Housed in an old British jail, this spot serves up Georgian, Russian, and Ukrainian specialities with a side of Turkish history.

The only Roman honorific column in Istanbul.

Homesick Syrian refugees head to this restaurant for a taste of Damascus.

A section of the long chain that blocked enemy ships from entering Constantinople.

Quite possibly the oldest love poem known to humankind.

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

Ancient serpentine sacrifice holder that has stood the test of time.

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.

1513 Turkish world map, full of European state secrets and snarky commentary.

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet, your wish will be granted.

Turkish adventurer antiques in the heart of the Grand Bazaar.

A meow-velous tribute to a beloved street cat, made famous on the internet.

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.

This historic Chinese tower was said to have been haunted by fox spirits but is now haunted by a grisly murder.

A temple complex has existed on this site since the third century.

This tunnel looks like a sliver of Shanghai that's stuck in the past.

A wall within the institution displays the names of 13,000 Jews who took refuge in the city during World War II.

A son-and-daughter meat market, hawked by mom and dad.

The world's first hotel built in an abandoned water-filled quarry.

The French leader's hat sits in a glass case at the oldest restaurant in Paris.

Montmartre's sole surviving windmill became an iconic landmark for 19th-century painters, artists, and bohemians.

The site of slaughterhouses that once satisfied Parisians' taste for horse meat is now home to a park and book market.

Executions were once held near this beautiful 18th-century fountain.