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.