The Leaning Tower of Pisa

One of the most famous structures in the world is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It stands around 183 feet on the low side and around 186 feet on the high side. It has seven levels with a bell chamber at the top.

It has been a popular tourist destination in Italy. In fact, UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Site. Many make funny poses at side of the tower as photographers capture with their cameras their incredible positions as if they are pushing it back up. It could have been an amusing experience.

I can say that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a clear example of an error in construction. The tower has started in 1173.  However, after the construction of the second level by 1178, it has begun to sink because the foundation has been weak. It has been only 3 meters on wobbly layer of soil. That has halted the construction for about a hundred years.

In 1272, a new architect has resumed construction. He added upper levels but to correct the tilt, he built levels that are higher on one side, which have made the tower curve. However, due to war, the construction stopped in 1284.

Construction has continued again. The seventh level has been finished in 1319 and the bell chamber has been added in 1372. It has 7 bells at the top, which correspond to the seven notes in the major scale.

In 1964, the government of Italy has asked the help of multinational experts to prevent the tower from falling since the tilt has been increasing as time goes by without removing the tilt because if its historical and tourism value. Initially, they have applied lead counterweights on the high side of the tower. In 1990, Italian authorities has closed the tower to the public and the bells have been removed to ease some weight on the tower in order to implement the necessary repair according to a two-decade study of multinational experts. Finally, in 2001, the tower has been declared stable after removing 38 cubic meters of soil from beneath the high side of the tower.

It’s amazing that such a structure with a faulty foundation has received great historical significance instead of structural condemnation. I guess, that’s one reason that has made the Leaning Tower of Pisa truly incredible.

Image Above Courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa

Derweze: The Door to Hell?

Derweze: The Door to Hell (view at night)

I have encountered a very peculiar place in Central Asia. I don’t know if it's possible to visit the place or if they welcome tourists in that area. It's what they call “The Door to hell”. It seems hair-raising to hear but that’s how they call it.

It's in Derweze, a village in Turkmenistan which is located at the middle of Karakum Desert where we can see the Balkan Mountain Range where archaeologists have dug human remains that date back to the Stone Age.

Anyways, it seems that Derweze village and the Karakum Desert is rich with natural gas deposits. In 1971, geologists have drilled a cave in the area to mine natural gas deposits but in the process, the land beneath the spot have collapsed causing a huge hole that measures to about 230 feet in diameter. Geologists have feared that poisonous gas might escape from the hole so they have decided to burn the fuel thinking that the fire would use up all the gas deposit from the hole in a matter of days. Unfortunately, 40 years have gone and still the fire has not stopped from burning. Thus, people have called it "The Door to Hell".

It's like a fiery furnace that never stops. I’m not sure how the people from the locality have been affected by the seeming eternal fire from the ground. It must be very scary to be in that place and perhaps burning gas emits toxic substances that are detrimental to people’s health.

However, it is an interesting place to see. It could be an amazing experience.

Image Above Courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Christ the Redeemer Statue: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Today is Ash Wednesday, a religious event Roman Catholics celebrate. It is the first day of the 40 day season of lent, which celebrates the life and passion of Christ.

One of the biggest icons of Catholicism in our generation perhaps is the “Christ the Redeemer” statue, which has been built on the peak of the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest national park in Brazil. It is considered as the second largest Art Deco structure in the world. In 2007, it has been named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

A Brazilian Catholic priest, Pedro Maria Boss introduced the concept of building a statue on top of the Corcovado Mountain to Brazil’s Imperial Princess Isabel in the 1850’s but she did not give much attention to it until the imperial monarchy lost its governmental authority when Brazil became a Republic in 1889. Then in 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio proposed again the construction of a structure on top of Corcovado Mountain and they initiated a fund-raising activity for the construction. In 1922, the construction of the statue began until 1931. The cost was estimated at US$250,000 at that time.

The statue stands at 130 feet tall, 98 feet wide, with a 31 feet pedestal. From there, you can have a picturesque view of the city of Rio de Janeiro below the mountain. They say that the statue of Christ with outstretched hands symbolize Christianity and peace.

 It is a perfect place for Catholics who want to visit places where they can have both an ambiance of spirituality and majestic scenery. 

Image Above Courtesy Of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_the_Redeemer_%28statue%29

Castel Sant’Angelo: from a Mausoleum, to a Fortress, a Castle, a Death Prison to a Tourist Museum

One of the finest and fascinating structures in Italy is the Castel Sant’Angelo. It is a tall cylindrical structure that stands in the city of Rome near Tiber River, the third longest river in Italy. I must admit that I’ve seen it only in pictures but the elegance of its architecture is undeniable.

In around 137 AD, the Roman Emperor Hadrian built Castel Sant’Angelo as a mausoleum for himself and his family. One year after his death, around 138 AD, his ashes were placed there together with those of his wife and son. Afterward, the remains of the Roman emperors that followed were also laid there of which the last on record was Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Bassianus.

The Castel also felt the atrocities of war. Emperor Flavius Augustus Honorius turned Castel Sant’Angelo into a military fortress against the invading Visigoth army but in 401 AD, Rome fell into the hands of Alaric I, the Visigoth’s king. They ransacked vital buildings including the Castel Sant’Angelo and scattering the urns and ashes in the tombs.

Later on, the popes turned the structure into a castle. It became a papal fortress, residence and a prison. In 1277, Pope Nicholas III built a fortified passage, which connected Vatican City to Castel Sant’Angelo. It served as a secret passage for Popes who are in danger. One of the most marked events in the history of Rome was the mutiny of Charles V’s (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire) troops in 1527. The gallantry of the Pope’s Swiss guards was renowned when they fought even though they were greatly outnumbered. Out of the 189 on duty, 147 were killed on the steps of St. Peter’s Bassilica and only 42 survived. Yet they were successful in defending Pope Clement VII. They escaped through the secret passage into the Castel.

Yet as a prison, its courtyards were witnesses to executions by decapitation and the heads of the condemned hung for days along the bridge as a cruel warning. One of those who were imprisoned in the Castel was Giordano Bruno, an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer, who was an advocate of the infinity of the universe. He was considered as a heretic and was burned at the stake during the Roman inquisition.

According to legend, Castel Sant’Angelo got its name when in 590 AD, Archangel Michael was said to have appeared on top of the Castel sheathing his sword, which they interpreted as a sign that would end the plague that hit the city. Previously, Rome suffered terribly from a catastrophic flood of the Tiber in 589, followed by an epidemic in 590.

Image Courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Angelo

Trout Lake in Costa Rica

I’ve been trying to find some romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day. I’ve seen a few but this one has captured my interest and roused my imagination. It’s the Trout Lake in Vara Blanca, Costa Rica.

Trout Lake

Rainbow Trout

It’s a fresh water lake where guests can fish. Every month, they fill the lake with rainbow trout. They provide fishing rods and you can have your catch cooked in any way you want either for lunch or dinner. Just thinking of having such a Valentine getaway is already thrilling to me. You can even order a cocktail while casting a line. It’s cool! You can have a refreshing swim in the lake and enjoy a dip into their two Jacuzzis.

Trout Lake

The Trout Lake is a part of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park. It’s a privately owned and managed ecological attraction in Vara Blanca, Costa Rica. It boasts of a 120-feet waterfall, a wildlife sanctuary with about 100 species of crawling and flying animals, a butterfly observatory where you can see 25 different species of butterflies numbering to about 4,000 flying creatures, and a hiking trail. It would be a breathtaking experience for a couple, definitely.

120-feet La Paz Waterfall

For more information about Trout Lake, try to check out their site. I’ve provided a link below.

Image courtesy of:

http://www.waterfallgardens.com/index.php

The Gondolas of Venice

It’s Valentine’s Day in a few days. It is a special day for lovers and it is not unusual for them to look for a romantic getaway to celebrate the special occasion.

If I can afford it, I would love to take a gondola ride with my girlfriend around Venice but unfortunately I don’t have one and I can’t afford it.

A gondola ride around the Great Canal in Venice Italy would be a delightful experience. I remember when I’m in pre-school; our music teacher has taught us a song about the gondolas in Venice and the dashing gondoliers although I can hardly remember the song now. Since then, I’ve been so interested about the romance that the gondolas of Venice promise. I can say it is one of my romantic fantasies.

According to an article, a 40-minute gondola ride around the Great Canal in Venice would range to about €80 plus another €40 for a 20-minute extension. So roughly, an hour ride would cost €120. I guess, it’s all worth it! 

Images courtesy of the following:

(check out the sites for additional information about Venice and the Gondolas)

http://www.visit-venice-italy.com/gondola-venice-italy.htm

http://www.excellent-romantic-vacations.com/romantic-venice-italy.html

Taj Mahal: India’s Pride and Legacy

One of the most visited I guess of the wonderful and amazing structures in the world is the Taj Mahal in India particularly in the western region of Uttar Pradish, in the city of Agra near river Yamuna.

Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that remains to be one of the great wonders of the world. In fact, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Persian Architect Ustād 'Īsā, has designed the monument for king Shah Jahan who has built the enthralling structure in 22 years, from 1630 to 1653 utilizing 20,000 workers, masons and jewelers.

The Tāj Mahal’s is actually a complex with many structures but the most prominent is the Dome, measuring 60 feet wide and 80 feet tall. Under the dome is the tomb of Mumtāz Mahal and later on, Shah Jahān's tomb has been built right next to hers after his death.

However, the thing that has struck me is the inspiration for its creation. King Shah Jahan has built it for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal who has died. Her memory has been so precious to the king that 22,000 men worked for it in hard labor and not withstanding using such a great amount of treasure and 22 years to complete it. It is an expression of an eternal love. It has been 380 long years since its ground breaking but the love that has brought it up remains and refreshes the hearts of those who come to see it.

Indeed, it is a masterpiece of love and devotion by a wealthy Mughal king to his beloved wife.

Info and Images courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

Panoramic View of Taj Mahal courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra#T.C4.81j_Mahal