The Pyramids, Egypt

The Pyramids, Egypt

History

The first historically documented Egyptian pyramid is attributed to the architect Imhotep. Amenhotep is credited with being the first to conceive the notion of stacking mastabas on top of each other — creating an edifice composed of a number of "steps" that decreased in size towards its apex. The result was the Step Pyramid of Djoser — which was designed to serve as a gigantic stairway by which the soul of the deceased pharaoh could ascend to the heavens. Such was the importance of Imhotep's achievement that he was deified by later Egyptians.






The most prolific pyramid-building phase coincided with the greatest degree of absolutist pharaonic rule. It was during this time that the most famous pyramids, those near Giza, were built. Over time, as authority became less centralized, the ability and willingness to harness the resources required for construction on a massive scale decreased, and later pyramids were smaller, less well-built and often hastily constructed.

Number and location of pyramids

Many pyramids are in a poor state of preservation or buried by desert sands. If visible at all they may appear as little more than mounds of rubble. As a consequence archaeologists are continuing to identify and study previously unknown pyramid structures.

The most recent pyramid to be discovered is that of Queen Sesheshet, mother of 6th Dynasty Pharaoh Teti, located at Saqqara. The discovery was announced by Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, on 11 November 2008.

All of Egypt's pyramids, except the small Third Dynasty pyramid of Zawyet el-Amwat, are sited on the west bank of the Nile, and most are grouped together in a number of pyramid fields. The most important of these are listed geographically, from north to south, below.

Abu Rawash

Giza

Zawyet el-Aryan

Abu Sir

Saqqara

Dahshur

Mazghuna

Lisht

Meidum

Hawara

el-Lahun

Tour of The Pyramids, Egypt

For the pyramids tour! As you probably know, this is the only seven wonder of the ancient times that remains today. They have stayed here for more than 4500 years, and I am sure they will be here for some thousand years more.





Something that probably will surprise you, is that the pyramids are not, as I expected, lost in the middle of the desert, but in the outskirts of the city of Cairo. They are in a Gizah, the name of the neighborhood on the other side of the Nile river.

In the photo you can see the famous sphinx and the Kefren pyramid. This pyramid is the second tallest. The tallest one is Kheops (actually only 2 meters higher).

The Brandenburg Gate, Germany

The Brandenburg Gate, Germany

History

Brandenburger gate, landmark of Berlin and symbol of the German unit, was built from 1789 to 1791 by Carl Gotthard Langhans. Ten years after the 30 year war, in 1658 were begun to extend Berlin into a fortress. In the place of the today's Brandenburg Gate, a town-gate was established.

In the outgoing 18th century, the middle class won ever more influence. The king wished himself a willful conclusion of the road "Unter den Linden". In 1769, one presented a plan for the adornment of Berlin, which also showed a model of the new gate. But some years went up to the conversion of the plan. Only in 1788 began one with the outline of the old Brandenburg Gate.

For the opening, the art objects and the Quadriga were still missed, but Schadow, Langhans, and the coppersmith Jury had already conceptions in 1789, how the Quadriga should look. Four years later, in the summer of 1793, the Quadriga was installed on the Brandenburg Gate.






In the last war days of May 1945, the Brandenburg Gate and Quadriga were destroyed. Berlin was divided in four sectors. The gate, now in the Soviet sector, became again fair its original function as a town-gate. It separated the British and Soviet sector, east and west. But still one could pass the gate.


The gate remained closed nearly 30 years long. Only with the downfall of the wall in the night of November 9th to 10th, 1989, it opened the chance of the reopening of the gate. To 22.12.1989 it finally happened. At the "Brandenburger Tor" a border crossing had been opened, and within fewer months the wall disappeared.

In the meantime, the buildings at Pariser Platz, destroyed in the war, were reconstructed again. From March 1998, to 2002, cars could drive through the gate. However, since 2002, the passage is closed for motorized vehicles. The bus No. 100, from "Bahnhof Zoo", makes an elbow around the gate.

Today, a red line on the roadway in front of the Brandenburg Gate marks the former course of the border of the west wall.

Tour of The Brandenburg Gate, Germany

One of the favorite tourist destinations in Germany the Brandenburg Gate, Germany has a long and enriched history. It was in the 18th century that the gate was built and the architecture of the gate followed the Neo classical pattern. In 1814 with the defeat of France in the hands of Germany the statue changed and goddess of peace was replaced by the goddess of victory. A Prussian eagle was added to the statue and with the growth of Third Reich the symbol changed which demonstrated the power of Hitler. A cross or the "swastika" was added to the Prussian eagle.However during World War II, the Brandenburg Gate, Germany was partially destroyed and it was not until 1950's that the gate was renovated. With such great historical significance attached to Brandenburg Gate, Germany no wonder it is considered as one of the most important Germany attractions. 1961 was a historical year for Brandenburg Gate, Germany as the German soldiers from the eastern portion of the country sealed off their part of the city and marked the building of Berlin Wall.

The period after the erection of Berlin Wall was crucial as the gate became the symbol of a divided country. Things became better in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was demolished and a new lease of life was unleashed marking the birth of a new nation. After the demolition of the wall the people damaged portions of Brandenburg Gate, Germany. However the damage is not that overwhelming as the gate now stands as a symbol of the modern, confident Germany which vows to be strong economically, politically and socially.

travel.mapsofworld.com provides important information about Brandenburg Gate, Germany.

ne Leaing Tow Ther of Pisa

ne Leaing Tow Ther of Pisa

The University of Pisa

The University of Pisa is located in Pisa, Tuscany. It was formally founded on the September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century. The University has Europe's oldest academic botanical garden, founded 1544.






The University of Pisa is part of the Pisa University System, together with the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies. It offers a wide and renowned range of courses, but it is especially known for its science and engineering branches, which manage extremely good courses at the BSc, MSc and PhD level. The Computer Science course at University of Pisa was the first one in the area to be activated in the whole Italy, during the 1960s. The university now has about 57,000 students.

History

The University of Pisa was officially established in 1343, although a number of scholars claim its origin dates back to the 11th century.

The earliest evidence of a Pisan “Studium” dates to 1338, when the renowned jurist Ranieri Arsendi transferred to Pisa from Bologna. He along with Bartolo da Sassoferrato, a lecturer in Civil Law, were paid by the Municipality to teach public lessons.



The University's role as a state institution became ever more accentuated during the Medici Grand Duchy period. A protectionist policy ensured a consistent nucleus of scholars and teachers: laws issued by Cosimo I, Ferdinando I and Ferdinando II obliged those who intended to obtain a degree to attend the Studium of Pisa. This period sees various illustrious figures lecture at Pisa, especially in the field of law and medicine.

During the ‘Second Restoration', in 1851, Leopoldo II united the universities of Pisa and of Siena in a unique Etruscan Athenaeum motivated partly by economic reasons, but primarily for political control. Following the Florentine insurrection and the fleeing of the Grand Duke in 1859, one of the initial measures imposed by the Provisory Government was the restitution to the city of Pisa of its Studium with all six of its faculties.






After the second world war the University of Pisa returned to the avant-garde in many fields of knowledge. To the faculties of Engineering and Pharmacy, established pre-war, were added Economics, Foreign Languages and Literature and Politics. In 1967 the ‘Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e Perfezionamento S. Anna' was founded which, together with ‘La Scuola Normale', formed a highly prestigious learning and teaching centre.

Today the University of Pisa boasts eleven faculties and fifty-seven departments, with high level research centres in the sectors of agriculture, astrophysics, computer science, engineering, medicine and veterinary medicine. Furthermore the University has close relations with the Pisan Institutes of the National Research Council, with many cultural institutions of national and international importance, and with industry, especially that of information technology, which went through a phase of rapid expansion in Pisa during the nineteen sixties and seventies.

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, officially titled Liberty Enlightening the World, dedicated on October 28, 1886, is a monument commemorating the centennial of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, given to the United States by the people of France to represent the friendship between the two countries established during the American Revolution. It represents a woman wearing a stola, a radiant crown and sandals, trampling a broken chain, carrying a torch in her raised right hand and a tabula ansata, where the date of the Declaration of Independence JULY IV MDCCLXXVI is inscribed, in her left arm. Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, it welcomes visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans traveling by ship. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue and obtained a U.S. patent for its structure. Maurice Koechlin—chief engineer of Gustave Eiffel's engineering company and designer of the Eiffel Tower—engineered the internal structure. The pedestal was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was responsible for the choice of copper in the statue's construction, and for the adoption of the repoussé technique, where a malleable metal is hammered on the reverse side.

The statue is made of a sheathing of pure copper, hung on a framework of steel with the exception of the flame of the torch, which is coated in gold leaf. It stands atop a rectangular stonework pedestal with a foundation in the shape of an irregular eleven-pointed star. The statue is 151 ft (46 m) tall, but with the pedestal and foundation, it is 305 ft (93 m) tall.

History

Discussions in France over a suitable gift to the United States to mark the Centennial of the American Declaration of Independence were headed by the politician and sympathetic writer of the history of the United States, Édouard René de Laboulaye. French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture with the year 1876 in mind for completion. The idea for the commemorative gift then grew out of the political turmoil which was shaking France at the time. The French Third Republic was still considered as a temporary arrangement by many, who wished a return to monarchism, or to some form of constitutional authoritarianism such as they had known under Napoleon. The idea of giving a colossal representation of republican virtues to a sister republic across the sea served as a focus for the republican cause against other politicians.





On February 18, 1879, Bartholdi was granted a design patent, U.S. Patent D11,023, on "a statue representing Liberty enlightening the world, the same consisting, essentially, of the draped female figure, with one arm upraised, bearing a torch, and while the other holds an inscribed tablet, and having upon the head a diadem, substantially as set forth." The patent described the head as having "classical, yet severe and calm, features," noted that the body is "thrown slightly over to the left so as to gravitate upon the left leg, the whole figure thus being in equilibrium," and covered representations in "any manner known to the glyptic art in the form of a statue or statuette, or in alto-relievo or bass-relief, in metal, stone, terra-cotta, plaster-of-Paris, or other plastic composition."

Financing for the pedestal was completed on August 11, 1885 and construction was finished on April 22, 1886. When the last stone of the pedestal was swung into place the masons reached into their pockets and showered into the mortar a collection of silver coins.






The Statue of Liberty functioned as a lighthouse from 1886 to 1902. At that time the U.S. Lighthouse Board was responsible for its operation. There was a lighthouse keeper and the electric light could be seen for 24 miles (39 km) at sea. As a lighthouse, it is the first in the United States to use electricity; there was also an electric plant on the island to generate power for the light.

Statue of Liberty Tour

Visit the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, both only a short ferry ride from Battery Park. Be sure not to miss the historic halls and galleries at Ellis Island, where more than 12 million immigrants first entered America.

A Pedestal/Museum Access Pass – which is required to enter the Statue of Liberty pedestal – is not included in New York Pass admission. Pedestal/Museum Access is free and available at the main ticket booth on a first come-first served basis.





The Statue of Liberty Crown recently reopened to determined stair climbers. Crown tickets are available by advance reservations to 30 people per day. Please note, the climb to the crown is a strenuous journey that encompasses 354 steps in a cramped enclosed area with high temperatures.

White House

White House

The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every U.S. President since John Adams. It was designed by Irish-born James Hoban. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the home in 1801, he expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades which were meant to conceal stables and storage.





In 1814, during the War of 1812, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army in the Burning
of Washington, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed house in October 1817. Construction continued with the addition of the South Portico in 1824 and the North in 1829. Because of crowding within the executive mansion itself, President Theodore Roosevelt had nearly all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901. Eight years later, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. The third-floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; both new wings were connected by Jefferson's colonnades. East Wing alterations were completed in 1946, creating additional office space. By 1948, the house's load-bearing exterior walls and internal wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under Harry S. Truman, the interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame constructed inside the walls. Once this work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt.

Architectural beauty

The President's house was a major feature of Pierre Charles L'Enfant's's plan for the newly established federal city, Washington, D.C. The architect of the White House was chosen in a design competition, which received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson.The nation's first president, George Washington, traveled to the site of the federal city on July 16, 1792, to make his judgment. His review is recorded as being brief, and he quickly selected the submission of James Hoban, an Irishman living in Charleston, South Carolina. On Washington's recommendation the house was enlarged by thirty percent; a large reception hall, the present East Room, was added. This was likely inspired by the large reception room at Mount Vernon.

Construction

Construction of the White House began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792, although there was no formal ceremony.Much of the other work on the house was performed by immigrants, many not yet with citizenship. The sandstone walls were erected by Scottish immigrants, employed by Hoban,as were the high relief rose and garland decorations above the north entrance and the "fish scale" pattern beneath the pediments of the window hoods. Much of the brick and plaster work was produced by Irish and Italian immigrants.The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83. Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy on or circa November 1, 1800.

White House today

In the 1990s, Bill and Hillary Clinton refurbished some rooms with the assistance of Arkansas decorator Kaki Hockersmith, including the Oval Office, the East Room, Blue Room, State Dining Room, Lincoln Bedroom, and Lincoln Sitting Room. During the administration of George W. Bush, first lady Laura Bush refurbished the Lincoln Bedroom to make it as if it were in the time of Lincoln; the Green Room, Cabinet Room, and theater were also refurbished.





The White House is one of the first government buildings in Washington that was made wheelchair-accessible, with modifications having been made during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who needed to use a wheelchair as a result of his paraplegia. In the 1990s, Hillary Rodham Clinton—at the suggestion of Visitors Office Director Melinda N. Bates—approved the addition of a ramp in the East Wing corridor. It allowed easy wheelchair access for the public tours and special events that enter through the secure entrance building on the east side. The president travels from the White House grounds via motorcade or helicopter. President Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first president to travel by helicopter to and from the White House grounds.

After the period of Bush, now Obama is living in the White House.

you can visit this place.

Taj Mahal of India

Taj Mahal



Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra
Year of Construction: 1631-1653
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over: 42 acres
Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

Origin and inspiration

In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was griefstricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child, Gauhara Begum

Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture.

Architecture

The tomb

The central focus of the complex is the tomb. This large, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an iwan topped by a large dome and finial. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Persian in origin.
The Taj Mahal seen from the banks of river Yamuna.

The base structure is essentially a large, multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners, forming an unequal octagon that is approximately 55 meters on each of the four long sides. On each of these sides, a massive pishtaq, or vaulted archway, frames the iwan with two similarly shaped, arched balconies stacked on either side. This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Four minarets frame the tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan;

The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. Its height of around 35 meters is about the same as the length of the base, and is accentuated as it sits on a cylindrical "drum" which is roughly 7 metres high. Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome or amrud (guava dome). The top is decorated with a lotus design, which also serves to accentuate its height. The shape of the dome is emphasised by four smaller domed chattris (kiosks) placed at its corners, which replicate the onion shape of the main dome.

The main finial was originally made of gold but was replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze in the early 19th century. This feature provides a clear example of integration of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements. The finial is topped by a moon, a typical Islamic motif whose horns point heavenward. Because of its placement on the main spire, the horns of the moon and the finial point combine to create a trident shape, reminiscent of traditional Hindu symbols of Shiva.

The minarets, which are each more than 40 meters tall, display the designer's penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets — a traditional element of mosques, used by the muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. At the top of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that mirrors the design of those on the tomb.

Tourism


Then President of Russia Vladimir Putin and wife Lyudmila Putina visiting the Taj Mahal in 2000.

The Taj Mahal attracts from 2 to 4 million visitors annually, with more than 200,000 from overseas. Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking lots or catch an electric bus. The Khawasspuras (northern courtyards) are currently being restored for use as a new visitor center.The small town to the south of the Taj, known as Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, originally was constructed with caravanserais, bazaars and markets to serve the needs of visitors and workmen.Lists of recommended travel destinations often feature the Taj Mahal, which also appears in several listings of seven wonders of the modern world, including the recently announced New Seven Wonders of the World, a recent poll with 100 million votes.