Fourvière, Lyon

Home for Catholic Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon, France, this place is nick named as the "hill that prays" because of the vast religious influence. With the combination of the basilica and the hill side with the town view, Fourvière provides an eye catching scenery to visit and worship. Not to mention that this was the site of Lugdunum's original Roman settlement too. We all know that how magnificent Eiffel is and as a result of a rivalry a similar tower named La Tour Métallique was built on the hill. As a matter of fact, this one stands higher than Eiffel due to its surface being on a hill.

The main attraction of Fourvière is of course the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Its construction details date back around year 1872 and head responsible for the design of the basilica was Pierre Bossan. The building mainly has four main towers with a belltower topped with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary of gold. The reason behind the basilica being devoted to Virgin Mary is that she saved the city Lyon from Cholera endemic in 1823 and each year people of Lyon light candles which is called as the Festival of Lights as a remembrance of her great service and gratitude.

A museum of Sacred Art is seen within the basilica and visitors are allowed for tour trips of it. Other attractions of Lyon and Fourvière include Parc de la Tete d'Or; Park of Rose garden and zoo, Gite-Loutarde, Theatres Romains de Fourviere and the Presqu'ile.

Travellers' Guide

Villa Florentine 
25 montee Saint-Barthelemy, 69005 Lyon, France
33472565656
Grand Hotel des Terreaux 
16 rue Lanterne, 69001 Lyon, France
Hotel de la Cite Concorde
22, quai Charles de Gaulle, 69006 Lyon, France
+33 (0) 4 78 17 86 73
Cour des Loges 
2, 4, 6, 8 rue du Boeuf, 69005 Lyon, France
Sofitel Lyon Bellecour
20, quai Gailleton, 69002 Lyon, France

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Buckingham Palace

Often heard about, often talked about Buckingham Palace of UK is the home of British Monarchy since 1837. It was first the Duke of Buckingham's townhouse and stood as a private property for almost one and a half century and then was owned by George III. The palace became the official residence for Queen Victoria after that and ever since it is the official royal residence currently for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Located at the Westminster side, Buckingham Palace owns the largest private garden of England too.

In 1703 William Winde provided the design for the Buckingham House which is regarded as the architectural core of the modern day Buckingham Palace. The house however was remodelled in 1762. King George IV renovated the house into a palace with the help of architect John Nash. In 1830 architect Edward Blore was hired to finish the unfinished work of Nash. In 1861 when Queen was widowed she left the palace. Since then the palace was abandoned with neglect.

Palace is built over a ground of 77000m2 with piano nobile containing State Dining Room, Blue Drawing Room, Music Room, White Drawing Room, Royal Closet, Throne Room, Green Drawing Room, Cross Gallery, Ball Room, East Gallery, Yellow Drawing Room, Centre/Balcony Room, Chinese Luncheon Room, Principal Corridor, Private Apartments, Service Areas, The Grand staircase, Ambassador's Entrance and Grand Entrance.

The largest room of the palace is the Ball Room which is also used for occasions like state banquets, investitures and conferring of knighthoods etc. By 1999 the palace contained palace contained 19 state rooms, 52 principal bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms according to a book published by the Royal Collection Department. Also in honour of Queen Victoria there is a memorial erected in front of the main gates created by the sculptor Thomas Brock. The palace was bombed seven times during World War II at one of which the palace chapel was destroyed in 1940.

Travellers' Guide
Today the Place is a top most tourist attraction in London. If you are planning to visit London make sure you visit Buckingham Palace. Here are first choice hotels in London.

Hotel 41 
41 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0PS, England
44(0)2073000041
The Milestone Hotel 
1 Kensington Court | Kensington, London W8 5DL, England
+44(0)2079171000
Plaza on the River - Club and Residence
18 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ, England
Covent Garden Hotel 
10 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HB, England
+44 20 7806 1000
The Levin
28 Basil Street | Knightsbridge, London SW3 1AS, England
+44(0)2075896286
Sofitel St James London 
Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AN, England

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Badshahi mosque at Lahore

The Badshahi mosque at Lahore in Punjab District, Pakistan is the world's fifth largest mosque and the mosque with the largest mosque courtyard. They say it is visible even at 15km away from it. Its construction began in 1671 under the guidance of Mogul emperor Aurangzeb and lasted for 2 years. The mosque is made of red sandstone tiles and white marble. The mosque also holds a record of being the world's largest mosque for 313 years until 1986. With a capacity of 5000 devotees inside and 95000 others in the courtyard, the Badshahi mosque has become one of the key important religious places in Pakistan. 

In 1799, Lahore was captured by Ranjit Sigh who used the Badshahi mosque's courtyard to park his military horses. Mosque was damaged to a great extent at that time. During his son's era, Sher Sigh's he used the four minarets of the mosque to hold light guns. Until the British rule till 1947 the mosque was under a dark shadow and was damaged a lot along with loosing some of its grandeur as an architectural masterpiece. However restoration programs took place since 1939 and by 1947 it was back in shape.

An exquisite feature, the large courtyard of the mosque covers an area of 25,899.9 m2. It also divided into two parts as lower and upper. The complex has 3 visible domes, one large and two small ones. The main prayer chamber is divided into 7 compartments which altogether covers an area of 2,120.5 m2. The four minarets are 53.75 m high and 20m in circumference.

Travellers' Guide

Badshahi mosque is a famous tourist attraction today. If you are planning to visit Lahore make sure you visit Badshahi mosque and take the chance to admire its beauty and architecture. The mosque was nominated for a UNESCO world heritage site too. Here are some of the hotels in the area, don't forget to visit them and enjoy a bite or two.

Avari Hotel Lahore
87 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam | (The Mall), Lahore 54000, Pakistan
The Residency Hotel
39-A, Gulberg-V | Off. Zafar Ali Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Pearl Continental Lahore
Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Mirage Hotel
21 Lake Rd, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

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Hermitage winter palace

Tell me how many of you can afford a Winter Palace??? Not many I guess. But the Russian Monarchs earlier in the 19th century had the privilege though. Yes, that's the Hermitage winter palace which is actually the fourth of its kind located in St. Petersburg. Palace of such grandeur and size cannot be the creation of one so as to say many architects took involvement but Bartolomeo Rastrelli was highly regarded considering his style used in the palace. An exquisite feature we see here is the elongated rectangular shape of he palace almost 250m long with a height of 30m.  It was constructed in 1732, was home for royalty until 1917. The Duchess of Courland was the first owner who ordered Rastrelli to rebuild the neighbouring Apraksin Palace into today's masterpiece. It contains 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows, 1,500 rooms and 117 staircases. 

The Duchess of Courland was not the only one who guided architects to enlarge and add parts to the palace. Catherine II during 1762–1796, headed architects Starov, Giacomo Quarenghi, Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe and architect Yury Velten to enlarge the palace. She was the reason to call the palatial complex Hermitage. Catherine II made sure she had the best art pieces at her eye so she sent ambassadors in search of such. She however accomplished in gaining six collections which included the works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian, Raphael, Tiepolo, van Dyck and Reni. Catherine II was also responsible for the creation of Hermitage Theatre, French taste in the Russian Court.After Catherine II, Tsar Nicholas I was responsible for the complete restoring of the palace which was damaged by the fire in 1837. 

The first flow of the palace is the Piano Nobile which has the tallest windows. The palace also has parts named Great Church, St George's Hall,  Military Gallery,  Battle Galleries, Palace Square façade,  private Imperial apartments, Jasper Room, Malachite Drawing Room, Gold Drawing Room, Imperial staircase, servants' quarters etc.

On 5th February 1852 the first Art Museum  of Russia was opened here as  Imperial Hermitage Museum. The last royal to reside here was Alexander II whose assassination took place at the palace too. On 22nd January 1905 the Bloody Sunday massacre took place in front of the palace which drove the winter palace into darkness after then. Since 1917, the palace was heir-less but was controlled under the Seat of the Provisional Government. With its failing also the the Bolsheviks who revolted against them took over the palace. At the present the Hermitage Winter Palace is seen as a part of the museums open to public. 

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit the palace, you can locate it at 34 Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya, St. Petersburg 190000 , Russia. T.P. (812)110-90-79. It is open daily except Monday from10:30 am to 5:30 pm and on Sundays till 5 pm. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.

And make sure you visit these hotels in St. Petersburg.

Admiralteyskaya Hotel 

Ulitsa Aleksandra Nevskogo, 8 | Kolomna, St. Petersburg 190121, Russia

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg-Ligovsky

61 Ligovsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg 191040, Russia

Nevsky Contour Hotel 

Nevsky Prospekt 88 - 72, St. Petersburg 191025, Russia

Helvetia Hotel 

Marata 11, St. Petersburg 191025, Russia 

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Airport 

Startovaya 6, St. Petersburg 196 210, Russia 

Hotel Ibis St. Petersburg Centre 

Ligovskiy Pr 54, St. Petersburg 191040, Russia 

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The forbidden city

Have you ever heard of a forbidden city??? Although it is named so, its beauty is world famous. Beijing is completed by the grandeur of the Forbidden city palace which is a must visit and also the most ancient palace in the world. It was home for 24 Chinese emperors of two dynasties the Ming and the Qing. Palace was supposed to be a replica of the Purple Palace in heaven as the constructor, Emperor Yongle was regarded as the son of heaven. Because of its divinity and godliness perhaps that was why it was forbidden for normal people. 

The City covers 178 acres with 90 palaces, 980 buildings and 8704 rooms. There is also a 10m high wall enclosing the city. For security purposes there are watchtowers at each corner. Here are the places you will find attractive inside the city- Meridian Gate, Hall of Literary Glory, Hall of Martial Valor, Gate of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, Hall of Preserved Harmony, Gate of Heavenly Purity, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union, Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Hall of Mental Cultivation, Six Western Palaces, Hall for Ancestry Worship, Six Eastern Palaces, Palace of Tranquil Longevity, Treasure Gallery, Qianlong Garden, Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds, Imperial Garden, Moat, Corner Towers and Gates.

Meridian Gate is the only entrance to the city now which is located at the southern part. It has 5 gates. When you enter through the Meridian Gate you get the Inner Golden River Bridges. To the east of the bridges is the Hall of Literary Glory and to the west is the Hall of Martial Valor. Behind the Meridian Gate you will find a courtyard and to the northern side of it is the Gate of Supreme Harmony which was the place that held emperor's weddings. Gate of Supreme Harmony paves the way to enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was used as a ceremonial hall that hold festivities when a new emperor is elected. In between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and Hall of Preserved Harmony, is the Hall of Central Harmony. Altogether they are known as Three Great Halls of the Outer Court and they are found on the central axis of the city. 

Gate of Heavenly Purity serves as a divider for the city as Inner Court and Outer Court. And inside the Gate of Heavenly Purity is the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Also the Palace of Heavenly Purity is one of the three  main palaces inside the Inner Court. The other two are the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union. 

The six western palaces consist of Palace of Eternal Longevity, Palace of the Queen Consort, Palace for Gathering Elegance, Hall of the Supreme Pole, Palace of Eternal Spring and Palace of Universal Happiness which were for the emperor's wives.  Hall for Ancestry Worship is the place where the emperors used to worship their ancestors. The six eastern palaces consist of Palace of Great Benevolence, Palace of Celestial Favour, Palace of Eternal Harmony, Palace of Great Brilliance, Palace of Purity and Palace of Lasting Happiness. These were the living quarters of imperial concubines. The treasure gallery lies northeast of the palace museum. 

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit the Forbidden City, check in with these tours which include Forbidden City travelling. 

Beijing Highlights Tour
Beijing Hutong Tour

If you get the chance don't forget to visit the following hotels too.

Days Inn Forbidden City, Beijing
No. 1, Nanwanzi Hutong, Nanheyan street, Dongcheng District,Beijing, China,100006
King Parkview Hotel
No. 55, Shatan Houjie, Dongcheng District,Beijing, China,100009
Red wall Garden Hote
No.41 Shijia Hutong, Dongcheng District,Beijing, China,100010

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Golden Gate Bridge

The link that bounds San Francisco and Marin County is the Golden Gate Bridge. It is the most famous places of all you can find in San Francisco and for many architects and civil engineers, Golden Gate has become a moral support and a dream.  Joseph Strauss, Irving Morrow and Charles Ellis are the designers of this beautiful one of a kind made of steel which was open for public since 27th May, 1937. The bridge supports six lanes including lanes for bicycles and pedestrians. Golden Gate spans over 2.7km with a width of 27.4m and rises to a height of 227.4m. 

Before the Golden Gate Bridge, the transportation between San Francisco and Marin County was done by ferry services. But with the increase in demand to travel between the cities, many thought of the idea of a bridge which was simply an impossible one in every way because of the long distance and the constant tides and currents of the bay. It was in 1916 that stabilized the idea of a bridge but still with lot of negative ideas. Some wanted to built the bridge as proposed by the former engineering student James Wilkins but  with less cost. Joseph Strauss in return agreed but local authorities agreed to built a suspension bridge. After facing many hits and blows from different companies, enemies, it finally began its construction in 1933. 

While the  bridge design was handled by Strauss, the suspension design and technique were handled by Manhattan Bridge designer Leon Moisseiff. Architect Irving Morrow deigned the bridge towers, the lighting scheme with the streetlights, railing, and walkways. Head of engineers was  Charles Alton Ellis. 

An interesting fact about the Bridge is its colour. The colour of the bridge, Orange Vermilion as chosen by Irving Morrow is famously known as the international orange. Orange stands in contrast to the nature so that the far way ships can see it even on a foggy day. Another is the fact that the bridge is made of steel but yet to avoid the natural process of corrosion, the bridge is now coated with acrylic top coats and maintained by 38 painters. How cool is that????

Unfortunately Golden Gate Bridge has become an ideal place for many to commit suicide too. Although there have been numerous implications placed to detect and avoid suicides. 

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit Golden Gate Bridge, don't forget to check in with these fabulous restaurants and hotels.

The Cliff House
Fresh Seafood and Stunning Views
1090 Point Lobos Ave., San Francisco CA 94121
T.P. 1.877.485.2032
Franciscan Crab Restaurant
Offering Superb Panoramic Seafood Dining
Pier 43 1/2, San Francisco CA 94133
T.P. 1.888.698.6782
John's Grill
A San Francisco Tradition for Steak, Seafood & Pasta
63 Ellis St., San Francisco CA 94102
T.P. 1.866.981.6211
Opaque – dining in the dark
A Journey for the Senses
689 McAllister St., San Francisco CA 94102
T.P. 1.888.310.8321

DoubleTree by Hilton San Francisco Airport
Burlingame, CA
Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
Burlingame, CA
Hilton Garden Inn San Francisco Airport North
South San Francisco, CA
Best Western Plus El Rancho Inn & Suites
Millbrae, CA

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Statue Of Liberty

You cannot find a single person who doesn't know about the Statue of Liberty in Liberty Island and the Ellis Island. Well for obvious reasons the Lady Liberty can be one of the most famous women in this world. Marking the friendship between two important countries of the world, Statue of Liberty was gifted to USA by France to universalize the idea of freedom and democracy during the American Revolution. The statue is a lady with a high held torch because she represents the Goddess Libertas who is the Roman goddess for freedom. This National Monument which is also a UNESCO World heritage site can be reached by a ferry from Battery Park. The Statue is a creation by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and the pedestal by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. On October 28, 1886, the statue was given for the people. It was named a National Monument in 1924 and was restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986. 

As it was gifted to USA from France, most of the construction was from France. The statue rises to a height of 46 meters and from the ground around to torch up to 93 meters. The statue's head after completion was exhibited at the Paris World Fair, 1878. This statue cannot be considered just standing still because one out of many features that normally people cannot see which is the broken chain wrapped around the feet protruding from the robes of the statue. This feature depicts that the statue's freedom to move forward enlightening the world with the torch free from oppression and servitude. Visitors are allowed to climb the Statue from inside covering up 354 steps until the crown. At the top of the Statue is one of the few places in NY, Manhattan to experience the true beauty of the city. 

The Statue's face is more than 8 feet tall. The tablet in the hand of the statue is 23' 7" tall and 13' 7" wide inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776). It's waistline is almost about 35 feet. The lady Liberty wears a crown which has seven rays, one for each of the seven continents, each measuring up to 9 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds. Total weight of the Statue of Liberty is 225 tons. After 1986 restoration, the statue's torch was covered with 24k gold. As the statue's exterior is built from Copper which is 3/32 of an inch thick, the natural weathering of Copper has given the statue its light green colour. 

Climatic conditions near the Statue area is not severe but weather can vary greatly in New York City area, including NY Harbor.Temperature ranges from 0 degrees in winter to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer with high levels of humidity.

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, it is open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm and extended summer hours. And it is closed Christmas Day. Schedule subject to change. 

Ferry boat sailings: Daily: 9:00am - 3:30pm. Ferry schedules subject to change.

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Mont Saint-Michel

Found in France, one kilometer off the north-western coast near the mouth of the Couesnon River at Avranches, Mont Saint- Michel, earlier known as Monte Tombe”, can be described as a vital point of fortifications since 8th century AD. In earlier times, the bay was a land which was shaped into today’s landscape and several blocks of granite, granulite rose up which later became Lillemer, the Mont-Dol, Tombelaine and Mont Tombe, later called Mont-Saint-Michel. 

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BIG BEN

One of the few amazing things you can see in England is the Big Ben clock. Although we call it Big Ben, this name is actually belongs to clock’s main bell. Its official name is the Great Bell of Westminster. This is a tower found in Houses of Parliament building at the north- eastern end in London. On October 16, 1834, the old palace of Westminster was burnt in fire and as a result of the new plan of the building suggested, Big Ben was constructed. Tower is 96.3m high which is made of part brickwork with stone cladding and part cast iron. It stands on a 15m x 15m raft, made of 3m thick concrete, at a depth of 7m below ground level.  The over all tower weighs about 8,667 tonnes. And tower leans slightly to the north-west due to ground structure.

It was first placed in New Palace Yard which cracked due to striking hammer while construction in 1856. Then it was recast at White Chapel Bell Foundry. Installed into the clock tower in 1908, another crack formed. To prevent further damage to the bell it was rotated and the main hammer was reduced in weight. There are other four quarter bells which play the Westminster Quarters on the quarter hours. The four quarter bells are G sharp, F sharp, E, and B. They play a 20 chime sequence, 1-4 at quarter past, 5-12 at half past, 13-20, 1-4 at quarter to, and 5-20 on the hour. Their faces are 55m above the ground and even though it is not anymore, it still holds the title, “World’s largest four faced chiming clock”. The dials were designed by Augustus Pugin and the minute hand is 14’ long while the hour hand is 9’ long. There is a Latin inscription at the base saying 'DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM'. It means 'Lord save our Queen Victoria I'. The clock sprang into life for public on September 7th, 1859.

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Registan

Registan meaning “Sandy place” in Persian, was the heart of ancient city Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan. Registan can be taken as a public place of importance given for executions, gathering place for royal proclamations heralded by blasts on enormous copper pipes called dzharchis. The three madrasahs which means school, of the Registan are: the Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420), the Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660) and the Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636). 

The first one, Ulugh Beg Madrasah has its imposing portal with lancet arch facing the square where are flanked by the high well-proportioned minarets. The mosaic panel over the entrance arch is decorated by geometrical stylized ornaments. The square-shaped courtyard includes a mosque and lecture rooms and is fringed by the dormitory cells in which students lived. There are deep galleries along the axes. Originally this was a two-storied building with four domed lecture rooms at the corners. The madrasah was one of the best clergy universities of the whole Muslim Orient of the 15th Century CE. Abdurakhman Djami, a prominent poet, scientist and philosopher studied there. Ulugh Beg himself gave lectures there. During Ulugh Beg's government the madrasah was a centre of secular science.

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Sistine Chapel

   Found in Apostolic Palace, Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Veteran artists like Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio have drawn frescoes in this chapel where it is well known for architecture and decorations. Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted 1,100 m2 (12,000 sq ft) of the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. The painting drawn in the ceiling; The Last Judgment (1535-1541) is supposed to be Michelangelo’s crowning achievement in painting. The chapel’s name is from Pope Sixtus IV who restored the old Capella Magna in 1477-1480. The paintings were completed in 1482, and on the 15 August 1483, Sixtus IV celebrated the first mass in the Sistine Chapel for the Feast of the Assumption, at which ceremony the chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The main function of the chapel could be denoted as the venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. On the occasion of a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which smoke arises as a signal. If white smoke appears, created by burning the ballots of the election, a new Pope has been elected. If a candidate receives less than a two-thirds majority, the cardinals send up black smoke which means that no successful election has yet occurred. The conclave also provided for the cardinals a space in which they can hear mass, and in which they can eat, sleep, and pass time abetted by servants. Canopies for each cardinal-elector were once used during conclaves as a sign of equal dignity. When a new pope is being elected, he gives his new name and at this, the other Cardinals would tug on a rope attached to their seats to lower their canopies.

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Colosseum

     This is an amphitheatre which is also known as Amphitheatrum Flavium, built in the center of the city Rome, Italy shaping in an ellipse. It is also the largest ever built in Roman Empire. Its construction began in 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign. Colosseum accommodates seating for 50,000 spectators which was basically used for  gladiatorial contests and public events such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, and quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

It has been long believed that the name Colosseum was from a colossal statue of Nero nearby. This statue was later remodeled by Nero's successors into the likeness of Helios or Apollo, the sun god, by adding the appropriate solar crown. Nero's head was also replaced several times with the heads of succeeding emperors. Despite its pagan links, the statue remained standing well into the medieval era and was credited with magical powers. It came to be seen as an iconic symbol of the permanence of Rome. In the 8th century, a famous epigram attributed to the Venerable Bede celebrated the symbolic significance of the statue in a prophecy "as long as the Colossus stands, so shall Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, so falls the world.” This is often mistranslated to refer to the Colosseum rather than the Colossus. The Colossus did eventually fall, possibly being pulled down to reuse its bronze.

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Eiffel Tower

Once the tallest structure in the world, Eiffel Tower has been the iconic symbol for Paris and to the France.  It was built in 1889 as a puddle iron lattice tower standing magnificently above all. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building. The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift, to the first and second levels. The walk from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by elevator. Both the first and second levels feature restaurants.

Three hundred workers joined together 18,038 pieces of puddle iron (a very pure form of structural iron), using two and a half million rivets, in a structural design by Maurice Koechlin. Eiffel was assisted in the design by engineers Émile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin and architect Stephen Sauvestre. The risk of accident was great as, unlike modern skyscrapers, the tower is an open frame without any intermediate floors except the two platforms. However, because Eiffel took safety precautions, including the use of movable stagings, guard-rails and screens, only one man died. The tower was inaugurated on 31 March 1889, and opened on 6 May. Eiffel had a permit for the tower to stand for 20 years; it was to be dismantled in 1909, when its ownership would revert to the City of Paris. The City had planned to tear it down (part of the original contest rules for designing a tower was that it could be easily demolished) but as the tower proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain after the expiry of the permit. The military used it to dispatch Parisian taxis to the front line during the First Battle of the Marne.

The pig iron structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately 10,000 tonnes. As a demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7,300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 metre square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming the density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic metre. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7.1 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. Researchers have found that Eiffel used empirical and graphical methods accounting for the effects of wind rather than a specific mathematical formula. Careful examination of the tower shows a basically exponential shape; actually two different exponentials, the lower section overdesigned to ensure resistance to wind forces. Several mathematical explanations have been proposed over the years for the success of the design; the most recent is described as a nonlinear integral equation based on counterbalancing the wind pressure on any point on the tower with the tension between the construction elements at that point. As a demonstration of the tower's effectiveness in wind resistance, it sways only 6–7 cm (2–3 in) in the wind.

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Egyptian Pyramids

At the site of the sunset near the beautiful and calm river Nile, the dead of the ancient are left to seek peace in their after lives. Pyramids were built in such thought that it is a mark of respect to those who were once great kings and queens of Egypt. There are about 138 such pyramids in the banks of river Nile. The shape of these pyramids represents the primordial mound and it is thought to represent the descending rays of the sun and most pyramids were faced with polished, highly reflective white limestone. It is generally accepted that pyramids were burial monuments and some believe in a theory that they were designed as a type of resurrection machine.
The Egyptians believed the dark area of the night sky around which the stars appear to revolve was the physical gateway into the heavens. One of the narrow shafts that extends from the main burial chamber through the entire body of the Great Pyramid points directly towards the center of this part of the sky. This suggests the pyramid may have been designed to serve as a means to magically launch the deceased pharaoh's soul directly into the abode of the gods.

One of the earliest we know is the pyramid of Djoser found at Saqqara, northwest of Memphis. It was constructed around 2630-2611 BCE. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect Imhotep, and are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental structures constructed of dressed masonry. The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found at Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. Several of the Giza pyramids are counted among the largest structures ever built. The pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid found and it is one of the seven world wonders.

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The Great Wall Of China

What we find most interesting about the Chinese culture may be the Great Wall of China. It is a world heritage site as declared by the UNESCO and one of the seven world wonders. Some say it is the only man made object that is visible when seen from moon but many debunk this idea. However it truly amazes anyone who has seen or heard about it and just think, a wall in length of 8850 km was built by humans still exists!!!!

Although it may be known as one long wall, it is discontinuous and made of many fortifications often followed by crest of hills on the southern edge of the Mongolian plain. It is said that this was firstly built to avoid Mongol nomads during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE). Some additions and modifications were made to these simple walls over the next millennium but the major construction of the "modern" walls began in the Ming Dynasty (1388-1644 CE). They were about 25 ft high and around 15-30 ft wide at the base and about 9-12 ft wide at the top. At regular intervals there were guard stations established also.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

Qin Shi Huang unified China in 221 BC, establishing Qin dynasty. To protect the empire against intrusions by the Xiongnu people from the north, he ordered the building of a new wall to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire's new northern frontier. Transporting the large quantity of materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while rammed earth was used for construction in the plains. There are no surviving historical records indicating the exact length and course of the Qin Dynasty walls. Most of the ancient walls have eroded away over the centuries, and very few sections remain today.

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