The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

Ostrakon depicting a dancer in acrobatic position, limestone, New Age, 19th-20th dynasty, Deir el-Medina, Museo Egizio, Egyptian Museum, Turin, Piedmont, Italy

Statue of Ramesses II, granodiorite, New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, Reign of Ramesses, 1279-1213 BC, Karnak, Temple of Amun, Gallery of Kings, Museo Egizio, Egyptian Museum, Turin, Piedmont, Italy

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

The Medersa Ben Youssef, the largest in Morocco, built by the Almoravide dynasty and then rebuilt in the 19th century, richly decorated in marble, carved wood and plasterwork, Medina, Marrakesh, Morroco, North Africa, Africa

Workers pause by the columns of a 19th century summer pavilion in the Babur Gardens, or Bagh-i-Babur, Kabul, Afghanistan, September 25, 2002. The pavilion, which was used as a restaurant in the 20th century, was built by Amir Abdur Rahman, but was heavily damaged by the factional fighting of the mujihadeen in the 1990's and later by the Taliban. The buildings and gardens are now being carefully restored. Shah Babur, a descendent of Ghengis Khan and grandson of Tamerlane, is credited for founding the great Moghul dynasty which ruled India for two centuries. Babur built the palace and created the gardens on a hill looking over the southern part of Kabul in the 16th century,

The four colossi of Ramesses II at the entrance of the the Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt

Close-up view of the hieroglyphics on the columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall, reaching up towards the blue sky in the Karnak Temple Complex near Luxor, Precinct of Amun-Re, Luxor, Egypt

Statue of Ramses II, Great Court, Karnak Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site; Luxor, Egypt

Six Colossi of Ramses II in front of Pylon, Obelisk, Luxor Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site; Luxor, Egypt

Ramses II Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site; Abu Simbel, Egypt

Statue of Ramses II, Great Court, Karnak Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site; Luxor, Egypt

The six standing colossal statues honoring Hathor the Goddess of Music and Love and Ramses II's wife, Nefertari in front of the Temple of Hathor at Abu Simbel, Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt

Close-up of two of the Ramses II statues carved out of the mountainside at the front of the Great Sun Temple of Abu Simbel, Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt

Colossus of Ramses II, Court of Ramses II, Luxor Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site; Luxor, Egypt

Religious wall painting in temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt

Religious wall painting in temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt