The giant hole in the water

Big hole in the water looks very mysterious, but there is nothing supernatural. The hole, which will be discussed in this article is Leydibauer Reservoir in Derbyshire, England. It is famous for being the world's largest gidroslivom. Gidrosliv - a structure designed to drain water and thus controls the water level in the reservoir. Excess of flood water goes into the hole, which helps to avoid the destruction of the dam. These technologies are used in many lakes in the world

Reservoir LadyBower boasts two such gidroslivami, each in diameter reaches 25 meters, and at the base of the dam is restricted to 5 meters, which is sufficient for complete control of the water level in the lake

This reservoir has become a very popular attraction with tourists, who come here because of the giant hole in the water. It is also often practiced photographers willing to photograph the magnificent scenery










You will certainly be interesting also to read about the world's biggest lakes in the world of one of our past collections

Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, the historic, artistic and religious monument of the Renaissance, was built between 1475 and 1483, during the time of Rome papySiksta IV della Rovere.


First, look at a panorama of the chapel, and then offer more acquainted with the history and frescoes.
(Panorama opens in a new window on the left-vnmzu - control buttons)

History

Sixtus IV was afraid of military threats from the Florentine Signoria de 'Medici, which was in a tense relationship, and from osmanskogoMehmeda (Muhammad the Conqueror), whose troops threatened the east coast of Italy. So he decided to reinforce this construction. And she was named in honor of Pope Sixtus IV, which he immortalized his name 

Outside the chapel has no architectural features. It is a rectangular three-story building, 40.93 meters long and 13.41 meters wide, that is the exact dimensions of Solomon's Temple, as they say in the Old Testament. The height of the chapel of 20.70 meters.
First floor - the most powerful and durable. The second floor of the main, on the longitudinal side walls located on the six windows, two windows are on the front wall.
The third floor is a gallery guard around the building. Originally the gallery was open, and later erected a roof over it, because the water is flowed into the chapel.
The project was made by Bahco Pontelli, the construction of controlled Giovannino de Dolci.
15th August 1483 held its first worship service. (Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin

This is - the original form of the Sistine Chapel. More recent completion of the initial appearance changed. View from the north-west corner (same as above), before the addition of support on the long walls, roof, and before the altar wall of windows were closed, and raised a number of other buildings.


Now Sistine Chapel, like a rectangular box and adjacent to the Cathedral of St. Peter, looks like a feudal structure.

In 1481, after the convergence of the Pope and Lorenzo de 'Medici (two years after the Pazzi conspiracy) group of the best Florentine artists was invited to Rome, where, together with the Umbrian masters in 1481-83 years. adorned the walls of the Sistine Chapel. It was Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, with the participation of his assistants: Pinturicchio, Signorelli, Bartolomeo della Gatta, David Ghirlandaio, Piero di Cosimo, Biagio D'Antoni. These frescoes contain many portraits of figures (12 in the surviving frescoes there are at least hundreds). The original murals were 16, 12 survived.
The frescoes were executed in a surprisingly short time, for 11 months, from July 1481 until May 1482. The ceiling was decorated with frescoes by Piero Matteo d'Emiliey - star-studded, sequined sky. This type was the Sistine Chapel in the days of Sixtus IV,

This chapel is better lit and can provide a better scope, walls, separated cornices and pilasters. You may notice a change in the location of the fence, later moved closer to the entrance to leave more room for "the papal chapel."




1508g in a new pope, Julius II Della Rovera, a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling anew, work was completed between 1508 and 1512.


At 1535g Michelangelo on behalf of Pope Paul III Farnese, began to paint the altar wall of the Last Judgment scene. He graduated from the mural v1541g.


The building can be considered as a personal monument to the family of Della Rovera, as Sixtus IV began its construction, and continued - his nephew, Julius II. Oak leaves and acorns, heraldic symbols of the family Della Rovere, whose name means literally "from the oak," abound on the elements of the frescoes.


The frescoes have suffered from centuries of soot from candles. The fresco of the Last Judgment was painted over, even when Pope Pius IV, who seemed to insult the presence of nude figures in the scene of religious content.
The decoration of the chapel was cleaned and restored in recent decades. The project, which began with the frescoes of the fifteenth century - in 1965. Restoration of the arches and the Last Judgment scene, which began in 1980, was completed in 1994.


Of course, the five centuries have not been to the chapel without a trace, but the guard at the Vatican, a work of antiquity, and now you can see this gem of the Vatican in the form which it was created.
Since the end of the XV century, in the Chapel are the Conclave (the choice of a new pope). The first Conclave, held in the Chapel, was a conclave of 1492, which elected Alexander VI.


It serves as a chapel of the papal palace and place of electing a new pope after the death of the preceding.
120, specially appointed, bishops and archbishops are locked in the chapel, and do not leave it until they elect a new pope.




The faithful gathered in the square, find out about election results by the conventional smoke alarm: white smoke notify electing a new pope, black is - to continue voting.
Currently, the chapel is open to visitors as a museum, an outstanding monument of the Renaissance.

The State Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage Museum - today it is perhaps the most famous museum is not only Petersburg but also in Russia.

        The Hermitage (St. Petersburg) - Russia is the best gallery that represents the art world, one of the most famous art museums in the world and certainly the main attraction in St. Petersburg. The museum was founded in 1764, when Catherine the Great purchased a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today the State Hermitage Museum has over 2.7 million exhibits and displays a variety of art and artifacts from around the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to early 20th century in Europe). Hermitage collection includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, a unique collection of Rembrandt and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Pissarro, numerous paintings by Van Gogh, Matisse, Gauguin and Rodin sculptures a few. The collection is vast and diverse, to create it took a long time, and it is an essential aspect for all those interested in art and history.

         The main building of the Hermitage - is the Winter Palace, which was once the main residence of Russian tsars. Superbly located on the banks of the Neva River, this green-and-white three-storey palace, a miracle of architecture in the Baroque style, which boasts a 1786 doors, a thousand windows, and more than a thousand richly decorated halls and rooms, many of which are open to the public. The Winter Palace in the Baroque style was built between 1754 and 1762gg., And its first resident was none other than the famous Catherine the Great. Many of the impressive interiors of the palace was rebuilt after a huge fire and partially destroyed the building in 1837. Some of the best Russian and foreign most famous architects carefully worked to make this imperial residence was one of the best and most luxurious palaces in the world.

        

        Hermitage collections are displayed in adjacent buildings, built along the coast of the Neva, they combine to form an enormous museum complex: Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and lastly, the New Hermitage. The State Hermitage Museum - Museum and a private theater, built by kings, is a beautifully designed amphitheater, which still holds regular lectures, concerts, opera and ballet performances.

         Experts say that if you take a minute of looking at each exhibit on display at the Hermitage, you would need 11 years to inspect all of them. We offer you a brief tour, located on our website.

         

       With the possible exception of the Louvre, nor a museum in the world can not be a contender for such a colossus as the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg), either in size or quality. His collection is so large that it would take years to view them in full - at last count, there were about three million works on exhibit. The Hermitage, a museum, is particularly strong in the Italian Renaissance and French Impressionists, he also has an outstanding collection of works by Rembrandt, Picasso and Matisse. Visitors should also admire his fine collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, and art exhibits in Siberia and Central Asia. Not least among the attractions - as noted by everyone who visited the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg), is the museum itself, with its fine interiors and architectural details. Hermitage Museum - a museum of enormous size, with such a variety of exposures and strong, and so attractive interiors that many visitors find that the best way to get acquainted with the museum - is to make several short visits rather than one frenetic and exhausting marathon.

        While much can be achieved through systematic and serious approach, and sometimes let simple curiosity to take at least occasionally over the top of the set list of works and collections, and attracted the attention distracted by masterpieces.

        Hermitage Museum - a museum, and its origins can be traced back to the private art collection of Peter the Great, who purchased numerous works during his travels abroad, and then hung them in his residence. Catherine the Great expanded the collection considerably, and she and her successors expanded the collection of the Hermitage to a large extent, buying private collections of Western European aristocracy and monarchy. By the time Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894, the Hermitage - St. Petersburg was then the chief city of Russia, and so, the Hermitage was the greatest place of gathering a collection of works of art in Europe.

        After the revolution of 1917 Hermitage Museum - the museum was opened to the public and its collections have continued to grow at the expense of contemporary works from private collections. Today, the Hermitage periodically repaired, collections are in the process of reorganization, and many of his works first became available for traveling exhibitions outside the country.

Saint Sophia Cathedral

Saint Sophia Cathedral

In the city of Saint Sophia is a heap of stone and brick. This contrasts the incomprehensibility of it all over the city and attracts the attention of
This temple is simply called the Great Church.
It was created in 532-537 years. by order of Emperor Justinian. For the construction of the main cathedral of the Byzantine Empire were not invited to professional architects and a professor of mathematics and geometry, Anfimov of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus.

              Detail of the plan of modern Istanbul

In place of the vast basilica began to build a huge centric building with a dome, covering a huge cubic space. Four massive pillars supporting the ribbed dome on a small drum, hidden behind the construction of basilican plan. From the east and west is complicated by the vast dome of the semicircles and semi-dome Exedra, which is inscribed with three Exedra lower height.

The magnificence of this grand complex interior impressed contemporaries, and Byzantine architects did not dare to continue to compete with this monument: Sofia remained elusive summit, from which led the countdown, but which did not dare to approach. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 the Turks were sizing a half-century Aya Sophia, as they call the Temple, and then began to play its numerous mosques, in varying degrees, approaching as unattainable, as in the Byzantine period, the sample. But the Turkish architects, among whom was the famous Sinan, has always tried to not only copy the plan and interior features of Sofia, but also give the outward appearance of its mosques a new quality - they created a facade. What in the temple, there is no obvious pattern.

cross-section

The plan of the first tier

Originally lunettes of the cathedral was given too much light. In later revisions of his turned down, narrowed openings, giving the interior a mystical darkness of
Sophia built in accordance with a rare and apparently deliberate refusal of the principle of the external image. This is a slozhnosshity sail inflated by the wind, sail covers, and shadowing the interior, but not formally identified and decorated the outside. If there was just the dome, the temple can be compared with a tent, yurt, construction of any fabric on the frame. Only the frame in this case is distributed throughout the tissue and literally fused with it. This is a huge shell, stretched out over the temple space, the multicast, but a single dome, a grand and complex metaphor for the celestial sphere. On the part of this structure, geometrically calculated and verified the shell looks like a chaotic conglomeration of shapes, like a giant pile of building materials and structural elements, on top of which is a flat dome on a drum, it is not taking off impressions of amorphous and messiness of the whole.

In contrast to the appearance of the temple, the interior affects its structural
This amazing property of Sofia makes her very perception of the theater. On the distant view points, from the sea or on the other hand the Golden Horn, the monument is unknown mass. Today, it is not too stands out among the five or six mosques built by the Turks on a sample and having a clear silhouettes. When the mosque was not, the situation was different: the temple, as now, towering over the low buildings, but mostly gathered around her as tall and somewhat oplyvshy hill or mound. Suitable to the cathedral of the city blocks covered with a dome viewer sees a lot, which guessed buttresses, arches, and even some small dome hramiki two reference arrays, but does not see the whole dissolved in the piling building blocks, basic and additional amounts to the window openings of various shapes. And then when you log into the heap and stone turns plinfy saturated with the light of the majestic temple of wisdom arranged space.

The Byzantines believed that the canopy is suspended from Sofia to the sky a golden chain
This effect was unexpected Byzantine architects certainly take into account, but not for him, they left the facade of the Great Church, without any decorative treatment. In Sofia, Constantinople, we meet with the extreme phases of architectural thought that when you create a sacred space sees only from within the temple, and its shell materialized views as a metaphor for heaven. The appearance of the church - what is not, because the sky is not the reverse side, there is no appearance, but the interior. Therefore, outside of Sofia - something fatal inomirnoe. This otherness is not in regard to neighboring buildings, not to the city - it is otherness in respect of the world of material forms, a form which can not be. And it was she, a shapeless heap of ugly plastic, is an expression of what is inside - a world transformed by the divine presence.

Christ the Redeemer statue.

From the top of Corcovado Mountain offers stunning views - a long strip of Copacabana Beach, the peak of Sugar Loaf, and over the city, a magical city of Rio de Janeiro! From this point, perhaps, we can not consider only the symbol of the big city and a symbol of Brazil - Statue of Christ Redeemer, because we are just at its foot. It is best to admire the 38-meter giant in the evening, on board a small plane hired by a predatory price - that's when architectural masterpiece is presented in all its glory. Jesus, enveloped in a pillar of light from the spotlights, as if coming down from heaven, hovering over the city. The view from any point on the Rio statue of Christ, no less fascinating: it seems that Jesus wants us to embrace, invites to join his flock. He stretches out his hands to us, forgiving and pitying.

The history of the statue of Christ the Redeemer has its origins in XVI century, when the Portuguese named the peak, which is a statue, "the mountain of temptation," is mentioned in the Bible. Some time later renamed Mount Corcovado (Corcovado), which means "hunchback." This nickname was due to the top bizarre-like a hump. Historically, witnessed the existence of mountains, the future of the pedestal of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, registered in 1824, when the first official expedition was carried out on the 700-meter Corcovado mountain.

In 1859 a Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss arrived in Rio de Janeiro and was struck by the mysterious beauty of Mount Corcovado. Soon after his father Pedro offered to build a monument on top of it to Christ, and asked the princess Isabella appropriations, the daughter of the then Emperor of Brazil, Pedro II. In order that the chances of receiving funds increased, savvy Pedro offered to dedicate the statue named Princess. However, the illustrious lady did not come to the delight of the huge expenses and deferred the matter until 1889. In the end, "Napoleon's plans," while it did not come true, because it is in 1889, Emperor Pedro II abdicated and the monarchy gave way to a republican government. Since the church was legally separated from the state, and the thought of the monument fell into the background. While the country cared about the problems of survival, and no one wanted to invest in such an expensive project.

In the years of neglect the idea of ​​the statue has started another project - the laying of a railway from the city center to the mountain of Corcovado. In the period from 1859 to 1921 the priest Dom Pedro agreed to take part in the design and development of the railway to the mountain of Corcovado, which runs between the street Cosme Velkhiev (Cosme Velho) and Paineiras. In the future this road will play a key role in supplying the top of the building materials for the future of the statue. The opening of the narrow railway length of 3.8 km. took place in 1884.

The idea of ​​erecting the statue of Christ the Redeemer, "the city fathers," came later. In 1921, the Catholic organization in Rio de Janeiro offered to build a monument to the colossal size of the Corcovado, which is visible from every corner of the amazing Rio, and which will become the new symbol of a free country. The activists held a gathering signatures and donations of the citizens of the city - the event was called "Monument Week". The proposal has caused a great response among the public and the money flowed a river. Statue of Christ the Redeemer can be called a national project. Immediately after the elections were organized by the additional fees for the construction of the statue, which took an active part, and the entire population of Rio County, as well as church. In an ambitious project has been spent over 2 million flights ($ 250,000) - an enormous sum at that time.

In 1922 he was getting a great event - the centenary of Brazilian independence from Portugal (celebrated in September every year), which inspired the leaders of the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro for an early decision on the construction of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Preliminary work began on 22 April (according to some reports - April 4), this day was laid the first foundation stone for the statue. The material for the erection of statues served as a "Soap" stone and concrete.

Administration of Rio de Janeiro announced a design competition in which there is a serious competition from the participants. Offers a wealth of options for the statue of Christ the Redeemer, in the end in September this year, the project engineer Heitor da Silva Costa (Heitor da Silva Costa) was the best. The concept proposed by the architect, was in that posture of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms to the sides, was to depict a cross, and a massive pedestal - the globe (but, in consequence, the shape of the base has been changed). Thus, the sculpture is designed to give people one thought - "All things in the hands of the Lord."

The final design of the monument was designed by a talented artist Carlos Oswald (Carlos Oswald). Finally, in 1927, the creative team of architects, artists and engineers designed a model of the statues of various sizes, and all was ready for the construction of the monument. Costa made the necessary calculations Hisses (Coast Hisses). He was assisted by Pedro Vyana (Pedro Viana) and Heitor Levy (Heitor Levy), who during the whole period of the erection of the statue near the monument lived under a canopy in the forest.

Active part in the construction took a well-known French sculptor of Polish origin, Paul Landowski (Paul Landowski), he modeled and made of plaster of the statue's head and hands, which were then shipped from France to Brazil. Generally, to create a sculpture in France labored many engineers and technicians. They have suggested that the steel frame on reinforced concrete, since this support is more appropriate for structures of this type. The outer layer is made of soapstone, which attracted sculptors, ease of use and durability, which leads to a high content of magnesium in the rock. Stone imported specially from Sweden (mine Lymhamn).

All the necessary building material, as well as groups of workers involved in the construction of the Statue of Christ the Savior, brought to the top of Corcovado on the railway track that connects the street Cosme Velha and Paineiras. Today it is an iron sheet used exclusively for transportation of tourists. The small train with a red, cheerful carriages, promptly delivers travel almost to the monument. Note that the electric railway line, was the first in Brazil. Total route from downtown to the Corcovado runs two trains, each consisting of two cars. A trip to the foot of the statue is about 20 minutes. Trains leave every half hour - the first departs from the halt in 8:30 in the morning and the last - at 18-30. Every hour on the train to the monument of Christ the Redeemer is delivered to about 360 people. There is also an alternative road, it goes on the Tijuca National Park, visitors can take a taxi to get to the monument with great comfort. The remaining 223 steps to the top of the way, tourists and pilgrims are overcome, tape up the automatic escalator, which is determined by the way, only in 2003. The road leading to the statue, very tortuous, so it is the locals called them "Caracol" ("snail").

In 1931 occurred the famous, great event in the history of the statue of Christ the Redeemer: the opening ceremony of the monument, which was accomplished on October 12. Product specification and size sculpture then amazed the audience. But now, in the days of skyscrapers and high-tech, the greatness of the monument are delighted townsfolk. The height of a giant - 38 feet (30 meters - the actual statue and 8 meters - a pedestal). Weight of the structure, including the base, more than 1,100 tons. One only Head of Christ the Redeemer weighs about 36 tons, and hands together, the "pull" by 18.2 tonnes. The scope of the hands of the statue according to exact measurements, as recorded in the documentation that is 23 meters (not 30, as is commonly believed). Even in our time in the 2000 illumination system was replaced by a more modern, and now at night, a statue of Christ the Redeemer stands out on the vone sky.

In the interior of the marble plinth (base) there was a place for the chapel in which prayers are made, are weddings, baptisms and other ceremonial events. The chapel was built in honor of the 75th anniversary of the monument, in its coverage of attended Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal EO Shade. This chapel is named in honor of the patroness of Brazil, it is Our Lady of Aparecida. The monument itself was often consecrated bishops of the Roman Catholic Church (Pope Paul VI and John Paul II).

Already in 30th years of the statue in the evenings and at night lit up by spotlights, which are governed by short radio waves specialist from Rome (Guglielmo Marconi). Imagine the signal was broadcast on 9200 km.! However, during bad weather conditions there were interruptions in the light, and soon led the illumination is from Rio de Janeiro.

An interesting fact. Statue of Christ Redeemer, even went around the storm that raged July 10, 2008, which does not damage the monument, although the wind and lightning knocked down trees and brought severe damage to several nearby neighborhoods of Rio. This resistance of the statue because soapstone acted as an insulator, so the electrical charge from lightning was quickly extinguished on the surface of the sculpture.

The state statue is currently not a concern. Repair and restoration of the monument were carried out more than once in 75 years of sculpture. The first overhaul of the monument survived in 1980, and the second - in 1990.

Undoubtedly, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In Rio, you can see at once, two Miracle World - Statue of Christ and exciting carnival. Of course, for Christian pilgrims Carnival procession is of no value, they are attracted by a monument. It is said that at the foot of the statue of a special atmosphere, the air is saturated with holiness and splendor.

The greatest influx of tourists and pilgrims is happening before Easter and during the Carnival season. Now the number of travelers each year, rising to Corcovado, has reached 1 million people a year. The flow of tourists has increased after the July 7, 2007 The Statue of Christ the Redeemer among the seven New Wonders of the World. Without a doubt, the monument of Christ on Corcovado Mountain is one of the greatest sculptural works of art in the world.

Reference:

The statue of Christ the Redeemer, there are a few doubles. For example, a statue of Christo Rei (Christ the King), which is located in Lisbon (built in 1949-1959.). Her height is about 28 meters, but instead used the podium of a hill about 80 meters tall.

In Vung Tau (Vietnam), similar to the statue of Christ with outstretched arms, was erected in 1972. It stands on a small hill (height 132 meters) and has the following parameters: height - 32 meters, and arm span, slightly less than 20 meters.

On the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia (a Muslim country!) In 2007 completed the construction of a 30 meter giant, depicting Jesus Christ, his arms over the metropolis Monad.

There's even a stone, Jesus Christ in East Timor, near the state capital - Dili (the height of the monument - 27 meters).

Sculptures depicting Jesus as built in Malta, in the Dominican Republic, Italy, Honduras. Planned construction of such monuments in Slovakia and Germany.

Christ the Redeemer statue itself in Rio de Janeiro is often equated with other grandiose architectural buildings past and present - the Statue of Liberty (USA), Mother Motherland (Volgograd, Russia), and even the Colossus of Rhodes (Rodos)

The Pentagon

The Pentagon - the name of the U.S. Department of Defense building, which has the shape of a regular pentagon. Located in Virginia near Washington (Mailing address: Arlington, Virginia 22202, USA).
The largest office building in the world. Construction of the Pentagon, which houses the U.S. Department of Defense, was completed in January 1943. The length of each of the five sides of the building is 281 m, the perimeter - about 1405 m, the total length of the corridor - 28 km and the total area of ​​five storeys - 604 000 m ². The building has five above-ground and two underground floors, the height of the aerial part - 23.5 m [1]. In the building there are windows 7754. The building has about 26,000 people.

Pentagon building was designed by American architect George Bergstrom (1876-1955), and its construction was done by John McShane Construction Company of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). The project was commissioned by the army command. At the request of General Somervell Brehona construction of the building was to be carried out rapidly, it should have already completed January 15, 1943 after the start of construction work September 11, 1941 supervised the construction of the army led the Colonel (c September 17, 1942 - General) Construction Army Corps of U.S. Leslie Groves, the Manhattan Project Technical Manager.



Interesting Facts

Type: Main
Coordinates: 38 ° 52'15 .56 "N 77 ° 3'21 .46" W
Built: Construction start: September 11, 1941, ending January 15, 1943
Height: five floors above ground and two underground
Who is building: the Ministry of Defense of the United States of America
The building has a courtyard, which houses a grocery store, service department employees, and grow mostly oak trees. According to local legend, during the Cold War, Soviet military analysts have assumed that by this little building is a bunker: spy satellites recorded that it is constantly coming and going a lot of people. In this connection, supposedly, right at the grocery store were targeted Soviet nuclear missiles. Because of this, he received the ominous name «Ground Zero».
In the lobby of the building there are many shops, offices, banks and other organizations focused on service employees of the Ministry. Next to each other are floral, confectionery and jewelery shops. According to folklore, their arrangement meets the needs of the military, ever lingering on the job. Their wives are dissatisfied with the lack of systematic spouses at home, so women have to placate: flowers, candy, and in severe cases - jewelery.
At the Pentagon, twice as many toilets than needed in fact. The Pentagon was built in the 40s of the 20th century, when Virginia was still a law according to which the toilets for whites and blacks had to be separated. True, the labels "for whites" and "for blacks" hung up and have not been through the intervention of President Roosevelt ^ 2.

An Australian city of Sydney

This amazing building is decorated with an Australian city of Sydney in 1973.

Sydney Opera House stands almost in the ocean, is also a unique design perfect acoustics, and is the main attraction of the city.

I wonder where in Australia, the country of kangaroos and eucalyptus trees, this increased interest in opera and classical music?

It all started with the 50's, when visiting a European tour Sydney musicians and singers began to note that in this city interested in classical music is quite high, but this is not a concert hall.

And then it appeared a decision on the establishment of the Sydney Opera. When choosing a construction site, city and state governors, have turned their attention to the rocky peninsula of Bennelong Point, located near the ring embankment. In 1954 he was declared an architectural competition for the construction of the Sydney Opera House building. It was attended by more than two hundred architects from 30 countries worldwide. Australians enjoyed an unusual project Dane Jorn Uottsona,
which had never been to Australia, but inspired by paintings of sailing ships at sea, was able to create such a project, which resembled a sailing regatta, the most suited to the spirit of Sydney and the chosen site for construction. And the construction began in 1959.
But one thing the project on paper, and another - how to build such an unusual structure? Construction was delayed, Uottson looking for solutions to technical problems, but still - still in 1966, he had to leave Australia. Further technical solutions looking for local architects.
And they did it. In 1973 the opening of the Sydney Opera House, attended by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Cost is great and amazing building sidneytsam $ 100 million.
Built complex covers an area of ​​2.2 hectares and consists of five rooms. Opera Hall can take visitors in 1550, a concert - 2700.
There is also a hall for symphony orchestra and choir, cinema and restaurant.
Famous Sails - roofs covered with a special sparkling snow-white tiles and a maximum building height of 67 meters.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall

Perhaps, it is difficult to find someone who never heard about the Great Wall of China. As a rule, every country in the mass associated with the creation of one-way character. A wall (which is, so with a capital I'll call her later) not less vulgarized than the Eiffel Tower (when Tsvetaeva Voloshin asked what he liked best in Paris, he replied: "Eiffel Tower" - and the indignant exclamation companion added, - the only place where it is not visible). However, unlike the Eiffel Tower, an image which does not cause controversy, few people imagine what is in fact the Great Wall (or rather walls, as are several of them, but more on that later.)

The wall is really a symbol of China for the Chinese themselves, as well as for foreigners. At the entrance to the renovated part of the walls can be seen the inscription, made by Mao Tse Tung - "If you have not visited the Great Wall of China - you're not a real Chinese." And if you think this is true.

For a start, a little history. In the entire history of China, there are three main walls, each length of 10,000 li (5,000 km).. I must say that this number (10000) has a special significance in Chinese tradition. This is due primarily to the counting system adopted in ancient China. For the 10 000 there is a special name (Wan), which is close in meaning to the Russian "darkness", ie "Very much".

At the gate of Tiananmen Square (the central square in Beijing), hang two of the slogan "10,000 years of prosperity of China" and "Let it be 10,000 years the Communist Party of China." (In ancient China, this number was used only in relation to the emperor). In total, construction of the Wall has taken 2,000 years (since the 7th century BC to 17th century AD).
     The first wall (Qin Dynasty 221 BC -206 BC) associated with the name of the famous "unifier of the Chinese land," the Emperor Qin Shi Huang. For its construction had been sent 500 thousand people (with a total population of 20 million) a significant role in the building played a Confucian scholars, whom Qin Shi Huang thought of lime on the vine. Thousands of scientists, branded and shackled, to ensure the timely completion of work. This Chinese "White Sea Canal" (Wall is actually built on the bones of people who were driven from all over the country) at the time had a huge military-strategic importance. In the popular mind, this "great building" appeared as the "Wailing Wall". In the same old story, which is known to every schoolboy, describes a loving wife, who learned of the death of her husband, her tears flow down the wall.
     The second wall (Han Dynasty 206BC-220AD) was built to protect against the Huns, who made regular forays into the territory of China, and spoiled the order of the Wall, built by Qin Shi Huang. On the construction of the third wall (Ming Dynasty 1368-1344) was sent for about 1 million people. In the particularly important areas of hard-working Chinese are not limited to the construction of a wall in some places their number reached ten. During the construction, focusing on the fact that each of the towers of the Wall was in the line of sight from the two neighbors. Messages were transmitted by means of smoke signals or drums. In addition, all the way from Wall to the central city, at a distance of one horse from each other by the transition are small bases on which the messenger with the news futures could change horses.

All of the above, however, gives very little idea of ​​what such a wall, so to speak, an aesthetic point of view. First of all, the verb should be noted that the Chinese use to refer to a trip to the Wall. In Chinese it is pronounced "pa", and means about the same as the English "to climb", ie, climb, climb, climb, and the like. I must say that a trip to the wall really means is the above-mentioned actions. The wall itself is composed of a large number of steps that rise or fall (for some reason very rarely) in accordance with the peculiarities of the terrain. So you creep up from tower to tower, straining his last strength, convulsive breathing mountain air. If it's winter, then step to the same covered with a thin layer of ice, which makes the rise is particularly fascinating. And when you stop to rest, some scrawny Chinese (in the form of 60-70 years), which in the beginning you do not consider as a rival, briskly breaking step by step, leaving you far behind. Feature of the recovery on the Wall (as opposed to climbing a mountain, for example (many mountains in China as the "step")) is the absence of peaks to be conquered. The tower rises behind the tower, one step after another, the higher you climb, the less people around, the heady mountain air. . . selection of the other cliches of romance I'll leave the mountain on the part of the reader.

In ancient times, Wall really was a serious obstacle to anyone who tried to get into the "Middle Kingdom". The only way inside was through special checkpoints, which are tightly closed at night (the night they could not be opened under any circumstances, once had to wait until morning, even the Chinese emperor). In order to be missed in the Wall, the traveler had to get permission from higher authorities. To do this, he gave a kind of customs declaration for consideration by the head of the garrison, which, after appropriate testing, shipped it to their supervisors at the center. Prior authorization of the central authorities had no right prokinut inside, so the area around the checkpoint was filled with tents and stalls of traders waiting for an entry permit (sometimes delayed not to wait for a month).

Around Beijing, there are several sections of the wall, accessible to tourists. The most interesting part of neotrestavrirovanny Symatay. Restored and freshly painted walls of the produce depressing golivudskoy scenery, and how it is hard to believe that all this is here for thousands of years. I went to Symatay winter, and it really was one of the strongest impressions of Beijing. Because of the terrible pollution of the atmosphere over the city, Beijing is almost impossible to see the sky. The city is filled with all shades of gray - gray-blue, gray-blue, gray and brown .... Therefore, the blue sky above Symataem perceived almost as a miracle.

... when the bus pulls up with tourists to the wall, it immediately takes to the ring the crowd of Chinese women of middle and advanced age. What unites them all perhaps the only exclusive external deformity and a desire to make money. Because Chinese women is clearly more than us at the door the bus turns a real struggle for anyone who dares to come out. For some time we do not allow the driver to open the door - the external world, smiling a toothless smile, an elderly Chinese woman, does not inspire confidence. Finally, we go out. Chinese women, deftly sorting out little legs, trying to keep up with our European wide step. It turns out - they are guides designed to lighten and brighten up our recovery. They point to the wall and say that this wall, but this tower, there is a river, and in front of a high mountain. Since the value of such information is reasonable doubt, we strongly reject their services, but women do not pay attention to it, they circle around in the vain hope of attracting us with his encyclopedic knowledge. As soon as we climb higher and higher, sadness and disappointment show through more clearly on their wrinkled faces. Finally, we turn back. On the descent it is clearly not for us to keep up, the distance between us grows and grows, so they no longer seen around the bend walls, and a lively old man's voice, sending us to the last curse, speak the mountain echoes somewhere far behind ...

Good to Great Wall of China in the winter!

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, located in Agra - one of the most recognizable landmarks, not only in India but throughout the world. The facility was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, as well as a symbol of eternal love. In this article I will tell you about the history of this miracle, and the most interesting facts and events associated with it

Taj Mahal - the most outstanding example of Mogul architecture style that combines elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is essentially an integrated complex of structures, central and significant component of which is the white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, both day and night, thousands of artisans and craftsmen worked on the creation of this miracle. Council worked on the construction of the architects, but the main thing was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri


Let's start from the beginning, namely, that the emperor spodviglo the construction of such a miracle. In 1631 Mount befell the Emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire at the height of its power. His third wife, Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth of their 14th child. A year later, construction began on which Shah Jahan decided, driven by his irrepressible grief and a strong love for the deceased wife.

The main mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. We now describe each of the structural elements of the complex in detail

Taj Mahal

The Shrine - architectural center of the complex of the Taj Mahal. This huge, white marble structure stands on a square pedestal, and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched opening, entitled the large dome. Like most Mughal tombs, basic elements are of Persian origin.

Inside the mausoleum are the tombs of two - the Shah and his beloved wife. The height of buildings is 74 meters, together with the platform, and the corners are four minarets, slightly tilted to the side. This was done in order to fall in the event they do not damage the central building

Marble dome adorning the tomb, is the most exciting part of the Taj Mahal. Its height is 35 meters. Because of the special form it is often called onion dome. The shape of the dome highlighted by four smaller domed shapes, placed at the corners of the tomb, which repeat the onion shape of main dome


Domes completed gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century was replaced by a replica in bronze. Crown is entitled in a typical month of the Islamic-style horns to show up

Minarets, 40 meters in height each, are also show perfect symmetry. They were designed as acting - is a traditional element of mosques, calling the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is divided into three equal parts by two working balconies encircling the tower. All the decorative elements of design are also decorated with gilded minarets

Exterior
Making the exterior Taj Mahal surely be counted among the best examples of world architecture. Since the surface structure is different in different parts, design is chosen proportionally. Decorative elements were created using a variety of paints, plaster, stone inlays and carvings. In accordance with the Islamic ban on the use of anthropomorphic forms, decorative elements are grouped into symbols, abstract forms and floral motifs

On the entire range as decorative elements are also used passages from the Koran. At the gate at the entrance to the park complex of the Taj Mahal suffered four verses of the 89th Sura of the Koran "Dawn", addressed to the human soul:
«O thou soul rest! Return to your Lord pleased and earned contentment! C Enter My slaves. Come into My Paradise! "


Abstract forms are used everywhere, especially in the plinth, minarets, gateway, mosque, and even on the surface of the grave. At lower levels, the tomb suffered a realistic marble figures of flowers and vines. All these images are polished and inlaid stones such as yellow marble, jasper and jade

Interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal takes away from the traditional decorative elements. Inside is a number of precious and semiprecious stones, and the inner room - a perfect octagon, which can be accessed from either side of buildings. However, only the southern door from the garden.
The interior walls are 25 meters in height to the ceiling in the form of the inner dome, decorated in the form of the sun. Eight large arches divide the internal space into proportional parts. The four central arches form balconies and viewing platforms with panoramic windows, carved in marble. In addition to these windows, the light also comes through the holes in the corners of the roof. Like the outside, everything inside is decorated with reliefs and inlays


Muslim tradition forbids the decoration of graves. Consequently, the body of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were placed in a simple tomb, with faces, turned towards Mecca. And the foundation, the coffin itself, carefully inlaid with precious stones. Calligraphic inscriptions on the tomb of praise Mumtaz. The rectangular diamond on the cover of the tomb, presumably, was created, so it could write. Cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetric element in the whole complex, as it was completed later. He is more than the coffin of his wife, but is decorated with the same elements


At the tomb of Shah Jahan marked calligraphic inscription that says: "He traveled from this world into the abode of Eternal night the twenty-sixth day of Rajab 1076."

The gardens of the Taj Mahal
We now describe the magnificent garden, adjacent to the architectural complex. Mughal Gardens stretched for 300 meters in length. The architects came up with raised pathways that divide each of the four parts of the garden depth of 16 beds. The water channel in the center of the park is faced with marble, situated in the middle, between the tomb and gateway, reflecting pond. It reflects the image of the tomb. The emperor was inspired to create a garden, seeing the same luxuries in the Persian sheikhs. Garden of the Taj Mahal is unusual in that the main element - a mausoleum, located at the end of the garden. Early sources describe the garden, amazing abundance of vegetation, including the exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils and hundreds of fruit trees. But over time, the Mughal Empire weakened, and there was nobody to protect the gardens. During the reign of the British Empire landscaping of the garden was mutated, and he began to resemble an ordinary lawn in central London


Adjoining buildings
Taj Mahal complex is bounded on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls and the side that runs along the river, remains open. Outside the walls of the central building there are several additional mausoleums, where are buried the rest Jahan's wife, as well as a great servant of the grave of a loved Mumtaz. These structures are built of red sandstone, are typical of the era of Mughal tombs. Nearby is the House of Music, which is presently used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental structure built of marble. Its vaulted passages repeat the form of archways graves, and the arches are decorated with the same elements as the tomb. All items are carefully planned with a geometric point of view


At the far end of the complex are two large buildings of the same red sandstone, are located on both sides of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, building on the left was used as a mosque, and an identical building on the right was built for symmetry, but maybe used as a guesthouse. The construction of these buildings was completed in 1643


History construc Taj Mahal
Here I will tell you about interesting facts from the history of the construction industry. The Taj Mahal was built on land south of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented the Maharaja Jai ​​Singh, a large palace in the center of Agra in exchange for the land. The complex large-scale excavations were carried out. A huge pit was dug and filled with dirt to reduce the flowability of the soil. The site itself was raised to 50 meters above the river. When the device basement tombs were dug deep wells, which are filled with gravel for drainage and foundation support. Instead of bamboo forests, the workers built a huge brick pillars surrounding the tomb - it is much easier for future work. Later, it took years to dismantle these woods - so they were huge. In order to expedite this process, Shah Jahan allowed farmers to use these bricks for their needs


Trench was dug Pyatnadtsatikilometrovaya in the land, to convey to the construction of marble and other materials. Bundles of 20-30 oxen pulled the large blocks on specially designed carts. It was built a system of special tanks, feed water from the river channel and to the most complex. The pedestal and the tomb of the Taj Mahal was built in 12 years, while the remaining part of the complex required for another 10 years to complete. Total construction cost was about 32 million rupees at that time


For the construction of complex materials have been used from all over Asia. Involved more than a thousand elephants for transportation. All in all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid in white marble. On the construction of 20 000 were employed workers from northern India is likely they performed the hardest labor in slave-like conditions, since even in our time, people in India are working like slaves - an example, the article "Child labor in India." Involved as sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, the stone carvers from Baluchistan, Turkey, Iran


Soon after the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb, and placed under arrest at Fort Delhi. After smetri he was buried in a mausoleum next to his beloved wife. By the end of the 19th century, parts of the building fell into disrepair. The Taj Mahal was looted by British soldiers and officials who carved precious materials of the walls of the building. At the same time Lord Curzon conceived large-scale reconstruction, which ended in 1908. At the same time altered and the famous gardens, lawns giving British style


In 1942 the government established a forest in an attempt to disguise the Taj Mahal before the attack pilots Luftwaffe and Japanese air forces. The same action was taken during the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1965 and 1971. This produced the effect, and construction remained unharmed


At present, the complex threatens pollution. Due to the pollution of the river Yamuna there was a threat of soil erosion and shoaling. Within the walls of the tomb began to appear cracks began settling the mausoleum. Because of air pollution has become a building to lose its whiteness, appeared yellow plaque, which accounts for an annual cleaning. The Indian Government is taking urgent measures covering the production of harmful in Agra, and expanding the protected area, but this has no effect

Taj Mahal is India's main attraction, drawing from 2 to 4 million tourists annually, including more than 200,000 from overseas. There is a special price of entry for citizens of India, is many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings a lot of money in the coffers of the state, adding to the budget. Most tourists visit the complex starting in October, a cooler time of year. Because of the measures to protect nature, entrance on the buses here is prohibited, with special remote parking charge of an electric tram, tourists podvozyaschy


Taj Mahal on the list of new Seven Wonders of the World, by a vote of the World, held in 2007. The monument is open to the public from 6:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, except Friday, when held in the mosque praying. For security reasons, carry with them into the territory are allowed to water only in transparent bottles, small video cameras, cameras, mobile phones and small purses