Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia, also known as the “Church of Holy Wisdom”, is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The church now serves as a museum. The building was originally ordered by the first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, who is also known as the founder of Constantinople. The Hagia Sophia structure that stands today is very different from the original edifice due to riots, earthquake damage and remodeling. When the original Hagia Sophia was destroyed, it was rebuilt by Theodosius the Great, but subsequently it was burned down in the Nika riots of 532.

The most notable restoration of the Hagia Sophia was done by Abdulmecid II, who was called upon to restore the damaged dome, pillars and exterior. In 1934, the church was turned into the Ayasofya Museum by the Turkish President Kemal Ataturk. The change involved removal of prayer rugs, and some of the calligraphic panels were moved to other mosques. The Hagia Sophia still stands today thanks to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, which has taken the task of preserving the site by cleaning and restoring the great structure.

Hagia Sophia is a great example of Byzantine architecture as it was built with beautiful mosaics, galleries and pillars. Many of its mosaic paintings reflect the Byzantine culture and artistic skills of the past. The church holds great importance in the Muslim, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox worlds.

Pompeii, The Forgotten City

Pompeii, also known as the forgotten city, was a Roman settlement that was devastated by volcanic eruptions in 79 A.D. It is located in the province of Naples (Campania, Italy). The city was first occupied by Romans in the 6th century and converted into a resort city. Today, it is an attraction for archaeologists from all over the world due to the fact that most of the architecture has been preserved by the ashes from the volcanic eruption.

The volcano that was responsible for the destruction of Pompeii is Mount Vesuvius. The eruptions from the volcano were so strong that the buildings and the people were covered in twelve thick layers of mud and ash. After the city was covered in volcanic ashes, it was slowly forgotten and erased from the history books until it got rediscovered in 1738 by workers working for the King of Naples. Since then, it has become one of the earliest excavated cities in the world.

Before Pompeii succumbed to the eruptions, it was a blossoming township and a progressive commercial port of the Sarno River in Italy. The most notable buildings that have been excavated from the ashes are a Roman basilica and an amphitheatre. The excavations also include many intact wall paintings, pottery, and coinage.

In today’s world, the University of Bradford is responsible for most of the excavations and provides the history of the great city in the form of photos available on the internet. The city of Pompeii is a highly-visited tourist place due to its unique architectural designs and its history.

Kashmir Valley

Kathmandu is the biggest city and the official capital of Nepal. It is located in Kathmandu Valley, which has two other cities called Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The language spoken in Nepal is Napali. Kathmandu city has a total population of 700,000 and it is the only developed and modern city in Nepal.

The view from the Kathmandu Airport is breathtaking as the region is covered with hills and has untapped natural beauty and greenery. The main religion followed in Kathmandu is Hinduism. Kathmandu is located in the center of the Himalayas and some of the peaks of the Himalayas are clearly visible.

Kathmandu has a very famous temple that is called “Kaasthamandap,” which was built in 1567 AD. The temple is also called “Marusthal” and is made completely out of wood. It is now controlled by the government, but it was previously ruled by royalty. Swayambhunath and Boudhanath are two famous stupas within Kathmandu. Stupas are mounds that hold Buddhist relics. Kathmandu also has a famous Hindu shrine, called Pashupatinath.

Kathmandu city is a small, yet thickly populated place where one will see monks in abundance. The city has many prominent groups of monuments and places that are rich in culture and heritage. Durbar Square and Changu Narayan temple are very unique and certainly worth a visit.

Kathmandu has some very nice and upscale five star hotels as well as casino gambling.

Prague Old Town

Old Town Prague is located in central Bohemia along the Vltava River and it is the largest city of Czech Republic. Also known as the “Golden City,” the Prague Old City has been included in the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO and it is the sixth most visited city in all of Europe. The name of the old town was originally called the Old Town Square, mainly because it has many historic buildings and sites.

This area is known for both its magnificent and catastrophic events. The Prague Old Town has its origin in the 9th century when it was made up of settlements, but it only got its name in the 14th century when New Town was formed and the wall and moat that surrounded it was demolished.

Some of the famous sites to spend time at in Old Town Prague include Powder Gate, Municipal House, Celenta Street, Estate Theater, Old Town Square, Carolinum and Church of Our Lady, just to name a few. The Church of Our Lady was built in 1365 and is a gothic church. One popular piece of art in the church is the entrance portal with its Christ pictures and the huge Rococo altar. The church has also been used for many big concerts because of its sound pipe organ. Today, it totally commercialized and offers a good holiday feel to tourists.

Golden Temple of Amritsar

The Golden Temple in India, which is often called the “Darbar Sahib” or “Harmandar Sahib,” is one of the oldest places of worship for the Sikhs and is located in Amritsar, Punjab in India. It is considered one of the holiest, blessed and sacrosanct places in India. It is a symbol of both beauty and peace. The temple is surrounded by a small man-made lake which has a lot of fish in it. This lake is said to consist of holy waters. The temple can be entered from four different sides and thus symbolizes openness and acceptance. This concept is based on the tents which would open from all four sides, welcoming travelers from all directions.

The Golden Temple has three holy trees. There is also a small Sikh Museum near the Ghanta Ghar, or clock house, in Amritsar which is very rich in information. The entire top of the temple is made of pure gold and thus adds a lot of pride and beauty to the entire temple.

During the earlier days, this place was a huge lake surrounded by a thin line of forests. It is also said that Buddha journeyed here to find the real meaning of life and spent some considerable time in this place. The first guru of the Sikh community called the Guru Nank also used to meditate in this peaceful place. Years after he passed away, many of his disciples kept coming back to the site as it was considered a sacred place. It was during the time of the Fifth Guru, Arjana when the Temple was finally built in 1604. It was Guru Arjan who installed the Guru Granth Sahib hymn book in the temple and appointed the first reader in August 1604. The temples architecture has both Hindu and Muslim qualities.

Amalfi Drive & Coast

If you really want the thrill and to view the beauty of nature, Amalfi Drive is the stretch that you can never afford to miss. The Stretch of the Amalfi Drive is next to the coastline of Sorrento and is known for its beauty. This is a one way road and thus experiences a lot of traffic. While on your way to the Amalfi, you would pass through Pasitano, which is a place that is close to the mountains, and you can view the sea on the other end. There are many villages along the way as well.

The life in Amalfi is very active and busy. That is the reason a lot of time is consumed if one wants to just cross the streets next to the harbor or go uphill. While going uphill can be big fun, coming down is not very interesting as it does not offer much and the path is extremely narrow. The best thing to do in places like Amalfi is to find the places that are not meant for visitors. Some interiors, though difficult to locate, offer better and more personalized services.

Tourists can also go in for a boat ride along the harbor. The view from the water to the mountain is just splendid. Tourists must plan how to go to this place. Hiring taxis or going by bus is ideal because the parking space in Amalfi Drive is so narrow. One can hire a private limousine with an English-speaking driver who would drive you along the coast. The place has some worthy restaurants that offer dishes that seafood lovers enjoy.

Many beach towns are located on the Amalfi Coast, including Vietrisul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Ravello, Scala, Atrani, Amalfi, Concadei Marini, Furore, Praiano and Positano.

Meenakshi Temple in Madurai

The Meenakshi Temple is one of the most popular and important temples of the Hindus. The Temple is situated in the middle of Madurai city in Tamil Nadu, India. On a daily basis, thousands of pilgrims pay visit to the temple. The Meenakshi temple stands as the landmark of the city. The 14 gateway towers, called Gopurams, are more than 50 feet tall and have images and colorful statues of gods, goddesses, animals and various mythological characters.

The Meenakshi temple has four different entrances and the complex covers about 45 acres. The Parvati Hut is a part of the temple where only women can enter and men are not allowed to go in. It also has a museum called the Art Gallery, which is full of brass and stone artifacts.

During the pre-Christian era, the temple was built by Kilasekara Pandya. After a long time, it was rebuilt again by Trimalai Nayak. The city of Madurai was ruled by Nayak from the 14th to the 18th century. The temple is spectacular with some of the best architecture found in any temple. It has four towers, the north, south, east and west tower. All of them have nine stories with the tallest tower standing at over 170 feet. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, also known as Meenakshi.

Chartres Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, also known as the Chartres Cathedral of France, is situated about 80 kilometers southwest of Paris. It is one of the most recognized churches in the entire country and it is also one of the most visited Gothic churches in France.

The Chartres Cathedral of France was built in the 16th century. It stands atop a hill which makes it visible from a distance. There are two spires which help make it visible from far away, one of which measures 349 feet tall and the other measures 377 feet tall. It is surrounded on either side by wheat fields, too.

As for the history of the cathedral, it served as a big landmark for the public and also for the nearby visitors. All important activities were centered around the cathedral. It was a common place for pilgrims to visit when they grew old and it also served as a hospital for the sick. Many different kinds of workmen also frequented the cathedral to find jobs for themselves. Sometimes during the Middle Ages, the cathedral worked as the marketplace, despite the objections of the priests. In fact, the priests would not even allow those who sold wine into the crypt.

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mezquita of Córdoba (Mosque of Córdoba) is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Córdoba, Spain. Mezquita is a Spanish word and it means “mosque.” This well-known mosque was built in the 10th century during the rule of Abd-ar-Rahman III, who was one of the most prominent rulers in the history of Islam. During this time, Cordoba was the largest and the wealthiest city of Europe and the construction of the mosque added more to its majestic beauty.

The building was initially intended to be a church. However, when the Muslim rulers took over the place, they started using it as a mosque and extended it until it became the second largest mosque in the entire world. The Mezquita is said to be the most prominent monument in Cordoba. Once the Spanish reclaimed the site from the Muslims, they converted it from a mosque to a church. Today, the Mezquita is used as a church and the normal fee to visit it is 6 Euros.

One can enter the church via the Patio de los Naranjas, which is a typical Islamic courtyard which preserves its orange trees and fountains. In earlier days, when the Mezquita was being used as a mosque, all 19 gates were open while offering prayers so that they looked like and extension of the trees with sunlight filtering all over. The Mezquita of Cordoba is one of the few places in the world that consists of two different cultures and is a great place to visit regardless of your religion.

Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria, is one of the oldest and largest mosques in the world. Sometimes referred to as the Grand Mosque of Damascus, it is known for its intricate architectural beauty with elegant color combinations that are accentuated by the lighting.

One of the features of the Umayyad Mosque is the tomb of Saladin, which stands in a garden that is adjacent to the wall of the mosque. This is the final resting place of Kurdish Ayyubid Sultan Saladin. The mosque also holds a memorial that may contain the head of John the Baptist, who is honored as a great prophet and preacher by both Christians and Muslims.

Damascus is one of the oldest colonized cities in the world and the mosques that are located on the land in that city are considered especially sacred. On the same ground where the Umayyad Mosque stands today was once a temple that was dedicated to Hadad, an idol from the Aramaean era around 1000 BC. While the Romans ruled the city, they built a temple on the site and dedicated it to the god Jupiter. Around the 4th century, the site became a Christian church.

The Muslims took over Damascus in 636 and purchased the church from the Christians before demolishing it and building the mosque that stands there today. The Christians and Muslim pilgrims now share the building for their religious practices and rituals.

Dubrovnik Old City

Dubrovnik is called “The Pearl of the Adriatic” and is situated in the south end of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most famous and well-known places for tourists to visit due to its historic Old Town. Dubrovnik Old City became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979.

Dubrovnik has always been prominent in trade due to its location near the sea, which contributed to much of its wealth. During the Middle Ages, the city of Dubrovnik became a competitor and a rival to Venice. The city had many skilled laborers and money which helped contribute to its enormous growth during the 15th and the 16th centuries. The city was also a home for notable poets, painters, politicians, play writers and scholars.

Croatia is very proud to have a city like Dubrovnik. An interesting fact to know is that out of the best 15 luxurious hotels, 9 are located in Dubrovnik. Some prominent people call Dubrovnik their home, but it is also very attractive to tourists who visit this city from all around the world. One of the best ways to plan a holiday destination is to spend several days exploring the city and everything that it has to offer, including the Bell Tower, Roland’s Column, the Sponza Place, War Photo Limited, Pile Gate and several famous churches and museums. The airport is only 20 km away from the main part of the city, but it is also accessible by land and water.

Uffizi Gallery in Florence

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, is a popular museum that is known for its famous pieces, including the Birth of Venus and thePrimavera, both by Botticelli.

The Uffizi Gallery was designed in 1560 by Vasari, one of the prominent architects of the day. He planned the design so it could be built directly next to the Medici Palace since Granduca Francisco de Medici requested it. The shape of the gallery is rectangular and starts from the Signoria Palace and ends at the Arno River.

Since this museum is a very popular tourist attraction, groups with large numbers are broken into smaller groups and only specific numbers of visitors are allowed to go in each section at a time. There is a special phone number that visitors can call to book their spot to avoid standing in huge lines. That number is 39-055-294-883. The cost of the ticket is 6.50 Euros. Some of the more popular rooms to consider staying in during your visit include the Botticelli Room, the Leonardo Room, and the Rubens Room.

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is the largest known rift in the world. The canyon is a steep-sided gorge that was made by erosion from the Colorado River in northern Arizona. It is because of heavy mineral deposits that the canyon is bright red, brown and orange in color.

This canyon is a part of the large Grand Canyon National Park designated by former president Theodore Roosevelt. The park is almost 277 miles long and varies from 4 to 18 miles wide. The canyons are the main point of attraction in the nation park. Theodore Roosevelt used to come to the national park for relaxation and hunting.

Science shows that the canyons were carved out by the Colorado River some six million years ago with the deepest canyon depth being of over one mile. It is said that the river started cutting layers of rocks from the west initially and gradually moved to the east. The area was inhabited by Native Americans who lived within the caves. The Grand Canyon was considered a holy place for many pilgrims. The first European to explore this part of the world was Garcia Lopez de Cardenas who arrived from Spain in 1540. During the year 1869, Major John Wesley Powell made the first recorded journey down the Green and Colorado rivers through the Grand Canyon.

Some of the best adventures that a tourist can indulge in are river rafting, helicopter tours and other guided tours via land. Visitors can stay in the upscale Grand Canyon hotels and lodges to make the journey even more memorable.

Golden Pavilion Temple

The Golden Pavilion Temple, also called Kinkaku-ji in Japanese, was built in 1397 and it is located in Kyoto, Japan. It was initially made to serve as a villa for retirement for Shogun Ashikaga. It was quite later that his son converted the building into a Zen temple. The Golden Pavilion burned down in 1950 when a monk set fire to the temple.

The Golden Temple is a building with three stories. The upper two stories are covered with a pure gold layer. The main purpose of the pavilion is to work as a shariden, storing relics of the Buddha. One can see a typical Chinese architectural style on the top floor. The second floor has a Zen style and the ground floor is made in the shinden-zukuri style.

The entire temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a pond in the front called the Mirror Pond. The stones in the pond give a representation of the Buddhist era. In the year 1987, some parts of the temple were recoated in thicker gold and some of the interior of the temple was remodeled in 2003.

Delphi, an Archaeological Site in Greece

Delphi is a modern town in Greece which is famous for its archaeological site in the valley of Phocis, among other things. The city is located in the center of Greece on the terraces that border the slope of Mount Parnassus. It also includes the Sanctuary of Apollo, a place where the ancient Oracle once lived. It was the place of the Delphic Oracle in Greek mythology when the main god of worship was Apollo. It is a site that is a must view for those who have always been influenced by the charm of the Oracle. The history shows that Delphi was populated during the Neolithic era.

During 100 B.C., Delphi became an important center for religious and political activities. While the exact function of the Oracle cannot be found in any of the prehistoric documents, the importance of Delphi has been well-documented.

Delphi of Greece was considered to be the center of the world and the Oracle was a religious naval that was famous for predicting the future. Since the Oracle could predict the future, most of the kings and common people used to consult the Oracle on matters that were of great importance. These matters would include things like small house hold disputes to big war conditions. Because of its future telling capabilities, it created a name and a reputation of its own not just in Greece but in the entire world. Some of the common sites to visit in Delphi include the famous temple of Apollo, the Tholos, the Delphi Museum and the Charioteer of Delphi. The drive to Delphi from Athens is almost 90 minutes. One can reach Delphi by air or road.

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, was built by Ivan the Terrible between 1555 and 1561. According to legend, the builder of this cathedral was blinded so that such a beautiful structure could never be built again. The cathedral is vividly colorful and contains redbrick towers that add to its beauty. The church’s design consists of nine chapels, each mounted with its individual dome that marks the assault on the city of Kazan.

The design of St. Basil’s Cathedral provides strong religious symbolism and is based on architectural designs found in Jerusalem. Eight of the domes make a circular formation around the ninth dome, which looks like a star when viewed from the top. There is a deep contrast between the interior and the exterior of the St. Basil’s Cathedral. The interior contains modest decorations and the corridors are narrow, leaving little space for seating worshippers.

Several times throughout its history, this cathedral has suffered damage due to fires, looting, and other incidents. In one legend, the French ruler Napoleon even wanted to take St. Basil’s Cathedral back to France with him, but due to the lack of such technology, he ordered his army to destroy it so that no one else could occupy it. His army had prepared to attack the church and had also lit up the gunpowder, but a mysterious rain shower prevented any explosions from occurring.