Infamous Places

Casa Batlló - The House of Bones

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:08:36 PST

Casa Batlló is a building restored by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol, built in the1877 and remodelled in the 1904–1906, located in Barcelona.

The local name for the building is Casa dels ossos - The house of bones, and indeed it does have a visceral, skeletal organic quality. It was originally designed for a middle-class family and situated in a prosperous district of Barcelona.

The building looks very remarkable — like everything Gaudí designed, only identifiable as Modernisme or Art Nouveau in the broadest sense. The ground floor, in particular, is rather astonishing with tracery, irregular oval windows and flowing sculpted stone work.

It seems that the goal of the designer was to avoid straight lines completely. Much of the façade is decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic pieces that starts in shades of golden orange moving into greenish blue. The roof is arched and was likened to the back of a dragon. A common theory about the building is that the rounded feature to the left of center, terminating at the top in a turret and cross, represents the sword of Saint George, which has been plunged into the back of the dragon.

Worcester Cathedral

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:35:18 PDT

Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester.

The Cathedral was founded in 680 with Bishop Bosel as its head. The first cathedral was built in this period but nothing now remains of it. The existing crypt of the cathedral dates from the 10th century and the time of St Oswald, bishop of Worcester. The current cathedral dates from the 12th and 13th centuries.
Monks and nuns had been present at the Cathedral since the seventh century . The monastery became Benedictine in the second half of the tenth century (one author gives the time range 974-7, another considers 969 more likely). The Benedictine monks were driven out at 18 January 1540 and replaced by secular canons. There is an important connection to Fleury as Oswald, bishop of Worcester 961-92, being prior at the same time, was professed at Fleury and introduced the monastric rule of Fleury to Worcester.
The former monastic library of Worcester contained a considerable number of manuscripts which are, among other libraries, now scattered over Cambridge, London (British Library), Oxford Bodleian, and the Cathedral library at Worcester of today.

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the building was re-established as a cathedral of secular clergy. The cathedral was subject to major restoration work by Sir George Gilbert Scott and A E Perkins in the 1860s. Both men are buried at the cathedral.
The Cathedral has the distinction of containing the tomb of King John in its chancel. Before his death in Newark in 1216, John had requested to be buried at Worcester. He is buried between the shrines of St Wulstan and St Oswald (now destroyed).
The cathedral has a memorial, Prince Arthur's Chantry, to the young prince Arthur Tudor, who is buried here. Arthur's younger brother and next in line for the throne was Henry VIII. Worcester Cathedral was doubtless spared destruction by Henry VIII during the English Reformation because of his brother's Chantry in the cathedral.
Other famous burials include Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (1867-1947), Bishop of Worcester John Gauden (1605-1662) and Richard Edes (d.1604), a Chaplain to Elizabeth I and James I.

Thirty nine of the misericords date from the 14th century, the other 3 are Victorian replacements (these however are remarkably well done - N-02 Judas in the jaws of Satan, for example). Subject matter is mixed - much is mythological, and religious, however, some examples, such as N-07 allude to folklore of the time "The Clever Daughter. A woman nude, except for a large meshed net draped around her, riding a goat and carrying a rabbit under her arm"..

Worcester Cathedral has three choirs: the Worcester Cathedral Choir (the main choir which has both a boys' and a girls' treble line, which normally work independently), Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir, and the Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir. All three choirs were involved in the BBC broadcast of the midnight and Christmas morning services in 2007, with the boys and the girls of the Cathedral Choir, respectively, taking the lead in the two services.
Worcester Cathedral has a long history of organs dating back to at least 1417. There have been many re-builds and new organs in the intervening period, including work by Thomas Dallam, William Hill and most famously Robert Hope-Jones in 1896. The Hope Jones organ was heavily re-built in 1925 by Harrison & Harrison, and then regular minor works kept it in working order until Wood Wordsworth and Co were called in 1978. It was a large 4 manual organ with 61 speaking stops. It has a large gothic case with heavily decorated front pipes as well as two smaller cases either side of the quire.
This organ (apart from the large Transept case and pedal pipes) was removed in 2006 in order to make way for a new instrument by Kenneth Tickell which was completed in the Summer of 2008. The specification and drawings can be found on Kenneth Tickell's website. The Nave has a three manual Rodgers organ totally electronic instrument.
Notable organists include Thomas Tomkins (from 1596), Hugh Blair (from 1895), Ivor Atkins (from 1897) and David Willcocks (from 1950). The present organist (from 1996) is Adrian Lucas.
An image of the cathedral's west face was featured on the reverse of the Series E £20 note issued by the Bank of England, issued between 1999 and 2007. The notes are gradually being withdrawn from circulation to be replaced by a new series.
A little known oddity is that located in the cathedral's west window is the image of a pink Giraffe. Legend has it that when the images were being crafted the shape of the animal was known but not the color. It can be seen in the bottom right of the two center panels of the stained glass.
The Windows image accompanied a portrait of the composer Edward Elgar who spent the majority of his life in Worcestershire. The first performance of his Enigma Variations took place at the cathedral during the 1899 Three Choirs Festival.

Neuschwanstein Castle

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:38:36 PST

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted, it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, but after his death in 1886 the castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction). Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein Castle. About 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared in several movies, and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park and for the Cinderella Castles at the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland.
The palace is owned by the state of Bavaria, unlike nearby Hohenschwangau Castle, which is owned by the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria. The Free State of Bavaria has spent more than €14.5 million on Neuschwanstein's maintenance, renovation and visitor services since 1990.

History

The foundation stone of the building was laid September 5, 1869. Neuschwanstein was designed by Christian Jank, a theatrical set designer, rather than an architect, which says much regarding Ludwig's intentions and explains much of the fantastical nature of the resulting building. The architectural expertise, vital to a building in such a perilous site, was provided first by the Munich court architect Eduard Riedel and later by Georg Dollmann, son-in-law of Leo von Klenze.
The palace was originally called New Hohenschwangau Castle until the king's death, when it was re-named Neuschwanstein, the castle of the Swan Knight Lohengrin, of Wagner's opera of the same name. In origin, the palace has been the Schwanstein, the seat of the knights of Schwangau, whose emblem had been the swan.
Neuschwanstein was near completion when, in 1886, the King was declared insane by a State Commission under Dr. von Gudden and arrested at the palace. The King could hardly control himself as he asked von Gudden, "How can you declare me insane? You have not yet examined me!" Taken to Schlossberg, he was found on June 13, 1886, in shallow water in Lake Starnberg, drowned, along with von Gudden, the psychiatrist who certified him. The exact circumstances of his and von Gudden's deaths remain unexplained. It is generally thought that Ludwig's deposition was brought about by the Wittlesbachs in response to his extravagance with the dynasty's private funds in projects such as Neuschwanstein.

Architecture

The palace comprises a gatehouse, a Bower, the Knight's House with a square tower, and a Palas, or citadel, with two towers to the Western end. The effect of the whole is highly theatrical, both externally and internally. The king's influence is apparent throughout, and he took a keen personal interest in the design and decoration. An example can be seen in his comments, or commands, regarding a mural depicting Lohengrin in the Palas; "His Majesty wishes that … the ship be placed further from the shore, that Lohengrin's neck be less tilted, that the chain from the ship to the swan be of gold and not of roses, and finally that the style of the castle shall be kept medieval."
The suite of rooms within the Palas contains the Throne Room, Ludwig's suite, the Singers' Hall, and the Grotto. Throughout, the design pays homage to the German legends of Lohengrin, the Swan Knight. Hohenschwangau, where Ludwig spent much of his youth, had decorations of these sagas. These themes were taken up in the operas of Richard Wagner. Many rooms bear a border depicting the various operas written by Wagner, including a theater permanently featuring the set of one such play. Many of the interior rooms remain undecorated, with only 14 rooms finished before Ludwig's death. With the palace under construction at the King's death, one of the major features of the palace remained unbuilt. A massive keep was planned for the middle of the upper courtyard but was never built, at the decision of the King's family. The foundation for the keep is visible in the upper courtyard.

The finished rooms include the throne room, which features a glass gem-encrusted chandelier; all Twelve Apostles, painted on the wall that surrounds the pedestal for the throne - the actual throne was never finished; and Jesus, behind the pedestal. The King's master suite includes a four-post bed hand carved of wood, the canopy of which is carved as the cathedral towers from every cathedral in Bavaria, a secret flushing toilet (which flushes with water collected from an aqueduct) and a running sink in the shape of a swan. The palace also includes an oratory, accessible from the dressing room and the master suite, which features an ivory crucifix, a room made to look like a cavern, a full kitchen equipped with hot and cold running water and heated cupboards, servants' quarters, a study, a dining room and the Singers' Hall. The Singers' Hall is a venue for performances by musicians and playwrights. The King built it for Wagner as a place to write and perform plays. The King died before watching a performance in the Singers' Hall, but it has been used since the King's death.
Despite its medieval look, the construction of Neuschwanstein required the modern technology of the day, and the palace is a marvel of technological structural achievements. Steam engines, electricity, modern venting, plumbing and heating pipes are all part of the structure.
It is now almost forgotten that Ludwig II was a patron of modern inventions and that he pioneered the introduction of electricity into public life in Bavaria. His new palaces were the first buildings to use electricity (i.e. the Venus Grotto at Linderhof) and other modern conveniences. Through his building activities, Ludwig kept many particular crafts alive, the knowledge and expertise of which would have died out otherwise, and he provided work and income to artisans, builders, plasterers, and decorators.

Something more about castle"

Neuschwanstein is featured on the cover of the Blur single "Country House".
Neuschwanstein is featured in the movies The Great Escape, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.
Neuschwanstein and its interiors were heavily featured in the video game The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery.
Neuschwanstein is to appear on a €2 commemorative coin for the German Bundesländer series in 2012.
In 2007, it was a finalist in the selection of the New Seven Wonders of the World. As it was not voted on the top positions it now is advertised as the 8th world wonder.
In the Game Cube remake of Resident Evil Neuschwanstein is seen several times throughout the game in various paintings in the background. It is supposed to represent the Spencer Mansion, though it bears no similarities to the in-game rendering of the mansion.

Predjama Castle

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:09:51 PDT

Predjama Castle (also known as Predjamski Grad) is a Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in southwestern Slovenia. It is approximately 11 kilometres from Postojna.
Castle was first mentioned in year 1274, then named Luegg, when Aquileian patriarchs built the castle in gothic style. The castle was built under a natural rocky arch high in the stone wall to make access to it difficult. It was later annexed and re-shaped by family Luegg, also called Predjama knights. Erasmus, who was the owner of the castle in 15th century, and a renowned robber, later joined king Matthias Corvinus, for which the current Emperor ordered Gašper Ravbar to assassinate him. After a long siege of the castle, Erasmus was finally killed in 1484 by being tricked. The castle has fallen under Oberburg and Purgstall power.
In year 1567 archduke Karel leased the castle to baron Philipp von Cobenzl, who bought off the castle after 20 years. He annexed the castle as early as 1570 and built a renaissance building, pressed next to a vertical cliff under the castle. The castle remained in such form until today. Count Michael Coronini von Cronberg inherited the castle in 1810 and it was property of family Windischgrätz from 1846 until the end of World War II. After the war it was nationalized and is now used as a museum for showing the life of medieval lords.
A secret natural shaft leads out of the castle, which Erasmus ordered enlarged, and leads into Postojnska jama. This shaft allowed Erasmus to secretly supply the castle with food in the time of the siege; he also used it to continue with his robberies.
Predjama Castle was used as the castle featured in the 1986 movie Armour of God by Golden Harvest starring Jackie Chan.
Ghost stories surrounding Predjama Castle were featured in an episode of the Season One of Ghost Hunters International reality television series.

Quinta da Regaleira

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:17:55 PDT

Quinta da Regaleira is an estate located near the historic center of Sintra, Portugal. It is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra". Along with other palaces in this area (such as the Pena, Monserrate and Seteais palaces), it is one of the principal tourist attractions of Sintra. It consists of a romantic palace and chapel, and a luxurious park featuring lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and a vast array of exquisite constructions. The palace is also known as "Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire", from the nickname of its first owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro.

History

The land that is nowadays Quinta da Regaleira had many owners through time. But in 1892 it belonged to the Barons of Regaleira, a family of rich merchants from Porto, when it was purchased that year by Carvalho Monteiro for 25,000 réis. Monteiro wished to build a bewildering place where he could gather symbols that would reflect his interests and ideologies. With the assistance of the Italian architect Luigi Manini, he designed the 4-hectare estate with its enigmatic buildings, believed to hide symbols related to alchemy, Masonry, the Knights Templar, and the Rosicrucians. The architecture of the estate evokes Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Manueline architectural styles. The construction of the current estate commenced in 1904 and most of it was concluded by 1910.
The estate was sold in 1942 to Waldemar D'Orey, who used it as private residence for his extensive family and ordered repairs and restoration works for the property. In 1987 the estate was sold once again, to the Japanese Aoki Corporation and ceased to serve as a residence. The Aoki Corporation kept the estate closed to the public for ten years, until it was acquired by the Sintra Town Hall in 1997. Extensive restoration was promptly initiated throughout the estate, which opened to the public in June 1998. Cultural events also start to be organized in Quinta da Regaleira. In August that year, the Portuguese Ministry of Culture classified the estate as "public interest property".

Palace

The Regaleira Palace (Portuguese: Palácio da Regaleira) bears the same name as the whole estate. Sometimes, the name "Regaleira Palace" is used to refer to the entire estate.
The façade is characterized by exuberantly Gothic pinnacles, gargoyles, capitals, and an impressive octagonal tower.
The palace has five floors (a ground floor, three upper floors and a basement). The ground floor contains a series of hallways connecting the living room, dining room, billiards room, balcony, some smaller rooms and several stairways. In turn, the first upper floor contains bedrooms (Carvalho Monteiro's bedroom used to be the one with a balcony) and a dressing room. The second upper floor contains Carvalho Monteiro's office, and female servants' bedrooms. The third upper floor contains the ironing room and a smaller room with access to a terrace. Finally, the basement contains the male servants' bedrooms, the kitchen (which possessed an elevator for lifting food to the ground floor), and storage rooms.

Chapel

The Regaleira Chapel stands in front of the palace's main façade. Its architecture is akin to the palace's. The interior of this Christian temple is richly decorated with frescoes, stained glass windows and lavish stuccoes. On the frescoes are represented Teresa of Ávila and Saint Anthony, as well as other religious depictions. The floor contains representations of the armillary sphere of the Portuguese discoveries and the Order of Christ Cross, surrounded by pentagrams. Despite its size, the chapel has several floors.

Park

Most of the four hectares of land in the estate consist of a densely treed park crossed by a myriad of roads and footpaths. The woods are neatly arranged in the lower parts of the estate, but left wild and disorganized in the upper parts, reflecting Carvalho Monteiro's belief in primitivism. Decorative, symbolic and leisure structures can be found everywhere throughout the park, all located within a few minutes walk from the palace.

Tunnels

The park contains an extensive and enigmatic system of tunnels, which have multiple accesses including the grottoes, the chapel, the Waterfall Lake, and the "Leda's Cave" beneath the Regaleira Tower. Their symbolism has been interpreted as a trip between darkness and light, death and resurrection.

Lakes, Fountains and the Aquarium

Water is a frequent element in the estate. Two artificial lakes and several fountains were designed in the property. One of the most interesting and extravagant features of the estate is the Aquarium, built as if it were naturally embedded in a rock. Once one of the most important naturalist presences in Regaleira, the Aquarium is nowadays in poor state of conservation.

Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:53:01 PDT

The Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca (also known by the less formal title of Castillo del Morro or as San Pedro de la Roca Castle) is a fortress on the coast of the Cuban city of Santiago de Cuba. About 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city centre, it overlooks the bay.

Initial design

It was designed in 1637 by Giovan Battista Antonelli (also known as Juan Battista Antonelli), a member of a Milanese family of military engineers, on behalf of the governor of the city, Pedro de la Roca y Borja, as a defense against raiding pirates, although an earlier, smaller, fortification had been built between 1590 and 1610. Antonelli design was adapted to the situation of the fortress on the steep sides of the promontory (the morro from which the fortress gets its name) reaching into the bay. It was constructed on a series of terraces; there were four main levels and three large bulwarks to house the artillery. Supplies would be delivered by sea and then stored in the large warehouse, which was cut directly into the rock, or transported up to the top level which housed the citadel. Construction of the citadel took 42 years, starting in 1638 and finally being completed in 1700, though work on the fortification was spasmodic. Antonelli was recalled to Cuba in 1645, shortly after the massive project was started, and other examples of his work can be seen there in the twin forts of Fuerte del Cojimar and Fuerte de Santa Doratea de Luna de Chorrera. Some of the structures from the earlier fortification were later incorporated into the main structure.

Further construction

The fear of pirate attacks was well-founded. While the fortress was still being constructed in 1662, English freebooters took control of Santiago for two weeks and during their stay destroyed part of the fortification and captured the artillery. After they departed, the Spanish government ordered the reconstruction of the damaged part of the fortress and raised the garrison to 300 men. Between 1663 and 1669 the engineers Juan Císcara Ibáñez, Juan Císcara Ramirez and Francisco Perez worked on repairing the damage and improving the fortifications, strengthening the flanks and constructing a new artillery platform. In 1678 it frustrated the attack of a French squadron and in 1680 fought off another attack by 800 men led by Franquesma, the second-in-command of the Antilles filibusters.
Between 1675 and 1692 the fortress was damaged by a series of earthquakes and reconstruction had to be carried out under the direction of Francisco Pérez between 1693 and 1695. From 1738-1740 further work was undertaken by the engineer Antonio de Arredondo, who enlarged the citadel and completed some of the unfinished platforms, with Juan Martín Cermeño and Francisco Calderín making the final changes to the structure after it was again damaged by earthquakes between 1757 and 1766.
By 1775, the fear of attack had diminished, and the parts of fortress known as the Rock (la Roca) and the Star (la Estrella) were converted into a prison for political prisoners, although the rest of the fortress continued to serve as a military base. It was again used as a fortress in 1898 when the United States' fleet attacked Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

World Heritage Site

During the 20th century the Rock fell into decay, but it was restored during the 1960s by Francisco Prat Puig. The fortress was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, cited as the best preserved and most complete example of Spanish-American military architecture.

Belvedere (palace)

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:37 PST

The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 3rd district of Vienna, south-east of the city centre.
After buying the plot of land in 1697, Prince Eugene had a large park created. The Schloss Belvedere began as a suburban entertainment villa: in 1714 work began to erect what is now called the Lower Belvedere, not as a palace but as a garden villa, with an orangerie and paintings gallery, with suitable living quarters. The architect was Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, one of the most important architects of the Austrian Baroque, who produced in the complex of buildings his masterwork. He was assisted by the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Stanetti, who had been brought to Vienna by Prince Eugene, with his atelier of assistants; now he also provided properly Italianate sculptural details, such as the figures along the balustrade and garden sculptures. The Lower Belvedere was finished in 1716. The ceiling of its central Marmorsaal ("Marble Hall"), painted by Martino Altomonte, celebrates Prince Eugene as a new Apollo, leader of the Muses. The room also contains an Apotheosis of Prince Eugene sculpted by Balthasar Permoser.

To the west lies a State Bedroom (Paradeschlafzimmer) suitable for levées, a room with delicate grottesche in the manner of Jean Bérain, painted by Jonas Drentwett, the marble-gallery stucco-decorations and figures by Domenico Parodi. The inner marble-room with ceiling-paintings by Giacomo del Po from 1720. The Donnersaal has ceiling frescos by Altomonte and feigned architecture by Gaetano Fanti (1716). To the east is a State Dining Room.

The garden was laid out, enclosed by clipped hedging, even as the Belvedere was building, in the formal French manner with gravelled walks and jeux d'eau by Dominique Girard, who had trained in the gardens of Versailles as a pupil of André Le Nôtre. Its great water basin in the upper parterre and the stairs and cascades peopled by nymphs and goddesses that links upper and lower parterres survive, but the patterned bedding has long been grassed over; it is currently being restored.
In 1720-1723, the Upper Belvedere was built, originally intended simply to provide a suitable end to the main garden axis. The architect was again Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Once again there is a central Marmorsaal—the site of the signing of the Austrian State Treaty, that formed modern Austria, May 15, 1955—but the Schloss was soon enlarged to provide the main summer residence of Prince Eugene. Its painted ceilings are by Carlo Carlone, with an altarpiece in the chapel by Francesco Solimena.
The complex was sold in 1752 to Maria Theresa by the prince's heiress. Maria Theresa first named the Schloss "Belvedere". Under the Habsburgs it was further extended. Since 1775, the Belvedere has housed the imperial picture gallery on behalf of Joseph II, and in 1806 the collection of Ambras Palace was moved to the Lower Belvedere as well. Both were transferred to the Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum) in 1890. The last to reside here was Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Since World War I, the Austrian Gallery museum resides in the Belvedere.
The building suffered heavy damage during World War II. The Gold Cabinet burnt out and had to be reconstructed.
The building is currently being given a facelift, with the beautiful restored garden already finished. The work is scheduled to be complete by 2008.

The Belvedere palace is so popular and famous, that it was the main motive one is the most famous gold euro coins: The sculpture coin issued in November 13, 2002. The obverse has a portrait of Georg Rafael Donner, with the palace in the background. This palace currently contains much of Donner’s work.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:37 PST

Umaid Bhawan Palace, located at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the world's largest private residences. A part of the palace is managed by Taj Hotels. Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present Maharaja of Jodhpur, this monument has 347 rooms and serves as the principal residence of the Jodhpur royal family.

Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to its location on Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. Ground for the foundations of the building was broken on 18 November 1929 by Maharaja Umaid Singh and was construction work was completed on 1943.

Construction

Built on the Chittar Hill in southeastern area of the Jodhpur, construction employed more than 5000 men for fifteen years. The building does not use mortar or cement to bind stones together; all of its pieces are carved stones joined together by a system of carved interlocking of positive and negative pieces. A specially constructed train line was used to transport these large blocks of stone. Umaid bhavan is designed in such a manner that it always maintains the temperature at approximately 23 degrees Celsius.

The palace grounds cover 26 acres (10.5 ha), out of which the constructed area covers 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) while 15 acres (6.1 ha) are devoted to the lawns.

Designed by renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester, the palace is a blend of eastern and western architectural influences. The building's prominent central dome, a majestic 105-foot (32 m) high cupola, is influenced by the Renaissance, while the towers draw inspiration from Rajput tradition. The project was to cost the Maharaja Rs 94,51,565. The resident engineer for this project was Hiranand U. Bhatia. The interiors for the palace were designed by Maples of London, however, in 1942 the ship transporting them was sunk by the Germans. As a result, the Maharaja employed the services of a Polish interior designer. The lavish interiors with gilt furniture and elegant artwork follow the Art Deco style, complemented by the exotic murals of the self-exiled Polish artist Stefan Norblin. The new Chittar Palace was a fitting tribute to its ancestor, the imposing and majestic Meherangarh Fort, which was built by Rao Jodha and never invested by force of arms.

History of the Palace

Meherangarh was the soul of the Rathore clan that would never change. But tireless builders that they were, Rao Jodha's original masterpiece had been altered repeatedly. And some of the alterations were in the powerful Moghul style that dominated much of the country's landscape. Its scalloped arches, domes, floral carvings, botanical paintings, water courses etc. Umaid Singh's Chittar Palace, on the other hand, brought back the Rajput tradition.

The majesty of the palace was only to be expected. It was, after all, built by a blood line that likely went back all the way to the Rashtrakutas, the Kshatriya kings responsible for creating one of the oldest Hindu architectural traditions in India with the incredible Kailasanatha temple, the most intricate and awesome Hindu temple strewn from living rock.

Umaid Singh grew up on the cusp of a world in transition. The East India Company (aka the John Company) had been humbled by the great uprising in the Indian sepoy troops. The rebellion ushered in the British Imperialist era, and since the Rajputs remained loyal to the John Company, the British aristocracy grudgingly welcomed the princely states into their club. Umaid Singh, already integrated into the traditions of the past, was educated in one of the Princes' Colleges in the tradition of Eton, Rugby, Winchester and the other great British public schools of the time. He, like most of his clan at the time, was educated to be sophisticated, worldly and competitive. At the tender age of sixteen, he was pushed unexpectedly into the role of a Maharaja. Five years later, he gained full monarchical powers. The British and his regent, Sir Pratap Singh, used those intervening years to open the monarch's eyes to the possibilities that order and bureaucracy held for Marwar.

The lead project that would usher Jodhpur into the twentieth century was to be the new palace. It had to be large enough, grand enough, breathtaking enough to deserve taking the place of Meherangarh Fort as the symbol of Jodhpur. In 1924, the Maharaja met with Henry Vaughn Lanchester. He had spent decades travelling the world as architect and town planner, and was no stranger to the traditions of Hindu architecture. While discussing his vision for the palace, Lanchester outlined his strong stand against the Moghul aesthetic, arguing that the States of Rajasthan came under Moslem domination only to a limited extent, and their traditions very rarely made use of Mughal features. Umaid Singh knew he had found his man.

Determined to incorporate the traditions and unique world view of the land in his concept, Lanchester went eons back to the Hindu mountain temples for his inspiration behind Umaid Bhawan Palace. Umaid Singh knew immediately it would be a fitting tribute to his ancestors. But it is by no means a new antique. Umaid Singh was free of the archaic nineteenth-century lifestyle and in love with progress. While his palace may have been inspired by tradition, it was, at the insistence of the forward-thinking monarch, built on the cutting edge of progress.

The eclectic blend of art deco and millennia-old Hindu architectural traditions is still a powerful symbol of the Rathore clan's identity. While Meherangarh was, in the words of Kipling, “the work of Angels, Fairies and Giants”, Umaid Bhawan is, in the words of an anonymous poet, “a majestic, handsome warrior, his arms spread wide for a loving embrace.”

Present status

The present owner of the Palace is Gaj Singh. He has divided the Palace into three functional parts - a luxury Taj Palace Hotel (in existence since 1972), the residence of the royal family, and an area open to public where a small museum displays pictures, arms, swords, and other artifacts of Jodhpur's royal heritage. The opening hours of this museum are 10 am to 4 pm, and it is closed on Sundays.

SeaShell Temple - Taiwan

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:37 PST

In the hills in the northern part of Taiwan there is a small temple covered almost entirely with seashells. These are the few images from a visit to the temple.

Etna Volcano

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Mount Etna (East coast of Sicily) is the largest active volcano in Europe, currently standing about 3,326 m (10,910 ft) high, though it should be noted that this varies with summit eruptions. The mountain is 21.6 m (71 ft) lower now than it was in 1865.

Etna Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption. Although it can occasionally be very destructive, it is not generally regarded as being particularly dangerous, and thousands of people live on its slopes and in the surrounding areas.

The World's Wackiest Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

From the largest annual tomato fight in Spain, to Scotland's "Up Helly-Aa" fire festival, a look at those special days when people around the world go slightly nuts

No.1

Shetland Islands, Scotland: "Up Helly-Aa" Fire Festival. A tribute to the islands' Viking Past, Up Helly-Aa ("End of the Holy Days") culminates with the burning of a 32-ft. Replica of a Viking longship.

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No.2

Bobr, Belarus: Ivana Kupala Night. On the night of this pagan festival, celebrated on July 7, the Gregorian summer solstice, young women don wreathes and celebrants jump through fire and swim naked. The rites are connected to ancient beliefs about fertility and autopurification.

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No.3

New Delhi, India: Holi, the Festival of Colors. Indian girls throw gulal (colored powder) on each other during a Hindi holiday which marks the onset of spring.

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No.4

Bunyol, Spain: Tomatina. In late August, thousands of people pelt each other with over 250 lbs. Of tomatoes in a span of 60 minutes in an event modestly described as the world's largest tomato fight.

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No.5

Nobsa, Colombia: International Poncho Day. Designed to promote the work of local artisans who weave traditional wool ponchos, the parade and festival are a relatively new celebration.

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No.6

Novgorod, Russia: Maslenitsa. In Orthodox countries, the week before Lent is marked with a series of celebrations, including a free-for-all boxing match in which there are no rules. In centuries past, the fight ended only when the participates were covered with blood and bereft of clothes.

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No.7

Inazawa, Japan: Hadaka Matsuri, The Naked Festival. Hidden somewhere in the midst of all these men in loincloths is one fully naked man. Touching him is believed to bring good luck and happiness.CAN YOU FIND YOURSELF?

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No.8

Lopburi province, Thailand: The Monkey Buffet. Every year, all of the province's approximately 600 monkeys are invited to eat fruits and vegetables during an annual feast held in honor of Rama, a hero of the Ramayana, who, it is said, rewarded his friend and ally, Hanuman the Monkey King, with the fiefdom of what is now Lopburi.

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No.9

Lopburi province, Thailand: The Monkey Buffet. Organizers of the annual monkey buffet use more than 3,000 kg of fruits and vegetables for the festival.

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No.10

Brockworth, England: Cheese Rolling Festival. In a dangerous tradition dating back to Roman times, competitors from all over the world run up a hill and then chase a 7 kg round cheese back down. The first who gets to it, keeps it.

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No.11

Sabucedo, Spain: Rapa Das Bestas. Since the Bronze Age, Galicians have been taming wild horses. On the first weekend of the month of July, hundreds of wild horses are rounded up by expert stockbreeders, known as agarradores, then trimmed and groomed.

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No.12

Reading, England: Festival of Falconry. Bird-of-prey handlers from Turkmenistan hold falcons at the first Festival of Falconry. Bird keepers from all over the world attended the event to highlight the popularity and importance of the sport worldwide.

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No.13

Bedford Square Gardens, England: The Chap & Hendrick's Olympics. A series of tongue-in-cheek competitions for traditional gentlemen who are against the vulgarity of modern culture, this festival includes events such as mixing dry martinis, the three-trousered limbo and a pipe relay.

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No.14

Dublin, Georgia: The Summer Redneck Games. L-bow, the official mascot of the Summer Redneck Games, poses next to the mud pit with the festival's ceremonial torch. Started in 1996 as a spoof of the summer Olympics held in Atlanta, the Games feature bobbing for pigs feet, hub cap hurling and the Redneck mud pit belly-flop contest.

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No.15

New Delhi, India: Holi, The Festival of Colors. The word Holi comes from Holika, a scarf in Hindu mythology that prevented one of Lord Vishnu's followers from being burned on a pyre.

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No.16

Ivrea, Italy: The Battle of Oranges. The origins of this festival are not well understood, particularly because oranges do not grow in the Alps of Italy, where the town is located. One legend has it that the Battle commemorates a popular rebellion of the 13th century, when the local poor deemed the largess of their feudal lord as inadequate, and threw it back in his face.

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No.17

Boston, USA: Zombie March. For the third straight year, Bostonians dressed as zombies marched from Boston to Cambridge's Harvard Square in what organizers call a non-political, no-agenda good time.

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No.18

Bunyol, Spain: Tomatina. Every year, over 30,000 tourists come to Bunyol for this festival. Rules of conduct keep the festivities from becoming a more dangerous brawl.

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No.19

Eastern Island, Chile: Tapati Festival. A week-long festival begun in the 1970s in an effort to drum up more tourism, Tapati includes a triathlon in which native participates run around the lake of the Rano Raraku vulcano carrying a large bunch of bananas.

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And finaly whats your wackiest holiday?

Mosque in Brunei

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

Built: 1958 Cost: USD $5,000,000

Type: Holy place

Observation deck: Yes

Location: Kampong Ayer, Bandar Seri Begawan (formerly Brunei Town)

Amazing in appearance, but too beautiful to be true, The Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is Brunei's proudest architectural achievement.

It sits on an artificial lagoon near the Brunei River in Kampong Ayer, which is appropriately enough, known as a "water village."

A structure in the water that resembles a ship was at one time used for official state ceremonies.

The mosque is the largest in the Far East, and considered among the most beautiful in the world. It reaches a height of 52 meters and is topped with a gold dome supported by walls of Italian marble, which also forms the mosque's columns, arches, and towers.

The stained glass was hand made in England and the carpets are Saudi Arabian

Corn Palace

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Corn Palace Mitchell SD

Although the "Corn Belt Exposition" began in 1892, the current Corn Palace dates from 1921. Each year, beginning in Spring and completed by the end of September, the exterior of the Corn Palace is stripped and new murals and decorations are applied, using locally grown corn, grain and grasses.

Mitchell is considered the center of corn country (the high school sports team are the Kernels, the local radio station is KORN... - you get the idea?)

The building is a large auditorium used for city events, including Corn Palace Week at the end of harvest.

The Corn Palace is also referred to as the World's Largest Bird Feeder. Local pigeons feast on the decorations through the winter.

Designs are created by local artists and depict aspects of life in South Dakota.

World's LONGEST officially Place name

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (long form Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch), also spelt Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll and commonly known as Llanfair PG or Llanfairpwll, is a village and community on the island of Angelesy in Wales , situated on the Menai Strait next to Menai Bridge and across the strait from Bangor.

According to the 2001 census, the population of the community is 3,040, 76% of whom speak Welsh fluently; the highest percentage of speakers is in the 10–14 age group, where 97.1% are able to speak Welsh.

It is the fifth largest settlement on the island by population.

The long form of the name is the longest officially recognised place name in the United Kingdom and one of the longest in the world, being 58 letters in length (51 letters in the Welsh alphabet, where "ch" and "11" count as single letters).

The name is Welsh for "St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio of the red cave".

Wieliczka Salt Mine - Poland

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Salt Mine in Wieliczka is situated some ten kilometers from the center of Krakow. One may get there easily by car or taxi. Also, you can take a commuter train from the city's central Krakow Glowny rail station or one of numerous minibuses that cruise Krakow's streets.

Temperature in the Wieliczka Salt Mine stays uniform 15 degrees Celsius, i.e. 59 Fahrenheit, round the year.

Grand Canyon - Glass Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

Glass Bridge will be suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon .

On May 2005, the final test was conducted and the structure passed engineering requirements by 400 percent, enabling it to withstand the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes (more that 71 million pounds).

The bridge will be able to sustain winds in excess of 100 miles per hour from 8 different directions, as well as an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles.

More than one million pounds of steel will go into the construction of the Grand Canyon SkyWalk.

Here are some pictures:

Would you walk on this ?

Monterey Bay Aquarium

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:38 PST

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is located on the site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row in Monterey, California, is one of the largest aquariums in the world. It has an annual attendance of 1.8 million and holds 35,000 plants and animals representing 623 species.

Among the aquarium's numerous exhibits, two are of particular note. The centerpiece of the Ocean's Edge wing is a 33-foot (10-m) high tank for viewing California coastal marine life. In this tank, the aquarium was the first in the world to grow live California Giant Kelp using a wave machine at the top of the tank (water movement is a necessary precondition for keeping Giant Kelp, which absorbs nutrients from surrounding water and requires turbidity), allowing sunlight in through the open tank top, and pumping in raw seawater. The second exhibit of note is a one million gallon tank in the Outer Bay Wing which features one of the world's largest single-paned windows (crafted by a Japanese company, the window is actually four panes seamlessly glued together through a proprietary process).

History

Sealife on exhibit includes stingrays, jellyfish, sea otters, and numerous other native marine species, which can be viewed above and below the waterline. For displaying jellyfish, the MBA uses an aquarium called a Kreisel tank which creates a circular flow to support and suspend the jellies. Visitors are able to inspect the creatures of the kelp forest at several levels in the building.

The aquarium's original building was designed by the architectural firm Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis and opened on 20 October 1984. The aquarium's mission is "to inspire conservation of the oceans." The aquarium's initial financial backing was provided by David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard. Packard, an avid blacksmith, personally designed and created several exhibit elements for the aquarium at his forge in Big Sur, including the wave machines in the Kelp Forest and aviary. His daughter, the marine biologist Julie Packard, is currently Executive Director of the aquarium.

In January 1996, the aquarium opened the new Outer Bay wing to provide exhibits covering the open-water ecology of Monterey's Outer Bay. Besides the above-mentioned million-gallon tank, another of the new exhibits included a school of 3000 anchovies (a fish that was once the foundation of Monterey's economy), swimming against the endless current of a toroidal tank.

Beginning in September 2004, the Outer Bay exhibit was the home to the first Great White Shark ever successfully kept on exhibit. The shark was at the aquarium for 198 days (the previous record was 16 days). The shark was released on 31 March 2005 after she bit two soupfin sharks in the exhibit, both of which later died. The aquarium staff believe the shark may have been acting to defend territory as she didn't actually eat either of the sharks. On the evening of August 31, 2006 the aquarium introduced a second shark to the Outer bay exhibit. The juvenile male was caught outside Santa Monica Bay on August 17 and was released on January 16, 2007. The shark had grown from an initial length of 5-foot-8 and 103 pounds when it arrived on August 31, 2006 to 6-foot-5 and 171 pounds on release. Data from this second white shark was transmitted back to aquarium staff from a pop-off satellite tag after 90 days. For the third time since 2004, the aquarium had a young white shark in the Outer Bay exhibit in 2007/2008. He arrived on August 28, 2007 and was released on February 5, 2008.

Like the first shark in 2004, he was caught accidentally in commercial fishing gear. Like the second shark in 2006, he is a young male: just 4-feet, 9-inches long and weighing 67 ½ pounds. As with both of the previous young white sharks, he was kept in an ocean holding pen off Malibu in Southern California until he could be observed feeding and navigating well in the confines of the pen.

In March of 2008, the aquarium plans to open a penguin exhibit to complement the already popular sea otter exhibit. The aquarium had hosted 19 penguins from the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans along with two sea otters after that aquarium was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Marine research

The Monterey Bay Aquarium maintains a close relationship with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). MBARI is located in Moss Landing, California, at the head of the submarine Monterey Canyon. It is renowned worldwide for its research on deep-sea marine life and other programs in marine biology.

Monterey Bay is located within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) a Federally-protected marine area (the equivalent of a saltwater national park) off California's central coast.

Many of the visitors to the aquarium are families who bring their children, particularly on the weekends. Many high school and college biology and oceanography classes in northern California also commonly visit the aquarium.

The aquarium is also home to Seafood Watch, which publishes consumer guides for responsible seafood purchasing.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world to keep a great white shark captive for more than 16 days. The aquarium has successfully hosted juvenile white sharks on several occasions, and the staff has developed a method for careful capture, housing and transportation, and release. The white sharks are always tagged and released back into the ocean, either when they begin actively hunting the other animals in the exhibit, or when it becomes necessary to remove them to ensure a successful release.

The unique design of the Outer Bay exhibit plays the central role in keeping the juvenile white sharks healthy for extended periods of time.

Cultural references

The Aquarium appeared in the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where it appeared as the 'Sausalito Cetacean Institute' in Sausalito. The main aquarium was overlaid with special effects to appear to be the tank home of two humpback whales. The film stirred up controversy when people who had come to see the whales were infuriated to learn there was no such exhibit.

Jim Carrey's character, Stephano, in the film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, makes a reference to the aquarium when trying to convince Uncle Monty, a herpetologist, of his experience with snakes.

The aquarium sits next to invertebrate marine biologist Ed Ricketts' home and lab, which still stand. Ricketts is famous as the "Doc" of John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. The aquarium itself contains a display of Ricketts items, including some of his personal library. The shop also sells a section of Monterey and Steinbeck books.

In an episode of the Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam went to the aquarium for some research on the myth that wallets made out of electric eels can wipe out credit cards.

Yungbulakang Palace

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:39 PST

Yungbulakang Palace is the first palace for the first Tibetan king Niechi in the Yarlung River Valley, near Lhasa in Tibet. Yungbulakang stands on a hill on the eastern bank of the Yalung River in southeast Naidong County, 9 km south of Tsetang.

It is also named "The Mosher and Song Holy Hall" as during King Niechi's rule, the Yalong tribe gradually expanded in power and conquered other important tribes in the area, eventually under the rule of Songzang Ganbu who united the lands into the Tubo kingdom in the 7th century.

Interior

The castle is divided into front and back parts. The front is a 3 storey building while the back has a tall tower like a castle. Enshrined at the palace are the statues of Thiesung Sangjie Buddha, King Niechi, the first King of Tibet, Songsten Gampo and other Tubo kings.

Baba Vida

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:41 PST

Baba Vida is a medieval fortress in Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria and the town's primary landmark. It consists of two fundamental walls and four towers and is said to be the only entirely preserved medieval castle in the country.
The construction of the fortress began in the 10th century at the place of an Ancient Roman watchtower. The building of Baba Vida is tied to a legend, according to which a Danubian Bulgarian king who ruled at Vidin had three daughters: Vida, Kula and Gamza. Prior to his death, he divided his realm among the three. Vida, the eldest, was given Vidin and the lands north to the Carpathians, Kula was awarded Zaječar and the Timok Valley, and Gamza was to rule the lands west up to the Morava. Although Gamza and Kula married to drunkard and warlike nobles, Vida remained unmarried and built the fortress in her city. The name of the castle means "Granny Vida".

Baba Vida served as Vidin's main defensive installation during the course of the Middle Ages and acted as the most important fortress of northwestern Bulgaria. The Baba Vida stronghold stood an eight-month-long siege by Byzantine forces led by Basil II, but was destroyed and once again erected during the rule of Ivan Stratsimir, as whose capital it served. Between 1365 and 1369, the fortress was in Hungarian hands. Vidin was suddenly attacked by the forces of Louis I of Hungary, but it took several months to conquer Baba Vida. In 1369, Ivan Sratsimir managed to regain control of his capital, albeit he had to remain under Hungarian overlordship.

In 1388, the Ottomans invaded Sratsimir's lands and forced him to become their vassal. In 1396, he joined an anti-Ottoman crusade led by the King of Hungary, Sigismund, placing his resources at the crusaders' disposal. The crusade ended in the disastrous Battle of Nicopolis at Nikopol, Bulgaria, with the Ottomans capturing most of Sratsimir's domains shortly thereafter, in 1397.
The fortress played a significant role during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria, serving as a weapon warehouse and a prison, as it has been no longer used for defensive purposes since the end of the 18th century.
Today, Baba Vida is a fortress-museum, where finds and intelligence about its history are kept. Being a popular tourist attraction, the fortress was restored to its former appearance.

Potala Palace

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:45 PST

The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It was named after Mount Potala, the abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara. The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India after an invasion and failed uprising in 1959. Today the Potala Palace has been converted into a museum by the Chinese.

The building measures 400 metres east-west and 350 metres north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 m. thick, and 5 m. (more than 16 ft) thick at the base, and with copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes. Thirteen stories of buildings -- containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues -- soar 117 metres (384 ft) on top of Marpo Ri, the "Red Hill", rising more than 300 m (about 1,000 ft) in total above the valley floor. Tradition has it that the three main hills of Lhasa represent the "Three Protectors of Tibet." Chokpori, just to the south of the Potala, is the soul-mountain (bla-ri) of Vajrapani, Pongwari that of Manjushri, and Marpori, the hill on which the Potala stands, represents Chenresig or Avalokiteshvara.

History

The site was used as a meditation retreat by King Songtsen Gampo, who in 637 built the first palace there in order to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty of China.

Lozang Gyatso, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started the construction of the Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel (d. 1646), pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa. The Dalai Lama and his government moved into the Potrang Karpo ('White Palace') in 1649. Construction lasted until 1694, some twelve years after his death. The Potala was used as a winter palace by the Dalai Lama from that time. The Potrang Marpo ('Red Palace') was added between 1690 and 1694.

"The new palace got its name from a hill on Cape Comorin at the southern tip of India—a rocky point sacred to the God of Mercy, whom the Indians call Avalokitesvara and the Tibetans worship as Chenrezi. The Tibetans themselves rarely speak of the sacred place as the "Potala," but rather as "Peak Potala" (Tse Potala), or usually as "the Peak."

The palace was slightly damaged during the Tibetan uprising against the Chinese in 1959, when Chinese shells were launched into the palace's windows. It also escaped damage during the Cultural Revolution in 1966 through the personal intervention of Zhou Enlai, who was then the Premier of the People's Republic of China but who personally opposed the revolution. Still, almost all of the over 100,000 volumes of scriptures, historical documents and other works of art were either removed, damaged or destroyed.

The Potala Palace was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 2000 and 2001, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka were added to the list as extensions to the sites. Rapid modernisation has been a concern for UNESCO, however, which expressed concern over the building of modern structures immediately around the palace which threaten the palace's unique atmosphere. The Chinese government responded by enacting a rule barring the building of any structure taller than 21 metres in the area. UNESCO was also concerned over the materials used during the restoration of the palace, which commenced in 2002 at a cost of RMB180 million (US$22.5 million), although the palace's director, Qiangba Gesang, has clarified that only traditional materials and craftsmanship were used. The palace has also received restoration works between 1989 to 1994, costing RMB55 million (US$6.875 million).

Daily visitorship to the palace was restricted to 1,600 a day, with opening hours reduced to six hours daily to avoid over-crowding from 1 May 2003. The palace was receiving an average of 1,500 a day prior to the introduction of the quota, sometimes peaking to over 5,000 in one day. Visits to the structure's roof was banned after restoration works were completed in 2006 to avoid further structural damage. Visitorship quotas were raised to 2,300 daily to accommodate a 30% increase in visitorship since the opening of the Qingzang railway into Lhasa on 1 July 2006, but the quota is often reached by mid-morning. Opening hours were extended during the peak period in the months of July to September, where over 6,000 visitors would descend on the site.

Architecture

Built at an altitude of 3,700 m (12,100 ft), on the side of Marpo Ri ('Red Mountain') in the center of Lhasa Valley, the Potala Palace, with its vast inward-sloping walls broken only in the upper parts by straight rows of many windows, and its flat roofs at various levels, is not unlike a fortress in appearance. At the south base of the rock is a large space enclosed by walls and gates, with great porticos on the inner side. A series of tolerably easy staircases, broken by intervals of gentle ascent, leads to the summit of the rock. The whole width of this is occupied by the palace.

The central part of this group of buildings rises in a vast quadrangular mass above its satellites to a great height, terminating in gilt canopies similar to those on the Jokhang. This central member of Potala is called the "red palace" from its crimson colour, which distinguishes it from the rest. It contains the principal halls and chapels and shrines of past Dalai Lamas. There is in these much rich decorative painting, with jewelled work, carving and other ornament.

The Chinese Putuo Zongcheng Temple, built between 1767 and 1771, was modeled after the Potala Palace. It was named by the American television show Good Morning America and newspaper USA Today as one of the "New Seven Wonders".

The Potrang Karpo or 'White Palace'

The White Palace is the part of the Potala Palace that makes up the living quarters of the Dalai Lama. The first White Palace was built during the lifetime of the Fifth Dalai Lama and he and his government moved into it in 1649. It then was extended to its size today by the thirteenth Dalai Lama in the early twentieth century. The palace was for secular uses and contained the living quarters, offices, the seminary and the printing house. A central, yellow-painted courtyard known as a Deyangshar separates the living quarters of the Lama and his monks with the Red Palace, the other side of the sacred Potala, which is completely devoted to religious study and prayer. It contains the sacred gold stupas—the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas—the monks' assembly hall, numerous chapels and shrines, and libraries for the important Buddhist

scriptures, the Kangyur in 108 volumes and the Tengyur with 225. The yellow building at the side of the White Palace in the courtyard between the main palaces houses giant banners embroidered with holy symbols which hung across the south face of the Potala during New Year festivals.

The Potrang Marpo or 'Red Palace'

The Red Palace is part of the Potala palace that is completely devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer. It consists of a complicated layout of many different halls, chapels and libraries on many different levels with a complex array of smaller galleries and winding passages:

The Great West Hall

The main central hall of the Red Palace is the Great West Hall which consists of four great chapels that proclaim the glory and power of the builder of the Potala, the Fifth Dalai Lama. The hall is noted for its fine murals reminiscent of Persian miniatures, depicting events in the fifth Dalai Lama's life. The famous scene of his visit to Emperor Shun Zhi in Beijing is located on the east wall outside the entrance. Special cloth from Bhutan wraps the Hall's numerous columns and pillars.

The Saint's Chapel

On the north side of this hall in the Red Palace is the holiest shrine of the Potala. A large blue and gold inscription over the door was written by the 19th century Tongzhi Emperor of China. proclaiming Buddhism a Blessed Field of Wonderful Fruit. This chapel like the Dharma cave below it dates from the seventh century. It contains a small ancient jewel encrusted statue of Avalokiteshvara and two of his attendants. On the floor below, a low, dark passage leads into the Dharma Cave where Songsten Gampo is believed to have studied Buddhism. In the holy cave are images of Songsten Gampo, his wives, his chief minister and Sambhota, the scholar who developed Tibetan writing in the company of his many divinities.

The North Chapel

The North Chapel centres on a crowned Sakyamuni Buddha on the left and the Fifth Dalai Lama on the right seated on magnificent gold thrones. Their equal height and shared aura implies equal status. On the far left of the chapel is the gold stupa tomb of the Eleventh Dalai Lama who died as a child, with rows of benign Medicine Buddhas who were the heavenly healers. On the right of the chapel are Avalokiteshvara and his historical incarnations including Songsten Gampo and the first four Dalai Lamas. Scriptures covered in silk between wooden covers form a specialized library in a room branching off it.

The South Chapel

The South Chapel centres on Padmasambhava, the 8th century Indian magician and saint. His consort Yeshe Tsogyal, a gift from the King is by his left knee and his other wife from his native land of Swat is by his right. On his left, eight of his holy manifestations meditate with an inturned gaze. On his right, eight wrathful manifestations wield instruments of magic powers to subdue the demons of the Bön faith.

The East Chapel

The East chapel is dedicated to Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelug tradition. His central figure is surrounded by lamas from Sakya Monastery who had briefly ruled Tibet and formed their own tradition until converted by Tsong Khapa. Other statues are displayed made of various different materials and display noble expressions.

The West Chapel

This is the chapel that contains the five golden stupas. The enormous central stupa, 14.85 metres (49 ft) high, contains the mummified body of the Fifth Dalai Lama. This stupa is built of sandalwood and is remarkably coated in 3,727 kg (8,200 lb) of solid gold and studded with 18,680 pearls and semi-precious jewels. On the left is the funeral stupa for the Twelfth Dalai Lama and on the right that of the Tenth Dalai Lama. The nearby stupa for the 13th Dalai Lama is 22 metres (72 ft) high. The stupas on both ends contain important scriptures.

The First Gallery

The first gallery is on the floor above the West chapel and has a number of large windows that give light and ventilation to the Great West Hall and its chapels below. Between the windows, superb murals show the Potala's construction is fine detail.

The Second Gallery

The Second Gallery gives access to the central pavilion which is used for visitors to the palace for refreshments and to buy souvenirs.

The Third Gallery

The Third Gallery besides fine murals has a number of dark rooms branching off it containing enormous collections of bronze statues and miniature figures made of copper and gold worth a fortune. The chanting hall of the Seventh Dalai Lama is on the south side and on the east an entrance connects the section to the Saints chapel and the Deyangshar between the two palaces.

The Tomb of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama

The tomb of the 13th Dalai Lama is located west of the Great West Hall and it can only be reached from an upper floor and with the company of a monk or a guide of the Potala. Built in 1933, the giant stupa contains priceless jewels and one ton of solid gold. It is 14 metres (46 feet) high. Devotional offerings include elephant tusks from India, porcelain lions and vases and a pagoda made from over 200,000 pearls. Elaborate murals in traditional Tibetan styles depict many events of the life of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama during the early 20th century.

La Cabaña

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:40:30 PDT

Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, commonly known simply as La Cabaña, is an 18th century fortress complex located on the elevated eastern side of the harbor entrance in Havana, Cuba.

Construction of La Cabaña was begun in 1763 by King Carlos III of Spain, the controlling colonial power of Cuba, following the temporary capture of Havana by British forces (an exchange was soon made to give Cuba back to the Spanish in exchange for Florida). Replacing earlier fortifications next to the 16th century El Morro fortress, La Cabaña was the largest colonial military installation in the New World by the time it was completed in 1774, at great expenses to Spain.

The fortress served as both a military base and prison over the next two hundred years for both Spain and an independent Cuba. La Cabaña was used as a military prison during the Batista regime. In January 1959, rebels led by Che Guevara captured La Cabaña and used it as a headquarters for several months while leading the Cuban revolution. During his five-month tenure in that post (January 2 through June 12, 1959), Guevara oversaw the revolutionary tribunals and executions of suspected war criminals, traitors, chivatos, and former members of Batista's secret police. The complex is now part of a historical park, along with El Morro, and houses several museums open to the public.

True love has no limits!!

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:45 PST

True love has no limits!! You don't feel afraid from anything if you are in the arms of the one you love...

Funny Pranks Compilation

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:41:51 PDT

Cairo Citadel

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:46 PST

The Saladin Citadel of Cairo (Arabic: قلعة صلاح الدين) is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Cairo, Egypt.

The location, part of the Muqattam hill near the center of Cairo, was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city, and was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and 1183 AD, to protect it from the Crusaders.

It is sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel (Arabic: قلعة محمد علي), because it contains the Mosque of Mohamed Ali (or Muhammad Ali Pasha), which was built between 1828 and 1848, perched on the summit of the citadel. This Ottoman mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816.

The citadel stopped being the seat of government when Egypt's ruler, Khedive Ismail, moved to his newly built Abdin Palace in the Ismailiya neighborhood in the 1860s.

There are two other mosques at the Citadel, the 13th/14th c. hypostyle Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad^[3] from the early Bahri Mamluk period, and the 16th c. Mosque of Suleyman Pasha, first of the Citadel's Ottoman-style mosques.

The citadel also contains Al-Gawhara palace, the National Military Museum and the Police Museum.

Burg Eltz

noreply@blogger.com (piske91) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:32:47 PST

Burg Eltz is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. The Rübenach and Rodendorf families' homes in the castle are open to the public, while the Kempenich branch of the family uses the other third of the castle.

Location

The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach River, a tributary on the north side of the Moselle. It is situated on a 70m rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between the rich farm lands and their markets.

Description

The castle is a so called Ganerbenburg (castle belonging to a community of joint heirs). This is a castle, divided into several parts, which belong to different families or different branches of a family; this usually occurs when multiple owners of one or more territories jointly build a castle to house themselves. Only a very rich mediaeval Eur opean lord could afford to build a castle on his land; many of them only owned one village, or even only a part of a village. This was an insufficient base to afford a castle. Such lords lived in a knight's hou se, which was a simple house, scarcely bigger than those of his tenants . In some parts of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, inheritance law required that the estate be divided between all successors. These successors, each of whose individual inheritance was too small to build a castle of his own, could build a castle together, where each owned one separate part for housing and all of them together shared the defensive fortification. In case of Burg Eltz the family comprised three branches and the existing castle was enhanced with three separate complexes of buildings.

The main part of the castle consists of the family portions. At up to eight sto

reys, these eight towers reach heights of between 30 and 40 meters. They are fortified with strong exterior walls; to the yard they present a partial framework. About 100 members of the owners' families lived in the over 100 rooms of the castle.

Platteltz, a romanesque keep, is the oldest part of the castle. In 1472 the Rü

benach house, built in the late Gothic style was completed. Remarkable are the Rübe

nach Lower Hall, a living room, and the Rübenach bedchamber with its opulently-decorated walls.

Between 1490 and 1540 the Rodendorf house was constructed, also in late Gothic style. It contains the vaulted "banner-room".

The Kempenich houses were finished about 1530. Every room of this part of the castle could be heated; in contrast, other castles might only have one or two heated rooms.