I.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar
Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory
of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as
"the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired
masterpieces of the world's heritage".
II. Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the finest example of Mughal
architecture,
a
style
that
combines
elements
from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles.[
III. In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of
greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz
Mahal, died during the birth of their 14th child, Gauhara
Begum Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632.[ The court
chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held
as an inspiration for Taj Mahal. The principal mausoleum was
completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were
finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj
in these words:[17
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II.
III.
Great Wall Of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone,
brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built
along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders
of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire or its prototypical
states against intrusions by various nomadic groups or military
incursions by various warlike peoples or forces.
Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC;[3]
these, later joined together and made bigger, stronger, and unified
are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall.[
Other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls,
allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk
Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of
immigration and emigration. Furthermore, the defensive
characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the
construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations,
signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the
fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation
corridor.
I.
Petra Jordan
Petra
is
a
historical
and
archaeological
city
in
the
southern Jordanian governorate of Ma'an, that is famous for its rockcut architecture and water conduit system. Another name for Petra is
the Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved.
II. Established possibly as early as 312 BC as the capital city of
the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan, as well as its most-visited
tourist attraction. It lies on the slope of Jebel al-Madhbah (identified
by some as the biblical Mount Hor) in a basin among the mountains
which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley
running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been
a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
III. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it
was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was
described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate Prizewinning poem by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as
"one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural
heritage"
Christ The Redeemer
I.
The idea of erecting a large statue atop Corcovado was first
suggested in the mid-1850s, when Catholic priest Pedro Maria
Boss requested financing from Princess Isabel to build a large
religious monument. Princess Isabel did not think much of the idea
and it was dismissed in 1889, when Brazil became a republic with
laws mandating the sepration of church and state.
II.
The second proposal for a Landmark statue on the mountain
was made in 1920 by the Catholic Circle of Rio. The group
organized an event called Semana do Monument ("Monument
Week") to attract donations and collect signatures to support the
building of the statue. The donations came mostly from Brazilian
Catholics.
III. The statue was struck by lightning during a violent electrical storm
on Sunday, February 10, 2008 and suffered some damage on the
fingers, head and eyebrows. A restoration effort was put in place
by the Rio de Janeiro state government and archdiocese to
replace some of the outer soapstone layers and repair the
lightning rods installed on the statue
I.
II.
III.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu or Machu Pikchu is a 15th-century Ica site located
2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level.
It
is
located
in
the
Cusco
Region,
Urubamba
Province, Machupicchu District. It is situated on a mountain ridge
above the Sacred Valley which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest
of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most
archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for
the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as the
"Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca
civilization.
Machu Picchu is vulnerable to threats from a variety of sources.
While natural phenomena like earthquakes and weather systems
can play havoc with access, the site also suffers from the pressures
of too many tourists. In addition, preservation of the area's cultural
and archaeological heritage is an ongoing concern.
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II.
III.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya
civilization The archaeological site is located in the municipality of
Tinum, in the Mexican state of Yucatán.
Chichen Itza was a major focal point in the northern Maya lowlands
from the Late Classic (c. AD 600–900) through the Terminal
Classic (c.AD 800–900) and into the early portion of the Early
Postclassic period (c. AD 900–1200). The site exhibits a multitude
of architectural styles, reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico
and of the Puuc and Chenes styles of the northern Maya lowlands.
Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to
have been one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans, referred to in
laterMesoamerican literature. The city may have had the most
diverse population in the Maya world, a factor that could have
contributed to the variety of architectural styles at the site.
Colosseum
I.
II.
III.
The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian
Amphitheatre is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city
of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete and stone, it was the largest
amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, and is considered one of the
greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. It is the
largest amphitheatre in the world.
The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction
began under the emperor Vespasian in 70 AD, and was completed
in 80 AD under his successor and heir Titus. Further modifications
were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three
emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre
was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).
The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and
80,000 spectators, and was used for gladiatorial contests and public
spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical
mythology.