Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a 15^th century Inca site which was listed in a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas". It is located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Machu picchu District in Peru. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley which is 80 kilometers (50 mi) northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It covers 32,592 hectares of mountain slopes, peaks and valleys surrounding its heart, the spectacular archaeological monument of “La Ciudadela” (the Citadel). According to legends and myths, Machu Picchu (meaning 'Old Peak' in the Quechua language) was referred as a sacred place. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows.

Facts about Machu Picchu :

• Machu Picchu is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
• Machu Picchu was believed to have been made around the 15th century and was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.
• Machu Picchu is called the “lost city” because the jungle had literally swallowed it when Yale explorer Hiram Bingham III “rediscovered” it in 1911. When the overgrown vegetation was removed, the complex of ruins was revealed.
• In 2008 Machu Picchu was placed on the Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World by the World Monuments Fund. This was due to environmental degradation from tourism and development that has occurred in a nearby town.
• As Machu Picchu is beneath the Equator, so most people’s summer is their winter. The annual temperature averages 16°C (60°F) and annual rainfall is between 1500mm and 3000mm at low altitudes. At 2,500m (8,000 feet) altitude, the average temperature drops to 10.2°C (50°F), and annual rainfall is 2170mm. The dry season lasts from May to September and the wet season from October to April.
• Only 2500 people per day are allowed to gain entry into Machu Picchu. This is a guideline which was only recently implemented by the Peruvian Government to ensure that this glorious urban Incan center maintains its natural beauty and charm.
• There are two ways to go to Machu Picchu district: one way is by means of train which takes about 3-4 hours and another way is by walking or say trekking which takes 4 days.

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Chittorgarh Fort

Chittorgarh Fort is one of the World Heritage Site. This fort is also known as Chittor which was the capital of Mewar. Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort of India. This massive fort is located on a high hill near the Gambheri River in Chittorgarh. Chittorgarh Fort lies at a distance of 112 kilometers from the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan. This huge fort covers an area of 700 acres, extending to 3 kilometers in length and 13 kilometers in peripheral length.

The main reason for visiting Chittorgarh Fort is its massive hilltop fort, which is a depiction of Rajput culture and values. Chittorgarh Fort also comprises of several temples including Sammidheshwara Temple, Jain Temple, Kalika Mata temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Meerabai Temple and Kumbha Shyam Temple. These are the ancient temples that have noteworthy carvings and intricate work. Gaumukh reservoir and Bhimtal Tank are other places worth visiting. Gaumukh reservoir is a huge water tank that gets water from Cow's mouth shaped rock. In the waters of this same reservoir, Allaudin was allowed to see the reflection of Queen Padmini that led to the whole battle.

Chittorgarh Fort is an acknowledgement to the courage of the gallant Rajput rulers who sacrificed their life combating dominant rivals instead of surrendering before them. The history of this majestic fort can be traced during the time of Khilji's. Chittorgarh Fort is said to have been the capital of the Gahlot and Sisodia kings who ruled Mewar between the eighth and the sixteenth century. The Fort was named after Chittrangad Maurya.

History

                              

According to the legend, the construction of the Chittorgarh Fort of Rajasthan in India was started by Bhim, a Pandav hero of mythological epic Mahabharata, but the origin of Chittorgarh can be traced to the seventh century. Earlier it was known as Chitrakut, after a local Rajput chieftain named Chitrang. It remained the capital of the local Sisodia clan of Rajputs from the eighth to the 16th century. The history of this town is written in blood and sacrifice. Muslim rulers sacked it three times in the medieval period. Standing on a rocky plateau on a 500 feet high hill, the 700 acre fort went through three sieges, and each time Chittor turned out the loser. But that did not mean that the Chittorgarh Fort was inferior to any other in Rajasthan. It was just that that the Rajputs had a habit of riding out to meet the enemy outside the safety of their walls instead of allowing the enemy to launch the first assault.

The first was by Ala-ud-din Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi in 1303. Khilji laid siege of this hill fort to capture the beautiful Padmini, the queen of Chittorgarh. When the situation worsened, Bhim Singh, the ruler of Chittorgarh, led his men donned with saffron robes of sacrifice, and rode out of the fort to certain death. Inside the Chittorgarh Fort, women, including Padmini and the children, committed mass suicide or jauhar by immolating themselves on a huge pyre, rather than losing their honor at the hands of the enemy.

In the middle of the 15th century, Chittorgarh gained eminence when the legendary Rajput ruler, Rana Kumbha, ruled it. He built the Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower) to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji, the ruler of Malwa, in 1440. Chittorgarh was sacked again in 1535 by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat. The jauhar that followed the siege saw the death of 13,000 women and 32,000 Rajput soldiers led by Rani Karnawati.

In 1568 Mughal Emperor Akbar razed the Chittorgarh Fort to the rubble and once again the history repeated itself. Jaimal and Kalla, two Rajput generals, valiantly defended the Chittorgarh Fort but with their death and deteriorating situation, jauhar was performed.  Akbar carried away all the distinctive pieces of architecture and sculpture and placed them in his capital. These are still manifested in the fort of Agra. However, Maharana Udai Singh II, the ruler of Chittorgarh, fled to Udaipur and re-established his rule. The Mughal emperor Jahangir returned Chittorgarh to its rulers in 1616 but it was not resettled. Today a new township sprawls below the hill on the west side.

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal which is located about 11 km from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu. Boudhanath is also called Boudha, Bodhnath or Khasa Caitya. Boudhanath Stupa is the largest stupa in Nepal with a diameter of approximately 100 meters and 36 meters high above the street. In 1979, boudhanath was listed in UNESCO World Heritage list. It is one of the most popular tourist’s sites in Nepal. The stupa in Boudhanath is the focal point of Tibetan culture inside of Kathmandu. 

The history of Boudhanath dates back to the fourteenth century, preceding the infiltration of the Mughal people. No historian truly knows the reasons for its establishment but there are several theories. One is that the area was settled by Tibetan Buddhists after the invasion by the Chinese in 1959 with the Bodnath Stupa being the leading attraction as a place of holy pilgrimage.

Though Boudhanath temple lies in between the crowded town called Baudha, once people step into this Boudhanath stupa, most people find themselves relaxed and refreshed. In addition there are jewellery shops, music centers which often play tunes like “om mane peme hun”, and beautiful garden. Great view of boudhanath is seen perfectly from the hotels which lies right next to this monument. In Buddhanath Stupa, there are many monasteries or Gompa attractions. They are all impressively adorned and colorfully painted. Anyone can visit the monasteries and take visuals. The most auspicious day to visit this temple is during Lhosar festival. On this day, people from all over the Kathmandu, Tibetans from Sikkim, Bhutan, or say especially people who follow Buddhism, come to pray and light the candles in this temple. On this day this stupa is seen so beautiful that hardly anyone can explain it in words. According to myth, this Bouddha stupa was built just after the demise of Lord Buddha. Many Kilograms of gold were used in the decoration of the holy building.

Ball's Pyramid - Mountain in the ocean

Balls Pyramid is an iconic rock stack rising 562m out of the water. It lies 20 kilometers (12 mi) from southeast of Lord Howe Island in the Pacific Ocean. Ball’s Pyramid is all that remains from a shield volcano that was formed 7 million years ago and is the tallest volcanic stack in the world. Ball's pyramid is 1,100 meters (3,600 ft) in length and 300 meters (980 ft) across. It is part of the Lord Howe Island Marine Park, which is recorded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of global natural significance. The pyramid does not receive many visitors due to its remote location even though scuba diving, sport fishing, and climbing are all available.

              Ball's pyramid was discovered in 1788, by Lieutenant Henry Ball, but no one was able to climb to its summit until 1965.The pyramid is named after Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball. On the same voyage, Ball also discovered Lord Howe Island.

             Ball's Pyramid also has a few satellite islets. Observatory Rock and Wheat sheaf Islet lie about 800 meters (2,600 ft) west-northwest and west-southwest respectively, of the western extremity of Ball's Pyramid. Southeast Rock is a pinnacle located about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 mi) southeast of Ball's Pyramid.Ball's Pyramid is composed of nearly horizontally-bedded basalt lava flows, the remnants of a volcanic plug formed in a former vent of a volcano. Basalt is a common rock that is typically formed by melting of the Earth's mantle. Ball's Pyramid is home to a small population of Lord Howe Island stick insects, a species previously thought to be extinct.

Davis Falls

Davis Falls is one of the popular tourist destinations of Nepal. It is known as "Patale Chango" in Nepali which means Hell's falls.The Davis Falls is a unique waterfall around 2 kilometer from the center of Pokhara city, kaski district in Nepal. This falls flow about 500 feet through the natural tunnel at the depth of 100 feet from ground level. Source of water in Davis Fall is Phewa Lake. There is also a cave near the falls called  Gupteshwor Mahadevcave. It is an area that is known for its beauty and tranquility, and the legend of the Devi’s Falls adds a touch of mystery and adventure to this sight.

                 This falls is given several names as Devi’s Falls, David’s Falls, Devin Falls and Devis Falls. There are various reasons for names given for this fall.Among them One of the versions tells of a trekker or hiker that went by the name of David, Devin, Devi or Davis. The unfortunate hiker was swept away suddenly by the water and carried down into the underground passages and caves that run below the waterfall. The other tells the story of a Mrs Davi, a Swiss tourist in Nepal, who was swimming in the Fewa Lake. The dam unexpectedly started to overflow and Davi’s husband helplessly looked on while the waters swept his wife down the waterfall. This version took place in the year 1961 and the body of Mrs Davi was never recovered.

                  The best times to view the spectacular sight of this falls is during the monsoon season when there is a high rainfall and the summer season. During these periods the water runs and plunges over rocks and through gorges, giving visitors a breathtaking show. The scenic and natural beauty near the falls is extremely impressive. It is an exciting place to spend a day and enjoy nature.

Taj Mahal

 

Taj Mahal is an immense mausoleum of white marble located in Agra, Uttar pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum) in between 1631 and 1648. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

               The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River in a vast Mughal garden that covers nearly 17 hectares, in the Agra District in Uttar Pradesh. The Taj Mahal is considered to be the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Ind-Islamic architecture. Its recognized architectonic beauty has a rhythmic combination of solids and voids, concave and convex and light shadow. Also the color combination of lush green scape reddish pathway,work in marble and inlay with precious and semi precious stones fascinates tourists greatly.

               The uniqueness of Taj Mahal lies in some truly remarkable innovations carried out by the horticulture planners and architects of Shah Jahan. The tomb is the representation of the house of the queen in Paradise, and  its setting was based on the palace gardens of the great nobles that lined both sides of the river at Agra India, which added rich depth and perspective to the distant view of the monument.

              The most impressive in the Taj Mahal complex next to the tomb, is the main gate which stands majestically in the center of the southern wall of the forecourt. The gate is flanked on the north front by double arcade galleries. The garden in front of the galleries is subdivided into four quarters by two main walk-ways and each quarters in turn subdivided by the narrower cross-axial walkways, on the Timurid-Persian scheme of the walled in garden. The enclosure walls on the east and west have a pavilion at the center.

              The Taj Mahal is a perfect symmetrical planned building, with an emphasis of bilateral symmetry along a central axis on which the main features are placed.

Facts about Taj Mahal:

•  Taj Mahal means ‘crown of places'.
• Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor ShahJahan in the loving memory of his Beautiful wife Mumtaj Mahal.
• The Construction Cost of this Masterpiece Monument was around 320 Million Indian Rupees.
• Around 20000 people worked day and night for 22 years, Ustad AhmadLahauri was the architect of Taj Mahal.There were also about 1000 elephants used to transport the materials needed for construction. 
• It was rumored that Shah Jahan had the hands cut off from the people who worked on the Taj Mahal once it was complete. His reasoning was that nobody would ever be able to build such a beautiful building ever again. Nobody has been able to prove that this story is true. 
• Although the Taj Mahal was built for Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan was also laid to rest in the tomb alongside his late wife.
• Every year Taj Mahal attracts around 3-4 million tourists with a huge number of International Tourist.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning tower of Pisa is the free standing bell tower located in Italy. It is known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. The Pisa tower is one of the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex called "Campo dei Miracoli" or "Piazza dei Miracoli," which means "Field of Miracles". The height of tower is 55.86 meters(183.27 feet) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 meters (185.93 feet) on the high side. The Leaning tower of Pisa is probably the tallest tower in whole Europe.The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m (8 ft 0.06 in). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 metric tons (16,000 short tons). The tower has 296 or 294 steps. With 207 columns ranged around eight stories, Tower of Pisa looks like a massive wedding cake. The construction of Tower of Pisa began in August 1173 and continued for about 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. The leaning Tower of Pisa was designed as a circular bell tower that would stand 185 feet high. It is constructed of white marble.

The main cause of the pisa tower to tilt is an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades but in 1920s the foundations of the tower were injected with cement grouting that has stabilized the tower to some extent. Some people have suggested that the tower should be straightened but the opinions of other people of Pisa had said they would rather see it fall over than be straightened. After all, how could you call it the Leaning Tower of Pisa if it didn't lean?

Some Facts of Leaning Tower of Pisa:

•  In Italian the Leaning Tower of Pisa is Torre pendente di Pisa.
• The town of Pisa got its name in 600 BC from a Greek word meaning “marshy land”. 
  
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa took 344 years to build.
• Construction of the Tower of Pisa started in the year 1173 and was completed in 1372. Construction stopped and restarted twice over those 199 years due to wars.
• Leaning Tower of Pisa became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.