Macau is a port city with an unique history and modern mix of cultures. Once a Portuguese colony, Macau was under Portuguese administration from the mid-sixteenth century until 1999, when it fell under Chinese rule. Macau had been inhabited by Chinese fishermen and seafaring merchants, who established fishing villages. Portuguese traders arrived and settled in(…)
May 2013
Hierapolis
Once an ancient city in Phrygia, Hierapolis has been known for its natural hot springs since the 2nd century BC. This complex consists of Roman baths, a library, a gym, an 12,000-seat amphitheater, a burial site, and several temples. Hierapolis is located in modern-day Turkey, and home to the tourist attraction called Pamukkale (Turkish, meaning(…)
Golden Mountains of Altai
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,(…)
The Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, informally known as the ”Snowies”, form part of the larger Australian Alps and the Great Dividing Range. They are the highest mountain range of Australia and boast of Australia’s tallest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko. Historians believe that the mountains were inhabited by indigenous tribes for twenty thousand years. The mountains were explored only(…)
Engelsberg Ironworks
Engelsberg Ironworks is a historical industrial complex located in Sweden, which features administrative and residential buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries. This well-preserved example of a traditional Swedish ironworks was built in 1681, and grew into a modern ironworks from 1700-1800. Sweden has long been known for its superior iron, becoming a leader in(…)
Haeinsa Temple
Haeinsa Temple is part of South Korea’s Three Jewel Temples – its largest Buddhist monasteries. The Haeinsa Temple is best known for holding the depository of the Tripitaka Koreana, a collection of Buddhist texts inscribed on 81,258 blocks of wood. Made in the 13th century, the Tripitaka Koreana is the oldest and most complete collection(…)
Fin Garden (Bagh-e Fin)
Fin Garden (Bagh-e Fin) is a historical Persian garden, located in Kashan, Iran. The garden contains Kashan’s Fin Bath, famous for being the site of the murder of Amir Kabir, a Qajarid Prime Minister under Naser al-Din Shah. Kabir was assassinated by someone at Fin bathhouse, who was sent by King Nasereddin Shah in 1852.(…)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
On August 6, 1945, during World War II, military forces dropped the first atomic bomb in world history over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing a total of about 140,000 people. About half were killed instantly, and the other half died later from the bomb’s effects. The only building left in the wide area destroyed(…)
Falkland Islands
A beautiful archipelago of about 778 islands – small and big – in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) are home to just over 2,500 natives but offer some stunning views to the tourists who keep pouring in in ever-increasing numbers. A British Overseas Colony, Falkland Islands have long been the center of(…)
The Pillars of the Weathering
The Pillars of the Weathering are a breathtaking natural attraction located in the Komi Republic region of Russia. The seven towering pillars approximately 98 feet to 137 feet (30 – 42 meters) in height are some of the most spectacular geographic formations known to mankind. Though, designated one of the Seven Wonders of Russia, the(…)