
Roudbar Alamout, Iran

Alamut Castle

This ruined fortress was the stronghold for a persecuted medieval leader and his infamous Assassins.
Shiraz, Iran

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.
Orost, Iran

Badab-e Surt

Iran's colorful terraces are a rare geological masterpiece.
Fars Province, Iran

The Ruins of Persepolis

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

Shah Cheragh

Mirrors and glass shards cover every inch of this arrestingly beautiful mosque.
Mosul, Iraq

Dair Mar Elia

The oldest Christian monastery in Iraq until ISIS blew it up twice and then drove over it with bulldozers.
Zakho, Iraq

Pira Delal

This ancient stone bridge is a hub for daredevils.
Alqosh, Iraq

Rabban Hormizd Monastery

An ancient sanctuary that has long been a holy site for the Chaldean Christian Church.
Amedi, Iraq

Bahdinan Gate

This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.
Erbil, Iraq

Erbil Citadel

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

Great Mosque of Samarra

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.
Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Lalish Temple

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.
Hillah, Iraq

Babylon

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

Mezyad Fort

This mysterious abandoned fort looks like something pulled right from Arabian legend.
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Jebel Hafeet Beehive Tombs

The cluster of igloo-like domes forms the remains of an ancient burial ground.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

World's First Gold-Dispensing ATM

Feed it cash, get your very own gold bar.
Liwa, United Arab Emirates

Moreeb Dune

One of the largest sand dunes in the world is nicknamed the "Scary Mountain" due to its steep slope and sharp incline.
Mezairaa, United Arab Emirates

Singing Sand Dunes of Liwa

Over the dunes of the Empty Quarter, the mysterious music of the desert.