Teotihuacan , Mexico

Wonder: Teotihuacan
Country: Mexico
Region: Mexico DF
Visitable: Yes
About:

Teotihuacan is the most visited archeological complex of Mexico. It is famous by its pyramids, which are amongst the highest pre-Colombian constructions of America

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder National Wonder

Teotihuacan is the most visited archeological complex of Mexico. It is located around 30 miles (48 Km) northeast Mexico City in the municipality of San Juan de Teotihuacan. Within this archeological complex are some of the largest pyramidal structures of America. The original name of the city was lost in the time as well as the name of the civilization that constructed the city. The current name “Teotihuacan” was given by the Aztecs and it has several interpretations, being the most accepted "place of the gods" or "place where one becomes a god".

The city is composed by many structures; burn there are five main elements: the Avenue of the Dead, the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, the Ciudadela and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid.

The Avenue of the Dead is the main avenue of the city; it leads from the Moon Square to the Ciudadela, from north to south for more than 2.5 Km, dividing the city into two zones. The avenue is flanked by wonderful ceremonial buildings such as the Pyramid of Sun and Pyramid of Moon.

The Ciudadela (Citadel, named thus by Spanish who believed that it was a fort) is a great square (about 160 000 square meters) surrounded by several temples. It believes, that the Ciudadela was the religious and political center of Teotihuacan. The Ciudadela contains the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, a stepped pyramid which is one of the most impressive structures of the complex. It is dedicated to the Feathered Serpent or Quetzalcoatl one of the most important gods of the Mesoamerican culture.

The largest and most impressive structure of the Teotihuacan complex is definitely the great Pyramid of the Sun. This great structure has a base of 215 by 215 meters and it is 63 meters height. It is at the east of the Avenue of Dead in the northern part of Teotihuacan. It was originally composed by four stepped platforms a terraced platform and a superimposed temple; unfortunately the upper-most portion of the structure was totally destroyed. The excavation and reconstruction of this monument began at the beginning of the XX century by Leopoldo Batres

The Pyramid of the Moon is a beautiful building smaller than the Pyramid of the sun, located at the northern extreme of the Avenue of the dead. This Pyramid dates from 200 AD. This pyramid has a platform at top, which was used to do ceremonies in honor to Chalchiutlicue, goddess of the water and the moon.

History

The origin of this place and the civilization that built it is very mysterious; many archeologists think that it was a Toltec work. Nevertheless, the Toltec civilization reached its apogee long time after the Teotihuacan’s creation. Another theory proposes that the eruption of the Xitle volcano caused a massive emigration from the central valley to the Teotihuacan valley creating a new multiethnic culture; therefore; it believes that the city was inhabited by several different ethnic groups amongst them Otomi, Totonac, Nahua, Zapotec, Mixtec and Maya people. The evidence of this theory is the variety of architectural influences that it can see in the different areas of Teotihuacán.

View of Teotihuacan

The oldest building of Teotihuacan dates from the 200 BC while the great Pyramid of the Sun was finished around 100 AD. Teotihuacan reached its apogee from 150 to 450 AD being the largest city of America and the sixth of the world during its peak in the five century. The city hosted 150 000 inhabitants in its greatest splendor. There are evidences of cultural interchange between Teotihuacan and the centers Mayas during this period, like the architectural style of Teotihuacan (known as “talud-tablero”) which can be found dispersed in all Mesoamerica.

Teotihuacan was an industry center which produced pottery and jewelry; many tools of obsidian found in the city are evidences of this fact. There are not texts in Teotihuacan because apparently the inhabitants of this city did not know the writing. Nevertheless, Maya inscriptions found in Honduras and Guatemala refer to a great King that ruled over Tikal and Uaxactun who reigned in a city whose description fits very well with Teotihuacan’s description, which is another evidence of the great power and influence reached by Teotihuacan.

The collapse of the Teotihuacan’s civilizations occurred between the VII and VIII centuries. Initially scientists thought, Teotihuacan was invaded and destroyed by other civilizations like the Toltecs. Nevertheless, today there are evidences of a great internal rebellion against the high social class of the city. The decline of Teotihuacan would has been caused by climates changes which produced an agricultural disaster that caused hunger and despair among the population, weakening the power of the ruling class.

Then other cultural centers such as Cacaxtla, Xochicalco or Cholula took the power vacuum left by Teotihuacan. However, Teotihuacan was still a respected site, when Aztecs occupied the zone, they built a new city over the remains of Teotihuacan, but they considered Teotihuacan an important religious and ceremonial center. Aztecs were who created most mythical stories about the origin of Teotihuacan and its creators.

During the colonial period Teotihuacan was forgotten, like most pre-Colombian centers of the New World. But, the interest for this archeological center was reborn in the XX century, when the first archeological excavations began. Today, Teotihuacan is the largest and most famous pre-Colombian complex of Mexico and one of the most wonderful places of the world.

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Temples of Bali, Indonesia

Wonder: Temples of Bali
Country: Indonesia
Region: Bali
Visitable: Yes
About:

Bali is known as the Island of the Gods. This paradisiacal Islands has and endless number of Hindu temples, each one more beautiful than the other

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder National Wonder

Bali is a beautiful Island in Indonesia known as the “Island of the Thousand Temples” or the “Island of the Gods”, because of the great number of wonderful Hindu temples there are in the Island. It says that Bali has more temples than houses. Each village of Bali has several temples. Besides, each home in the Island has its own small temple. All Bali temples have a special orientation from the mountains and the sea.

Usually the temples of Bali are ornamented with an impressive and intricate set of carvings, mainly on the gateways. Besides, almost always a couple of magnificent stone statues are always saving the temples.

According to the Balinese tradition, the temples are the point of meeting amongst the humans and the gods. The temples are specially considered during some festival days or in the “odalan” (temple anniversaries). In these dates the temples are decorated to praise the gods. The word in Sanskrit for temple is “Pura”, which means “space surrounded by walls”.

In Bali each thing or activity has its own temple, there are village temples, family temples, rice fields temples, temples for animals, etc. Nevertheless the bigger Hindu temples on Bali are used only in special occasions. Most temples of Bali can be classified into these categories: Pura Puseh (origin temples), which are the most important and are reserved to the founders of villages (Balinese are worshipers of their ancestors). Pura Desa dedicated to protector spirits that guard the villagers. Pura Dalem (dead temple), where is venerate Durga the Shiva’s wife and deity of the dark and destruction. Besides, there are several temples dedicated to the spirits that protect the agriculture, these temples are known as Pura Subak

However, there are around 50 largest temples and only some of them are considered the most important of Bali, amongst them are:

• Pura Tanah Lot, it is an impressive temple near the village of Beraban to 13 Km of Tabanan. The temple is suspended on a huge black volcanic rock in middle of the sea. The temple has only one tower and it is decorated by foliage spilling over the cliffs. The image of this temple remembers a beautiful Japanese bonsai. Tanah Lot like most sea temples of Bali is dedicated to the guardian spirits of the sea. According to the chronicles this wonderful temple was constructed by the priest Nirartha in the XIV century. It can walk to the temple only when the tide is low. This temple is opened only to Hindus and is closed for tourists.

• Pura Besakih, it is the most important and holiest temple of Bali. It was originally dedicated to the god Gunung Agun (the mountain) since pre historical times. Currently the temple is a religious complex composed by around thirty sanctuaries; most of them were constructed between XIV and XVII centuries. An important feature of the temple is the great number of Merus (wooden buildings with pagodas as roofs). This temple was also a center of political power, between I and V centuries, the temple was the palace of the Geigel- Kiungkung dynasty. Now this temple is considered the “Mother Temple” of Bali and is very respected by all Bali citizens. The paramount sanctuary of the temple is the Pura Panataran Agung. The main inside patio hosts the Trisakti shrine, which is dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Visnu and Siwa , which is very honored during the festivals that is also the most amazing time to visit the temple .

• Pura Kehen, it is located at the south slope of Bangli hill, is one of the oldest temples of Bali. The temple saves some ancient manuscripts made on bronze. This sanctuary is the second largest temple of Bali. There are three patios in the temple, which are decorated with statues, wonderful carvings and are connected by stairs. Pura Kehen was founded in the XI century by Cri Brahma Kenuti Ketu. One of the most representative elements of the temple is old Banyan tree that is in the second courtyard.

• Pura Ulun Danu Batur, it is located in the Batur village in the Kintamani district. It is the second most important temple of Bali after Pura Besakih. The temple is situated in a beautiful location at the Batur Lake at the foot of the Gunung Batur Volcano. The religious complex is composed by nine sanctuaries dedicated to Hindu gods like the goddess of the Batur lake, Dewei Danu or the God of the mountain Batu. The original temple was built in the XI century; unfortunately it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1926. The current temple was reconstructed by the local people and has a notorious Chinese influence in its architectonic style.

• Pura Uluwatu, it is another wonderful temple that combines perfectly the human art with the beauty of the nature. It is located at the western of the Bukit Peninsula. The temple is constructed at the top of a cliff 90 meters over the sea. There are not accurate registers about the age of this temple, but it is one of the most ancient of Bali. Pura Uluwatu like Tanah Lot is dedicated to the sea deities. The access to the temple is only allowed one at a time. Pura Ulawatu has three inner courts which are surrounded by coral stone. Besides, both the front and the inside halls are ornamented with stylized birds.

There are many other temples in Bali such as Lempuyang, Goa Lawah, Makori, Watukaru, Jagadnahata, Maospahit, Tirta Empul, Pengerebogan, Andakasa, Masceti, Sakenan, Dalem, Ubud's Pura Taman Saraswati,etc. All of them are great architectural gems and each one has something unique to offer. Therefore the countless and amazing temples of Bali are considered all together, one of the great man-made wonders.

History

The Island of Bali was initially inhabited for people from the Maritime Southeast Asia. But the greatest cultural influence arrived from India since the first century AD. Oldest temples of Bali were constructed from 913 AD such as Pura Ulun Danu Batur, Pura Kehen, Gunungkawi, amongst other.

Temple of Tanah Lot in Bali

The Hindu influence in Bali was major between 1293 and 1520 when the Hindu Majapahit Empire founded a colony in Java; but when this colony declined; the intellectual and political elite migrate to Bali, further consolidate the Hindu influence in the region. Temples like Tanah Lot were built in this historical period, during which, many Hindu priests arrived to Bali.

At the beginning of the XVI century began a period of cultural independence in Bali because of the Migration of the Majapahit Empire towards east. During this time several other temples were constructed in Bali, but with an style some different. Several parts of the Besakih temple, were built in this period as well as the Sangeh Monkey Sanctuary.

Now, the temples of Bali are still important places of worship. Most temples of the Island are scenario every year of colorful religious festivals. Usually people carry offerings to the temple to honoring the three gods of the Hindu trilogy. These offerings consist of palm leafs, flowers and foodstuffs. All these offerings represent in the Hindu cosmology to Siwa (Shiva), whereas the holy water represents to Wisnu and the incense represents to Brahama. The temples of Bali have still a very important role in the historical development of the region.

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Temples of Bagan, Burma

Wonder: Temples of Bagan
Country: Burma
Region: Mandalay
Visitable: Yes
About:

The temples of Bagan or Pagan (as anciently was known this place) are an extraordinary set of ancient Buddhist sanctuaries, which were built mainly between the X and XII centuries in the actual territory of Myanmar (Burma)

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder National Wonder

The temples of Bagan or Pagan (as anciently was known this place) are an extraordinary set of ancient Buddhist sanctuaries, which were built mainly between X century and XII century in the actual territory of Myanmar (Burma) on the eastern bank of the Ayerwady River to 145 Kilometers (90 miles) of Mandalay city.

The impressive religious complex of Bagan is composed by around 2200 temples and pagodas and covered an area of almost 26 square miles. These temples are a compendium of the architectural styles developed in the region during the historical period, they were constructed such as "Stupa with a relic-shaped dome", "Stupa with tomb-shaped dome", "Sinhalese-styled stupa", "North Indian model", "Central Indian Model", "South Indian model", "Mon model". Nevertheless, most structures were built using two kinds of buildings: the pagoda and the temple.

Both types of structures have their own goals. The pagoda was a symbol of adoration, whereas the temple served for worship and meditation. To build the structures the constructors used mainly bricks, sandstone and large-sized timber. Some metals like iron and bronze also were used but not extensively. The pagodas were constructed using a structural framing system, which consists of a systematically framed outer wall brick, strengthened with sandstone at intervals and a central hard core consolidated with brickbats and earth.

Some of the most important and beautiful temples that remain standing in Bagan are:

• Dhammayangyi, it was constructed by the king Narathu from 1167 to 1170 and is the largest temple of the complex.

• Shwesandaw, this was one of the first temples built in Bagan. It was constructed by Anawahta and its stupa enshrines hairs of Buddha. This temple is known also as the Ganesh Temple because of images of this Hindu god were in the corners of the temple’s terraces.

• Mahabodi is an exact replica in smaller scale of the famous temple of Bodhi in India. Mahabodhi was constructed by the king Nataungmya and it is totally covered with niches which contain images of Budha.

• Amnada Temple, it is one of the most beautiful temples and in 1990 received a golden gilding in its 900th anniversary of construction. The temple hosts also four great golden statues of Buddhas.

• Shwe Zi Khon, it is perhaps the most beautiful and important temple of Bagan. It host several hairs and bones of Buddha. The construction of the temple was initiated by the king Anawrata and was finished by its successor the king Kyanzittha. This temple is scenery of a great religious festival every year and is still today an important pilgrimage center.

• Thatbynnyu is the highest structure of Bagan with 61 meters height (around 201 feet).

History

The archeological and religious Bagan complex covers about 16 square miles. Most structures in this complex were constructed from the 1000 to 1200 AD. During this time Bagan was the capital of the Burmese Empire for second time. The golden age of Bagan began in 1057 AD when the King Anawrahta conquest Thaton. Anawrahta was Buddhist; therefore he brought back to Bagan the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism and with the help of a monk from Lower Burma, he converted the people of the country to the Buddhism.

Anawrata initiated the massive construction of temples and other religious buildings in Bagan which we can see still. But his successors were who continued the tradition started by Anawrata by 290 years, since they constructed over 10000 temples and pagodas in Bagan.

Shwe Zi Khon Pagoda in Bagan

During its apogee Bagan was one of the most important religious and cultural centers of Asia, it reached a population 300 000 people and around 10 00 temples and pagodas existed in Bagan. Unfortunately the attacks of enemies and several earthquakes destroyed most buildings of the ancient capital of Burma.

The golden age of Bagan finished in 1287 when the region was invaded by Mongols, who sacked the city and the temples. Nevertheless, the city was still an important Buddhist center, but its political importance was lost forever. Little by little the city was abandoned and nowadays only the temples and some archeological remains survive of which was one of the most important capitals of Asia.

The Burmese government has tried to restore the temples of Bagan. Unfortunately, these restorations have been made without respect for the original materials and architectural styles of the building. Therefore UNESCO never declared Bagan as World Heritage. But, Bagan is definitely one of the sites of the planet that worth visiting before die.

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Machupicchu, Peru

Wonder: Machupicchu
Country: Peru
Region: Cusco
Visitable: Yes
About:

One of the new seven wonders, the most beautiful Inca city and the main archeological site of America.

Wonder type: New Seven Wonder Man-made Wonder

Machu Picchu is located on a remote secondary road in nearly impassable terrain high above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu sits nearly 2438 meters (8000 feet) above sea level, on top of a ridge between two peaks of different size. The name "Machu Picchu" comes simply from its geography. It literally means "old peak", just as "Huaynapicchu" is "young peak". The more accurate translation relates, however, to the concept of size, with Machupicchu as the "bigger peak" and Huaynapicchu, the "smaller peak".

Machu Picchu, the most famous citadel of the Incas, is accessible by train from Cusco or traveling along the Camino Inca. The city was never discovered by the conquerors Spanish and remained lost for centuries. Machu Picchu is an architectural jewel, which combine perfectly the architectural style with the beautiful natural environment that surrounded it. The Beauty and the Mystery of its walled ruins that once was the palace the thinnest Inca of stone surrounded by the virginal landscapes, the flora and green jungle bathes its abrupt topography.

The citadel is divided into two sectors: the agricultural and the urban, where there are main squares, temples, palaces, storehouses, workshops, stairways, cables and water fountains which run through both sectors, which measure 20 and 10 hectares respectively. Machu Picchu was built according to its natural surroundings, with its constructions following the natural curves and dips and rises in the land.

The sector is surrounded by a series of terraces of different types and sizes which had two main functions: to grow crops and halt the erosion caused by the rains. The most eye catching terraces lie at the entrance to the citadel. They begin at the cluster of rooms located at the entrance and climb up to the top of the mountain until they stop at a large rectangular room. There are no canals as they were not necessary, as the constant rains and ever-present humidity allowed the plants to grow without irrigation. The only water channel that flows through the urban sector crosses through the central terrace.

The control gate is made up of a three walled room with a view with several windows, which can be found in front of the main gateway. There is a good panorama from here of the agricultural and urban sectors and the surrounding landscape. In the upper part, they also found sculpted stones that belong to the area, which indicated the Incas used the stones to make offerings to their gods. On this same piece of ground lies a granite boulder sculpted with steps. But the most striking feature is that it is pierced with a ring, the purpose of which is unknown.

One can see a long stairway that leads to the front gate. This sector houses the most important constructions of any Inca city, where one can appreciate the talent, effort and quality of the pre Hispanic builders, as the constructions are entirely made of granite, a very hard rock that is different from that used in Cusco. The city is U-shaped and containing the temples, houses and workshops on platform terraces that the american scientist Bingham, called the Military Group.

The Temple of Sun is shaped like a semi-circle and built on solid rock, an existing granite block shaped to blend with the natural curves, with a diameter of 10.50 meters. The Intiwatana is located on a hill made up of several terraces, it is a granite rock sculpted into three steps. In the central part one can see a rectangular prism that is 36cm high and which is pointing from North-West to South-East. Its four corners are directed to the four cardinal points. The Intiwatana had specific functions: it measured time (the solstice and the equinox) by using sunlight and shadow, and also served as an altar. In Quechua, "Inti" means "sun" and "Wata" means "year", thereby giving us the meaning of a solar year observatory.

The sacred rock, located in a four-sided spot flanked by two three-sided rooms, features a monolithic rock sculpture. The pedestal, which is approximately 30cm high, resembles a feline. From another angle, it looks like the profile of a mountain near Machupicchu. The Temple of Three Windows is located west of the main square, has a large rectangular floor. The enormous polyhedrons have been carved and joined with millimetric precision.

The Main Temple is located north of the Sacred Square, very near the Temple of Three Windows. Doors are a common sight in Machupicchu and especially in this sector. They vary in texture, size and architectural style that set them apart from each other, although all have the same trapezoid shape. To the South of the complex, between the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Palace, the area houses a series of water fountains, the only sources of the vital element for the residents of Machu Picchu.

There are four main squares at different levels, but share the characteristic of being rectangular in the classic Inca style, interconnected by sunken stairways in the parameters of the terraces. The main square is the largest, which just like the main squares in all Inca cities had religious and social functions.

History

Machu Picchu was done constructed and used by Inka Pachakuteq, that was the greatest statesman of the Tawantinsuyo, Pachakuteq ruled from 1438 for 1471, called the great age of the Inca empire; unfortunately it lasted less than 100 years, because the empire collapsed under the Spanish invasion. Although the citadel is located only about 50 miles from Cusco, Machupicchu, it was never found and destroyed by the Spanish, as were many other Inca sites.

In the XIX century explorers like Eugenie de Sartiges, George Ephraim Squire, Antonio Raimondi and Castelnau never reached Machu Picchu, although most of them crossed the Andes to the almost inaccessible ruins of Choquekirau, built high above the Apurimac River. In fact, the outside world simply stumbled upon Machupicchu, for it had never been lost to those who lived around it.

In December 1908, Bingham attended the First Panamerican Scientific Congress in Santiago, Chile. It was there that he decided to follow the old Spanish trade route from Buenos Aires to Lima, and it was to that end that he traveled to Lima and hence to Cusco. In Cusco Bingham made the acquaintance of one J.J. Nunez, then prefect of the Apurimac region, who invited him on the arduous trip to the ruins of Choquekirau.

Machupicchu

On his return to the USA, Bingham decided to organize another expedition to Peru. Bingham returned to Cusco from where he journeyed on foot and by mule through the Urubamba Valley, past Ollantaytambo, and on into the Urubamba gorge. On July 23, Bingham and his party camped by the river at a place called Mandor Pampa, where they aroused the curiosity of Melchor Arteaga, a local farmer who leased the land there. Bingham learned from Arteaga that there were extensive ruins on top of the ridge opposite the camp, which Arteaga, in his native Quechua, called Machu Picchu, or "Old Mountain". Bingham offered to pay Arteaga well if he showed the ruins. He demurred and said it was too hard a climb for such a wet day, accompanied only by Seargeant Carrasco and Arteaga, Bingham left the camp. From the river they climbed a precipitous slope until they reached the ridge at around midday.

Here Bingham rested at a small hut where they enjoyed the hospitality of a group of peasants. They told him that they had been living there for about four years and explained that they had found an extensive system of terraces on whose fertile soil they had decided to grow their crops. Bingham was then told that the ruins he sought were close by and he was given a guide, the 11-year old Pablito Alvarez, to lead him there.

Almost immediately, he was greeted by the sight of a broad sweep of ancient terraces. They numbered more than a hundred and had recently been cleared of forest and reactivated. Here young Pablito began to reveal to Bingham a series of white granite walls which the historian immediately judged to be the finest examples of masonry that he had ever seen.

According to Bingham, "I had entered the marvellous canyon of the Urubamba below the Inca fortress. Here the river escapes from the cold plateau by tearing its way through gigantic mountains of granite. The road runs through a land of matchless charm. It has the majestic grandeur of the Canadian Rockies, as well as the startling beauty of the Nuuanu Pali near Honolulu, and the enchanting views of the Koolau Ditch Trail on Maui, in my native land…..”

Machupicchu, the ancient Inca City was named to be part of the new list of the Seven Wonders. The global vote that began in 1999, accumulated near 20 million votes in its initial phase. And the final decision on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal to name to Machupicchu one of the New Seven Wonders of the Contemporary World for satisfaction of the Cusqueño town (Cusco's people). Machu Picchu is today the main archeological site of Peru and America, and probably the most beautiful place of the world.

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Karnak Temple, Egypt

Wonder: Karnak Temple
Country: Egypt
Region: Luxor
Visitable: Yes
About:

The religious complex of Karnak at Luxor was the most important religious center in Egypt while Thebes was the capital of the Empire, its wonderful temples and sculptures are one of the greatest wonders of the planet

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder National Wonder

The religious complex of Karnak on the northern edge of Luxor was the largest religious site of the ancient world, covering around 100 hectares. Its original name was Ipet-isut that means “The Most Select of Places” The complex is located on the banks of the Nile River and is after pyramids the most famous archeological place of Egypt. Karnak is an impressive set of temples which were part of the Thebes city, the capital of the Egyptian Empire during the middle Kingdom and the new Kingdom.

The Karnak complex is composed by 4 main parts. The most famous and largest of them is the Precinct of Amun-Ra; since it is the only that is accessible for tourists. The other three parts are the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu and the Temple of Amenhotep.

The main deity that was adored in Karnak was the Egyptian God Amun whose temple is situated in the center of the complex. The Temple of Montu is located at the north and the Temple of Mut is at the south. In addition to the main temples, there are also several small temples and chapels in the entire complex, such as the Temple of Khonsu, the Temple of Osiris Hek-Djet or the Temple of Opet.

An avenue of ram-headed sphinxes (symbols of the Amun god) leads to the front of the giant first pylon where there is a great statue of the king Ramesses II. The first pylon was never finished and there are near this pylon, some remains of a mud brick ramp, which is the only example that shows how the pylon was constructed.

One of the most impressive parts of Karnak is the Hypostyle Hall, which is located passing through the Second Pylon. This hall is considered one of the most important works of architecture in the world. The construction of this wonderful hall started during the reign of Amenhotep III and was finished by its grandson the King Ramesses II. All walls, ceilings and columns are painted with the natural earth tones. The roof of the hall is 82 feet (25 meters) high and is supported by 12 papyrus columns set in two rows of six, which are made of sandstone. Besides, each row of main columns is flanked also by seven rows of 9 columns of 42 feet (12.8 meters) high each one. In total 134 columns compose this wonderful place. The hall is ornamented with reliefs that represent scenes of the Egyptian mythology of the creation. Whereas the outer walls of the Hypostyle Hall are adorned with battle scenes of the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II.

The third Pylon was constructed by Amenhotep III, in this zone there are also several impressive obelisks such as the obelisk of Tuthmosis I which is 70 feet (21 meters) height and 143 tons weight or the obelisk of Hatsheput (one of the few female pharaoh) that is 97 feet (30 meters) high, weights 320 tons and was dedicated to Amun. The fourth and fifth pylons were built by Thutmose I and they are smaller than the third pylon.
Karnak is a marvelous place that you can visit from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm. Admission costs LE 20 for foreigners and LE 10 for foreign students. There are guided tours available in several languages.

History

The construction of the complex of Karnak began with the 12th Dynasty (1991 – 1785 BC). The first temple was dedicated to the early god of Thebes, the god Montu. Nevertheless, the construction of the temple was a work that lasted around 900 years, since many pharaohs of several dynasties added several constructions (temples, shrines or pylons) in Karnak.

Entrance to Karnak

Karnak was part of the ancient city of Thebes which was the capital and the cultural center of the Egyptian Empire. The complex of Karnak was during a long and continuous time the main religious site of Egypt. Nevertheless, the temple was abandoned during short time when the pharaoh Akhenaton took the power and decided to abandon the worship to Amun and replace it for the worship to the Sun God Aten; then he constructed a new capital and new temples. But, after Akhenaton’s death, the worship to Aten was forgotten and the Theban priests destroyed all the signals of the Aknhenaton reign and the Sun’s worship. Then, Karnak became again the religious center of Egypt.

In the IV century BC when the Greeks conquered Egypt, they moved the capital of the Kingdom to Alexandria marking the beginning of the end to the religious center. However, the site was even respected even in the Ptolemy Dynasty and in the early Roman time. But, in 323 AD Constantine the Great recognized the Christian religion and in 346 AD the Emperor ordered to close all the pagan temples. Then the Karnak complex was abandoned and four Christian churches were established within the enclosure of the complex.

During the Medieval Age, the ancient Egyptian culture was forgotten and even the location of Thebes was unknown. Only in the XVI century a Venetian traveler described the complex of Karnak. Later several travelers wrote chronicles about Karnak and other important sites of the ancient Egypt during the XVII and XVIII centuries, until 1798 when Vivant Denon a scientist member of the Napoleon’s expedition described the complex with detail.

Today Karnak is after the pyramids the most famous and visited place of Egypt. One of the most impressive examples of the greatness of the ancient country of the pharaohs and a great source of information for archeologists from all the world, who search answers about the still mysterious history of the great Egyptian civilization.

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Great Wall of China, China

Wonder: Great Wall of China
Country: China
Region: Beijing
Visitable: Yes
About:

One of the most famous structures of the world and unique human structure that can be seen from the space.

Wonder type: New Seven Wonder Middle Ages Wonder Man-made Wonder National Wonder

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties.

The steps that form the Great Wall of China are very steep and tall in some areas. Tourists often become exhausted climbing the wall and walk no more than a kilometre or two (around a mile). In some areas the blocks were cemented with a mixture of glutinous rice and egg white. In the extreme western desert locations, where good materials are scarce, the wall was constructed from dirt rammed between rough wood tied together with woven mats.

The Wall is included in lists of the "Seven Medieval Wonders of the World" but was of course not one of the classical Seven Wonders of the World recognized by the ancient Greeks.It is the world's longest human made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km in total. It is also the largest human made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass.

Three sections are in Beijing municipality, which was renovated and which is regularly visited by modern tourists. One of the most striking sections of the Ming Great Wall is where it climbs extremely steep slopes. It runs 11 kilometres long, ranges from 5 to 8 meters in height, and 6 meters across the bottom, narrowing up to 5 meters across the top. Wangjinglou is one of Jinshanling's 67 watchtowers, 980 meters above sea level.

South East of Jinshanling, is the Mutianyu Great Wall which winds along lofty, cragged mountains from the southeast to the northwest for approximately 2.25 kilometers. It is connected with Juyongguan Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east. Another notable section lies near the eastern extremity of the wall, where the first pass of the Great Wall was built on the Shanhaiguan, the first mountain the Great Wall climbs. Jia Shan is also here, as is the Jiumenkou, which is the only portion of the wall that was built as a bridge.

History

The construction of the Great Wall China began in the 7th century B.C., under the Dynasty Zhou. This wall was constructed along many hundreds of years. The first version of the wall was constructed to support invaders far from the villages that cultivate the land for the Chinese border. These walls were constructed in weak points in the natural landscape or where the threat was perceived like the major one.

Some of these walls eventually became of greater strategic importance when the localised defences were gradually joined to form the Great Wall of China. At those times that the Chinese territory expanded northward, earlier walls became secondary defences when a more northerly wall was built. The Great Wall of China was built by soldiers, civilians, farmers and prisoners, primarily during three dynasties: the Qin, the Han and the Ming, although the Sui Dynasty and the Ten Kingdoms period also played a part. The building styles of each dynasty added their own flavour and advanced the techniques learned from the previous.

The Great Wall of China

The first dynasty of China was the short lived Qin Dynasty. The first emperor, Qin ShiHuang, was a tyrannical emperor who unified China by force and set about constructing one Great Wall by joining. He even sent scholars to work on the Great Wall, anyone who was deemed unproductive. These workers faced arduous labor, and the constant danger of being attacked by bandits.

Most of early Great Wall was composed of weak stone, but when the natural stone in an area was not sufficient did that the engineers were turning to another method, there had to be used a rectangular frame that was filled with loose soil. This soil was trampled for several hours by a team of workers until this was solid. This process of landfill and to trample would be repeated again and again until the wall was reaching the wished height.

The second dynasty to add to the Great Wall was the Han Dynasty. The most notable contribution of the Han Dynasty is that they extended the Great Wall westwards through the Gobi Desert. Despite a lack of building materials, ingenious Chinese engineers found a solution. This method involved first laying down a layer of willow reeds, possibly woven. Then a layer of gravel and a little water was applied and trampled solid. After the trampling, a new layer of reeds and gravel was added. This process would be repeated until the desired height was reached. Amazingly, some portions of this Great Wall are still standing, partly due to the dry conditions of the Gobi.

The last dynasty to build a northern wall was the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This dynasty built the biggest, longest, strongest and most ornate Great Wall ever. These are the walls that we are familiar with today. Their methods of Great Wall building fused all that was learned by the two previous dynasties. First, a center of trampled earth was created. Then, around the firm center was applied a shell of stone and bricks. The bricks that were created by the Ming are so strong that they compare well with the ones we use today. The strong Ming wall was built across some of the most dangerous terrains in China, including steep mountains, sometimes on 75 degree inclines. It has been said that every foot of the construction of this Great Wall cost one human life.

The Ming Dynasty Great Wall starts on the eastern end at ShanHai Pass, near QinHuangDao, in Hebei Province, next to Bohai Sea. It once spanned 9 provinces and 100 counties, but the final 500 kilometers of the Great Wall to the west have all but turned to rubble. Along the Ming Great Wall of China there are many watchtowers, spaced from less than a kilometer to several kilometers or more apart. These were partly used to transmit military messages. Fire and smoke were the most efficient means for communication; fire was used at night and smoke during the day. Straw and dung was used for this. In 1468, a series of regulations set specific meanings to these signals: a single shot and a single fire or smoke signal implied about 100 enemies, two signals warned of 500, three warned of over a 1000 and so on. In this way, a message could be transmitted over more than 500 km of the Great Wall within a few hours.

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Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt

Wonder: Great Pyramid of Giza
Country: Egypt
Region: Giza
Visitable: Yes
About:

The Great Pyramid of Giza , also called Khufu's Pyramid or the Pyramid of Khufu, and Pyramid of Cheops, is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis

Wonder type: Ancient World Wonder Man-made Wonder National Wonder

It is also known as the Great Pyramid of Khufu or the Great Pyramid of the pharaoh Cheops as was called by Greeks; who listed this pyramid as the first wonder of the world. It is the only one of the seven ancient wonders still remaining to our days and one of the most famous tourist attractions in the modern world. The Pyramid is located in the Giza Necropolis very near Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The total mass of the great pyramid is estimated around 5.9 million tons and its volume is approximately 2.6 million cubic meters. The great pyramid was surfaced by white casing stones and blocks of highly polished white limestone; therefore the original monument shine brightly with the sun as a jewel. It is a great testimony of perfection in design and construction that reached ancient Egyptian. Many people consider still Giza as a spiritual and energetic place; therefore several privates groups visit Giza all the time attracted by the mystical aspect of the Great Pyramid.

History

Historians believe that the great pyramid was constructed in the fourth Egyptian dynasty by order of Pharaoh Cheops (2560 BC approximately) and its construction lasted around 20 years. It was the tallest monument of the world during 3800 years with 146 meters height. The great pyramid was constructed using an impressive number of workers. Herodotus, the Greek historian who made the first list of wonders, estimated that around 100 00 workers were used to built this colossal monument. Nevertheless, modern calculations estimate that at least 300 000 men would have been required for this monumental work. Previously, it was believed that workers were slaves, but now there are modern theories that say they were skilled workers who camped near Giza for a salary; proof of this fact are workers' cemeteries found by archeologists in the vicinity of Giza . It is believed also that around 2 millions blocks (each block weights between 2 and 15 tons) of limestone, basalt and granite were used in the pyramid

The Great Pyramid of Giza

It is the only Egyptian pyramid that has both descending and ascending passages. The most popular theory about the goal of the pyramids says, they were used as tombs for pharaohs. But, we know that airshafts were built into the King's and Queen's chambers; nevertheless we don’t know the purpose of airshafts; since pharaoh’s mummies don’t need air. Besides, no mummy or remains of any kind have been found inside the great pyramid. These are some of the reasons why many Egyptologists and other academicians believe that pyramids were also ceremonial and religious centers, but the construction, date and possible symbolism of these amazing monuments are not still completely understood. There are several theories about the construction of the pyramids. The most accepted of them say that the pyramid was built moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

Another important detail about the pyramids is their orientation, they are oriented 4’ west of north; some experts believe that this peculiar orientation is due to the position of the stars b-Ursae Minoris and z-Ursae Majoris about 3,000 years ago, thanks to this feature; some scientists date the start of the pyramid’s construction around 2467 BC.

There are three main chambers inside the pyramid, which are arranged centrally, through the vertical axis of the pyramid; being the largest the lowest chamber also known as “unfinished chamber”, which was cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was constructed. The middle chamber is known as the “Queen’s Chamber” and it is the smallest of the three with around 25 square meters of area and 4.5 meters in height. A peculiar detail about this chamber is that was explored using a robot created by the German engineer “Rudolf Gantenbrink”. The Egyptologist “Mark Lehner” believes that this chamber was designed as a “serdab” a structure used in other pyramids in Egypt.

The third chamber is the main, the King’s Chamber. It is located at end of the lengthy series of entrance ways into the pyramid structure. Its original measurements were 10x20x11.2 cubits (5.25x10.5x6 meters). These dimensions are consistent with the geometric methods that used the ancient Egyptians to determine the Golden Ratio phi. Inside the great pyramid, there had a great number of sarcophagus and a large gallery, which is 49x3x11 meters. This chamber contains also 2 “air shafts”, which ascend out of the pyramid, directly to the “Thuban” star and the “Alnitak” star in the “Orion” constellation. It believes that, these airshafts were used with ceremonial purposes; since they allowed to the pharaoh’s spirit to reach the stars.

The King’s sarcophagus is located in the King’s chamber and it was hollowed out of a single piece of red Aswan granite. A peculiar detail about this sarcophagus is that it is too short to accommodate a medium height person without the bending of the knees, but this burial technique was not used in the ancient Egypt. Therefore, several scientists believe that the sarcophagus was not designed to host a human body.

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Forbidden City, China

Wonder: Forbidden City
Country: China
Region: Beijing
Visitable: Yes
About:

It is the largest and best preserved imperial palace in China and it is together with the Great Wall the most representative Chinese national symbol.

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder

The Forbidden City is known also as the Palace Museum, the Gugong (in Chinese) Museum or the Purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and best preserved imperial palace in China. This awesome palace is located in Beijing city to the north of Tiananmen Square (the ceremonial center of current Republic of China) and it was the official residence of the Chinese Emperor from the mid Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) until the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In total the Palace was the home of 24 Chinese emperors.

The Forbidden City is one of the five most famous palaces of the world together with the Palace of Versailles, the Buckingham Palace, the White House and the Kremlin. The Forbidden City was constructed as a replica of the Purple Palace where God lived according to the Chinese mythology therefore the palace was a sacred place, and so it was forbidden to the ordinary people.

The Forbidden City is the largest palace of the World. It occupied an area of 74 hectares. It is surrounded by a great moat of 6 meters deep and 10 meters high. The Palace is a giant rectangle of 961 meters long for 753 meters wide. The walls are 8.62 meters wide at the base and 6.66 meters at the top; they were designed as defensive walls and were made using rammed earth. The complex is composed by 980 buildings and around 8707 rooms.

The four corners of the great rectangle have each one an intricate tower with complex roofs that represents the Pavilion of Prince Teng and the Yellow Crane Pavilion. These towers are the elements most prominent from outside palace. The main entrance to the Forbidden City is through the Tiananmen gate. Behind the Tiananmen gate is the great courtyard of the palace. Here the complex is divided into two parts: the inner court and the outer court (also called working area or front court). The courtyard contains some of the most representative elements of the palace: the “stream of golden water” and 5 beautiful bridges ornamented with carved torches.

The outer court was used mainly with ceremonial purposes and to host the imperial affaires. It is composed by all the buildings of the southern zone.

One of the most important rooms of the complex is the “Hall of Supreme Harmony” which is the largest in the palace and is 30 meters above the level of the surrounding square. This hall was the heart of the power in the country and is the largest wooden structure in China. The roof of this magnificent hall was decorated with a caisson with a coiled dragon. There had two other important halls: the Hall of the Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The three salons had imperial thrones and were used to host the Imperial activities and ceremonies. Behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony is the greatest stone carving of China, an impressive stone piece that weights around 200 tons.

The residence of the Emperor, his concubines and the Eunuchs of the palace was located in the inner court at the northern section of the complex in the central north-south axis of the complex, which was the most important axis of the three that compose the Forbidden City. In the inner are the main buildings that served as home for the imperial family such as the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly or the Hall of Union. All these palaces have an extraordinaire architectural style and were luxury decorated

All the elements from the architectural shapes to the colors used in the Forbidden City were designed to symbolize religious and philosophical principles of the Chinese cosmology. This Palace is the abstract of several millenniums of culture.

It can visit the Forbidden City from 08:30 to 17:00 between April 1 and October 31 for 60 yuan and from 08:30 to 16:30 between October 16 and April 15 for 40 yuan. There are also many services to guide visitors available. There is an audio guide (40 yuan) device available in several languages like Chinese, Cantonese, English, French, Japanese, German, Spanish, Russian, Thai , Arabic and Italian. There are also multilingual guides, a tourist service center, bag check services, tourist souvenirs, books, post office and several restaurants where it can enjoy a good food or drink.

History

The construction of the palace was initiated in 1406 by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The construction of the Forbidden City lasted around 15 years and almost one million workers were required to do this monumental work. The main materials used to build the palace were the Phoebe Zhenan (a fine Chinese wood) and marble blocks. The floors of the main halls were paved using golden bricks.

The Forbidden City

The palace was during over two centuries (1420- 1644) the residence of the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. In 1644 a rebellion leaded by Li Zeching captured the Forbidden City and proclaimed Li Zeching emperor. But the rebels fled when an army leaded by the general Wu Sangui arrived with Manchu forces, during this fact some parts of the complex were burned. Some months later the Manchu forces took the power in China and they proclaimed Shunzi Emperor starting the Qing Dinasty. The new dynasty made some changes in the palaces and renamed some buildings. Besides, the new Manchu Emperors introduce the Manchu language in Beijing.

The Forbidden City was captured again in 1860 when the Anglo-Forces occupied the palace during the Opium War II. The final episode to the Forbidden City as Imperial Palace occurred in 1912 when the last Emperor Puyi abdicated. Nevertheless Puyi remained in the inner Palace until 1924 because of an accord with the Chinese government. During this time many treasures of the Palace were sold by Puyi or were stole.

From 1924 the Forbidden City became museum. But during the World War II because of the Japanese invasion, many of the treasures of the palace were evacuated by order of Chiang Kai-Sek to Taiwan. In 1961 the Forbidden city was listed by the Chinese government as one of the most important historical monuments under special preservation.

In 1987 the Forbidden City was declared World Heritage by UNESCO. Currently the Forbidden City is managed by an organism of the Chinese government “The Palace Museum”, which is executing a restoration project. Nevertheless, this administration has also taken controversial decisions, like to allow the presence of commercial enterprises such as Starbucks inside the Forbidden City.

This wonderful palace is without doubt today, the greatest symbol of the Imperial China in the capital of the country and it is together with the Great Wall the most representative Chinese national symbol.

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Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Wonder: Angkor Wat
Country: Cambodia
Region: Siem Reap
Visitable: Yes
About:

It is a wonderful temple in Cambodia constructed by the Khmer dinasty

Wonder type: Man-made Wonder National Wonder

This complex of ancient temples (geographically as large as Paris) is probably the most important archeological site in South East Asia. It is located at Angkor in Cambodia to 5.5 kilometers of the modern town of Siem Reap. It dates from XII century (although the construction lasted almost 4 centuries) and the main temple is very well conserved and it is still today a religious center. The temple was constructed in the jungle by order from the king Suryavarman as the main temple of the country and its capital city.

This temple is one of the most beautiful and suggestive places on the planet. It is a true feat of the architecture. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru (the house of gods of the Hinduism). The temple has several towers; there are many courtyards and an endless number of bas-reliefs ornament the walls of its rooms. The architectural style of the temple is known as Khmer Architecture, this style used sandstone and bricks to create the intricate designs that adorn this wonderful temple.

The temple is composed by concentric galleries; Angkor Wat (wat means temple) has three main features: the outer enclosure that surrounded the complex, which is composed by a great outer wall of 1024 x 802 meters and 4.5 meters height and a moat of 190 meters wide, which symbolizes the ranges of mountains and the ocean respectively.

The central structure is composed by several rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, which is over a terrace higher than the city. The temple itself has quincunx (arrangement of five units) towers which represents the peaks of the mountains. This part of the temple has many statues of Buddha and inscriptions of old pilgrims.

The decoration is the other and perhaps the most representative characteristic of the temple. It is composed mainly by bas-reliefs friezes, which represent episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramyana and the Mahabharata; bas-reliefs show also battle scenes like the Battle of Kurukshetra amongst the Kaurava and Pandava clans as well as the “Churning of the Sea of Milk”, the “37 heavens” and many other pictures of the Hindu mythology.

Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu (the supreme god of the Hinduism). According to archeologists like Charles Higham, the sanctuary was built also to serve as a funerary temple for the remains of Suryavarman. The evidence that support this theory is in the bas-reliefs and a funerary jar which was found in the central tower.

History

The construction of the temple was started in the XII century when the king Suryavarman (1113 - 1150) ruled in the region. The complex was constructed as the state temple as well as the capital of the country. Current theories say that the location of the temple was chosen because of its important strategic military position; but there are other theories that explain the location of the temple because of a planet-spanning sacred geography. It believes that its original name was Vrah Vishnulok, because of the main deity that was adored here.

The status of the temple did not last long time; since in 1177 Angkor was sacked by the main enemies of the Khmer, the Chams. Some time later the empire was rebuilt by the king Jayavarman VII who moved the capital and the main temple of the country to another location a short distance to the north.

View of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat became a Theravada Buddhist during XIV and XV centuries. From the XVI century the temple lost its importance; nevertheless, it was never totally abandoned.

In 1861 the French scientist Henri Mouhot rediscovered accidentally the remains of the temple and he popularized the temple in the Western Hemisphere when published its travel notes. The French traveler described the temple using these words: “One of these temples a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michenlangelo might take an honorable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged”.

In 1908 thanks to the popularity that the temple reached in Europe mainly in France; French people funded and managed a great plan of restoration. This restoration is made still today, but it was interrupted during 1980s and 1990s when the Khmer Rouge took the control of the country during a civil war. Fortunately, this violent war did not cause great damage to the remains of the temple.

Today Angkor Wat is probably the greatest symbol of Cambodia , this temple is so very important to Cambodia that its image is part of the country’s flag since 1863. Since 1990 Angkor Wat has experienced a great flood of tourism; mainly after UNESCO declared in 1992 the temple as World Heritage Site. In 2006 this place received around 675 000 foreign visitors. The money contributed by tourists has served to provide additional funds for the maintenance of the temple and support the economy of the region of Siem Reap in Cambodia.

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