Landmarks: Middle East

Almost 5,000 years ago, 200,000 laborers used 2.3 million limestone blocks to build The Great Pyramid of Giza, a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek). The sheer size and scale of such an undertaking has to be seen to be believed. Near the ancient city of Memphis, The Great Pyramid is the oldest and largest at the Giza Necropolis, which contains two other pyramids and the famed half-lion and half-human Sphinx. It took almost 20 years to construct this marvel, and it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for almost 3,800 years.
The Original Seven Wonders of the World: The Pyramids of Egypt at Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Mausolus at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, and Lighthouse of Alexandria.

It's hard to believe that a city as spectacular as this could have remained under the radar. The rock-cut site of Petra dates to the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt and was not known to the Western world until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt discovered it in 1812. Poetically described as "a rose-red city half as old as time," Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage," and one of the marvels of early engineering. It is one of the most surprising and least-visited landmarks.
Fun fact: You might recognize it as the location of the precious Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

The .35 square miles of the walled Old City is among the most important locations in the world: Three major world religions claim it as their most holy place. The Jews have the Western Wall (the only remains of the first Jewish Temple), the Christians have the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Muslims have the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. With all three situated almost atop one another, it's easy to understand why this area is always making headlines. Because of its state of political and religious unrest, the Old City is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage in Danger.
The Breakdown: Of the four quarters of the Old City (Christian, Jewish, Armenian, and Islamic), the Muslim quarter is the largest and most populous. As of 2005 it was home to approximately 22,000 residents.

Not only is the Salt Sea 1,312 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point on Earth's surface, but it's also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world at 1,063 feet. The sea earned its name because of its ultrahigh salt content, which prevents marine life from thriving. Despite this fact, the Dead Sea is a major center for health research; the sea's high mineral content means it is teeming with epidermal and respiratory health benefits. In biblical times, the Dead Sea was a refuge for King David and home to one of the world's first health resorts for King Herod the Great.
Salt in the wound: The Dead Sea is 8.6 times as salty as the ocean — make sure you have no scrapes or scratches before taking a dip.

Istanbul, known in ancient times as Constantinople, capital of the great Byzantine Empire, is beautifully memorialized in its crown jewel — the Hagia Sofia. Though it changed hands many times during its history, the sixth-century basilica turned mosque turned museum remained the world's largest cathedral for almost 1,000 years. The modern day Hagia shows off more of its Islamic roots — when originally converted to a mosque, the bells, altar, and other Christian elements were replaced by the classic mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca; a minbar, or pulpit; and minarets that continue to adorn the building. Since becoming a museum in 1935, the carpets have been removed to expose the marble floor and plaster has been removed from the walls to expose murals that had been covered for centuries. You and your grandchildren can see it as Emperor Justinian (482 to 565 A.D.) had envisioned.
Hand it over: The Hagia has changed its face over the centuries, and the surrounding city has, too. Originally named Byzantium; it became Constantinople; currently, it's known as Istanbul.