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

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

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

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

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

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

Iran's colorful terraces are a rare geological masterpiece.

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

A 2200 year old vessel may have been able to keep a charge.

Ancient rock-cut tomb? Definitely. That of a great Median king? Unlikely.

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.

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.

One of the oldest monasteries in the world is a key pilgrimage site for both Muslims and Christians.

Also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, this is one of the world's largest and oldest mosques.

A 1,500-year-old ghost settlement is slowly fading away.

One of the oldest and largest castles in the world.

Mysterious lost empire of the Silk Road.

The only Roman honorific column in Istanbul.

This Ottoman bridge is a rare covered bridge with shops, and considers itself the only bazaar bridge in the world.

Byzantine emperors ruled, lived, and died in this 13th-century palace-turned-museum.

This elevator was built in 1907 to connect two neighborhoods separated by a steep, rocky cliff.

Balanced on four stone pillars, this historic tower was the site of a tragic political assassination.

A little-known caravanserai hidden among farmhouses in the Turkish countryside.