Tower of Hercules, Spain

 Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 kilometers from the centre of Corunna, Galicia, in north-western Spain.

 The Tower of Hercules is an ancient lighthouse that stands at the opening of La Coruña harbor on the northwestern coast of Spain. The lighthouse stands along the sea route from the Mediterranean Sea to northwestern Europe.

The Tower of Hercules is notable for being one of few examples of a surviving Greco-Roman lighthouse, and the oldest of its kind that has remained in use, though it has undergone construction. The lighthouse stands along the coast as a symbol for the lasting power of the Romans and their impressive architectural knowledge. The structure has withstood the wear and tear of the winds and waters of the coast, and even devastating earthquakes couldn’t knock it down.

Many legends have surrounded the Tower of Hercules, claiming mythical origins. The tower’s namesake, Hercules, is said to have won a fight with a giant, and buried its head and weapons at the site. Other mythologies of the structure include a Gaelic Celtic legend, in which King Breogán had the site built to stand as a beacon to his sons. For this legend, a statue of the king continues to guard the lighthouse.

Built in the 1st century AD by the Romans, likely during Trajan’s rule, the tower was known as Farum Brigantium, after the lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt’s island, Pharos. However, the tower has gone through many names over its long history. Roman explorers arrived in La Coruña’s port of Brigantium around 61BC, and began to colonize the area. The port was important for defense and trade, guarding the entrance to the Bay of Biscay. The area had been a dangerous one for ships, dubbed the Coast of Death by the early Roman seamen. Though the presence of lighthouse has helped to increase safety, the orientation of the light house seems to have been constructed to aid travelers coming from the area that is now the United Kingdom, rather than those coming from the mainland of Europe.

The tower has been restored several times over its history, and probably had some reconstructions in around 1684. Later, the tower was again restored during the 18th century by Eustaquio Giannini, a naval engineer, who altered the form of the tower and added 21 meters in height to the once 34-meter tall tower. Construction on the tower was continued by Giannini’s brother, Jose Giannini from 1799 to 1806.

Though it still functions today, the lighthouse was not used continuously throughout history, with a long period of disuse – probably after the Viking invasions. The tower itself may still have been used during this time. The town around the tower thrived during the 11th or 12th century, and the townspeople used the structure as a defensive observation post. The town grew rapidly in the 14th and 15th centuries, and the tower was heralded as an icon of the city.

The site was excavated in the 1990s, and historians were able to discover more information about the tower’s history, particularly regarding its Roman origins.

Palace of Fontainebleau

Palace of Fontainebleau – The royal residence used by French kings and royal families

The Palace of Fontainebleau, or Chateau de Fontainebleau, is a royal residence used by French kings and royal families. Beginning in the 12th century, the chateau was used as a medieval hunting lodge by King Louis VII. Located in the forests of the Île-de-France, Fontainebleau was the perfect choice for a residence not far from the capital in Paris.

In the 16th century, François I recreated the lodge, transforming it into the Renaissance palace it is today. Beginning in 1528, the project of embellishing the royal residence began with the earliest builder, Gilles le Breton, including his work on the Cour Ovale in the eastern part of the complex.

The architecture and art of the Palace of Fontainebleau inspired artistic evolution. François I brought artists from Italy, who spread the Renaissance to France. Rosso Fiorentino was the artist who created many of the palace’s frescoes and stuccos from 1533 to 1540. Fiorentino worked in the Mannerist style and his work incorporated themes from Greco-Roman mythology. Francesco Primaticcio also created frescoes, along with Romantic bronzes, the Cortile of the Belvedere and the Palazzo della Valle.

After François I, construction on the palace was continued by successors, even through the 19th century. Today, the palace is made up of five courtyards surrounded by buildings and filled with gardens. The grounds feature the Forest of Fontainebleau and many gardens, like the Grand Jardin on the east side. Originally consisting of flower beds and a canal, the gardens later became Parterre du Tibre, and today are primarily lawns with flowers along the borders.

The Palace of Fontainebleau now houses the Ecoles d’Art Americaines, an art school for American students. Tours are available of certain parts of the palace, like the Grands Appartements (including the Papal Apartment), the chapels, museums, and galleries.

Singapore Zoo

Orangutans at the Singapore Zoo

Recently awarded with the ‘Best Leisure Attraction Experience Award’ in the 20th Singapore Tourism Awards, Singapore Zoo is undoubtedly one of the prime tourist attractions of Singapore. One of the most beautiful zoos in the world, Singapore Zoo was formerly known as Singapore Zoological Gardens. Spread over an area of 28 hectares, Singapore Zoo is a one-stop platform where you can observe the great wildlife of Singapore.

Singapore Zoo is not just about watching different animals and birds. With a variety of interactive shows giving all the details about the animals of the zoo, a visit to the Singapore Zoo is an altogether educational experience. These shows are held in the amphitheaters of Singapore Zoo and serve as an effective way to spread the message of wildlife conservation. The “Wonders of the Wild” show is the latest addition to the series of shows that are conducted in Singapore Zoo.

Singapore Zoo is an abode to a variety of monkeys and apes. You are sure to have a rendezvous with some of the rarest monkeys in the world at the well-maintained Singapore Zoo. Peacocks, Spider Monkeys, Langurs, Lemurs and Guinea Fowl are some of the free-ranging animals and birds that you will get to see in Singapore Zoo. Singapore Zoo is a great place for kids as it allows them to touch and feed different farm animals.

For the convenience of tourists from Japan and China, there are different languages like Japanese and Chinese incorporated on the signboards at the zoo. The facility of having breakfast and a cup of tea sitting next to an Orang Utan makes a trip to the Singapore Zoo an experience of a lifetime! Not only this, you can even take snaps with the grinning chimps at the zoo. Feel free to capture those Kodak moments in your camera during your tour to Singapore Zoo.

Entry fee for an adult is $20, for a child is $13, and for senior citizens is $11. Children below 3 years of age are freely admitted. Boat and tram rides cost extra.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

The Tower of Pisa is a bell tower, famous for its dramatic tilt to one side. The tower has become an icon of Italy, and millions of tourists flock to the lawns around the tower to take the classic photo pretending to hold up (or knock down) the tower. Visitors can also climb the 294 steps to the top inside the tower.

The tower was not originally intended to lean, but because it was built on soft soils the tower gradually tilted to the side. The Tower of Pisa went through restoration to prevent it from toppling, correcting the angle of tilt from 5.5 degrees to 3.99 degrees.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor is a complex of religious temples at the various capitals of the Khmer Empire, covering about 400 square kilometers and making up the most important archaeological site in the entire region. The most famous of these temples is Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple built under the rule of King Suryavarman II in the Temple Mountain architectural style. Angkor Wat, which means Ctiy of Temples in Khmer, was the state temple and capital city, and later became a mausoleum for Suryavarman II.

Angkor Wat differs from many other temples because it is oriented to the west rather than the east. This could have been because the king wanted it to be a burial temple for himself, or it may have been because it was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, who has associations with the west. The temple is surrounded by a rectangular moat with entrances on the west and east. A statue of Vishnu, called Ta Reach is among the artwork and many decorations around Angkor Wat.

After the King’s death in around 1150, construction on the temple ended. It was conquered and later restored by King Jayavarman VII, who built a new temple, Bayon, and moved the new state capital to Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat became a Theravada Buddhist site in around the 13th century.

Angkor Wat is the biggest tourist attraction in the country, and has become an important part of Cambodian history and culture, and is even featured on the nation’s flag.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in USA

Mount Rushmore National Memorial at South Dakota,USA

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Mount Rushmore is located near Keystone in South Dakota, USA. It is one of the most iconic monuments representing the United States internationally. Set against the impressive granite background of the Black Hills the huge sculptures of America’s four iconic United States presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln – stand out in a rare display of historic grandeur.
These 60-foot high carvings, 500-feet feet up the hills, were sculpted by the well-known Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and later by his son, Lincoln Borglum. The Mount Rushmore Memorial covers 1,278 acres and is about 5,725 feet above sea level.

The idea of creating the sculpture was the brainchild of Doane Robinson, a well-known South Dakota historian. Robinson believed that a mammoth carving on the Black Hills in South Dakota would attract much tourist interest in the state. He worked with John Boland, President Calvin Coolidge, Congressman William Williamson, and other leaders to secure funding. Needles was the site initially suggested to house these mammoth monuments. Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, however believed that Mount Rushmore was a better choice due to its excellent quality granite. Robinson had initially envisaged it to feature local western heroes such as Lewis and Clark, and Buffalo Bill Cody but once again Borglum stepped in and suggested that the sculpture be given a Pan-American focus.

Construction work started in 1927, and the sculpture was completed in 1941. Gutzon Borglum’s death in March 1941 left the sculpture to an uncertain fate but his son Lincoln Borglum took over till the end of work in October 1941. Nearly three million visitors are known to visit Mount Rushmore annually.

The construction of the sculpture at Mt. Rushmore cost $989,992.32 in all. The cave behind the sculpture is called the “Hall of Records” and was initially intended to house the historic relics associated with the monument but could not be completed due to lack of funding. Mount Rushmore has been over seen by the National Park Service since 1933, even as the sculpture was being constructed

Golden Mountains of Altai in Russia

Golden Mountains of Altai at Siberia, Russia

The Altai mountains, located in Russia, contain natural reserves, lakes mountains, and a plateau. The Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO site includes three general areas: Altaisky Zapovednik, Katunsky Zapovednik, and the Ukok Quiet Zone (Ukok plateau). The site also includes Lake Teletskoye and Belukha Mountain. The regions are located along the borders to China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan.

The Golden Mountains of Altai are noted for their high level of biodiversity and a variety of vegetation zones, from steppe and forest-steppe, to mixed forest, subalpine vegetation, and alpine vegetation. The region is a habitat for endangered species including the snow leopard.

Humans have inhabited the region for almost a million years, with Paleolithic settlements found in the Gorno-Altaisk region. The mountains have been the site of tribal unions, khanates, and empires ranging from the Scythians, to the Turks, Uigurs, Yenissey Kirgiz, Kidans, Mongols, and Oitrats. The local people are Russians and the Altaisky, who are Turkish-speaking hunter-gatherer people who continue to live in the natural environment.

Within the site, Katun Nature Reserve which was established in 1991 and joined the Golden Mountains designation in 1998, is home to 700 plant varieties, 51 mammal species, 140 bird species and various reptiles and fish. Ecosystems contained in this portion include glaciers, alpine tundra, meadows, and forests.