View from the Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din) with the Friday Mosque (Masjet-eJam) in the background, Herat, Afghanistan, Asia

Timurid tilework on a tower of The Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din), originally built by Alexander the Great, but in its present form by Malik Fakhruddin in 1305AD, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

View from The Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din), Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Inside the Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din), originally built by Alexander the Great, but in its present form by Malik Fakhruddin in 1305AD, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Qala'at Ar Rahba, dating from the 13th century, Euphrates Valley, Syria, Middle East

Inside the Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din), originally built by Alexander the Great, but in its present form by Malik Fakhruddin in 1305AD, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

view from outside with towers moat and stone bridge, crac des Chevaliers, Qala'at Al Hosn, Syria

Basilica of San Simeon (Qala'at Samaan), Syria, Middle East

View from The Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din), Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Statue of Al Khwarizmi, a ninth century mathematician, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Tourists dining in a yurt, Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp, Ayaz Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Islam Khodja Minaret, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Interior of Juma Mosque, also known as Juma Masjidi Va Minorasi, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Exterior detail of Tash Khauli, also known as Tosh Hovli, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Qutlugh Murad Inaq Madrasah, also known as Kutlug Murad Inak Madrasah, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Kalta Minor minaret, street scene in Ichon-Qala, old city, Khiva, Uzbekistan

An Ellik Kala gateway, Ellik Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Islam Khodja Minaret, Ichan Kala, Khiva, Uzbekistan

A yurt, Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp, Ayaz Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Toprak Kala Fortress, Ellik Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Ayaz Kala Fortress 2, photo taken from Ayaz Kala Fortress 1, Ayaz Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Yurts, Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp, Ayaz Kala, Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Walls of Ichon-Qala or old city, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum. Street scene in Ichon-Qala or old city, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Walls of Ichon-Qala or old city, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Fingers of the Statue of Hercules and the Jordanian Flag in front of the Archaeological Museum, Jebel al-Qala, Amman, Jordan

Detail of the Roman Temple of Hercules, Jebel al-Qala, Amman, Jordan

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruins of the Roman Temple of Hercules, Jebel al-Qala, Amman, Jordan

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruins of the Palmyra archeological site, in the back Qala'at Ibn Ma'n castle, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Byzantine ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

View from the castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n on the city Palmyra, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

View from the castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n on the ruins of the Palmyra archeological site, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

View from the castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n on the city Palmyra, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

View from the castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n on the ruins of the Palmyra archeological site, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala¥at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Byzantine ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruins in the Palmyra archeological site, in the back castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala¥at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin, Church of Saint Simeon Stylites monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Byzantine ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala¥at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala¥at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

View from the castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n on the desert near Palmyra, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruins in the Palmyra archeological site, in the back castle Qala'at Ibn Ma'n, Tadmur, Syria, Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of byzantine Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Golan heights, in the middle back Nimrod Fortress, Arabic Qala'at al-Subeiba, Golan Heights, Mount Hermon, Israel, Middle East, Southwest Asia

Ruin of Saint Simeon Monastery, Qala'at Samaan, Qalaat Seman archeological site, Dead Cities, Syria, Middle East, West Asia

Striking Mongol features distinguish the face of a woman and her child (who is blind) living in the ruins of the Qala-i-Dokthar (Daughter's Castle), outside of the town of Bamiyan, August 30, 2002. Most of the old town was destroyed and up to 20,000 people of the region might have perished when Bamiyan fell to the Taliban in 2001. Bamiyan Valley is located in the Hazarajat at the edge of the Koh-i-Baba range , the end of the Hindu Kush. Bamiyan was a prosperous Buddhist kingdom on the ancient Silk Road until the 10th century, when the region was converted to Islam; in the 12th century, it was destroyed by Ghengis Khan. Most of the people of this region are of the Hazara tribe, and are Shi'a Moslems who have been persecuted for centuries by many of the Pashtun rulers of Afghanistan, who are from the Sunni sect. They most recently suffered at the hand of the Taliban, who tried for years to ethnically cleanse the region of its Shi'a people.

Striking Mongol features distinguish the face of Hamir Mohammed, his daughter and grandson (who is blind), all living in the ruins of the Qala-i-Dokthar (Daughter's Castle), outside of the town of Bamiyan, August 30, 2002. Most of the old town was destroyed and up to 20,000 people of the region might have perished when Bamiyan fell to the Taliban in 2001. Bamiyan Valley is located in the Hazarajat at the edge of the Koh-i-Baba range , the end of the Hindu Kush. Bamiyan was a prosperous Buddhist kingdom on the ancient Silk Road until the 10th century, when the region was converted to Islam; in the 12th century, it was destroyed by Ghengis Khan. Most of the people of this region are of the Hazara tribe, and are Shi'a Moslems who have been persecuted for centuries by many of the Pashtun rulers of Afghanistan, who are from the Sunni sect. They most recently suffered at the hand of the Taliban, who tried for years to ethnically cleanse the region of its Shi'a people

Mansions On Boyuk Qala Street With The Flame Towers In The Background At Night, Baku, Azerbaijan