Trifter

Colosseum of Rome

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This large and amazing structure is the most recognizable of Rome’s Classical buildings. It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. The construction of the Colosseum took ten years, which is pretty fast for a beautiful structure in the center of Rome. At the time, the Colosseum was used for animal hunts, execution, gladiator games, reenactments of famous battles, mock sea battles, and dramas based on the Classical Mythology. With 50,000 seats available for many to watch and enjoy, there is a pretty good chance that the events are interesting at the time. After time, the Colosseum was prevented to be used as entertainment during the early medieval era. However, it was later reused for certain purposes, such as workshops, housing, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian Shrine. The Colosseum had endured earthquakes and stone robbers in the 21st century, but it still stands marvelously in Rome. The Colosseum today is now Rome’s most popular tourist attraction, with one million visiting the structure annually.

Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

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The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are basically a 2,000 year burial site made and carved out of bedrock. This site is located in Alexandria, which was the capital city of ancient Egypt. The catacombs were founded by Alexander the Great in 322 B.C. and were used in the 2nd and 4th centuries. The site was rediscovered when a donkey walked over the area and fell when the crevasse opened in the ground. Inside the burial site, there are chambers and tombs that hold hundreds of corpses, and a staircase that leads to the banquet hall to celebrate the dead, which was mainly used for family and friends. The art in the catacombs are a mix of Roman, Greek, and Egyptian iconography. Today, the site is open to the public and many come here for the architecture and design, and there is still some archeological excavation going on. The visit to the catacombs can be to the land of the dead.

Great Wall of China

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This wall is located in China, stretching from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur to the west. It is the largest man-made structure in the world, and the only structure that can be seen from outer space. The Chinese took about 2,000 years to complete the wall, including all the sections from different dynasties. The Wall was used to protect northern china from the Mongolians and other invaders, to house troops and supplies, and to exchange information.

Millions were forced to build the wall, in which many died in the process, while others were buried within the Wall. In 1970, the Wall has opened to the public, and now, some sections of the Wall have fallen, while other parts are being taken for roads and homes. Since the exact dimensions of the Wall are unknown, which some say 3,000 to 4,500 miles; researchers began to measure the exact dimensions in 2007, and will finish the project in four years. Walking at least one section of the Wall should be necessary to everyone in their visit to China. There is no doubt that time would be wasted in going there, because the Great Wall of China is a powerful symbol to the Chinese culture.

Stonehenge

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As Great Britain’s greatest symbol for mystery, power and endurance, the Stonehenge still stands and puzzles archeologists because the purpose of the Stonehenge is uncertain. Many archeologists believe that the Stonehenge was used for human sacrifices; yet, others believe that it was used for an observatory to predict the position of the moon and sun, and to determine the seasons. The stone monument was built at around 3,100 B.C., with each multi-stone carried from far away. At least 500 men, with the help of ropes, have brought the stones on raft, carried them on water, and dragged them on rollers. Today, the Stonehenge is a popular tourist attraction, even though about half of the monument survives because unfortunately over the years, people have taken pieces of the stones to build roads and for souvenirs. Let us hope that the archeologists can soon find out the Stonehenge’s purpose and solve one of the greatest mysteries on earth.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa, or Torre Pendente Di Pisa in Italian, is located in Pisa, Italy. The construction began in 1173 and the leaning began to become noticeable by the third story. The tower was meant to be a bell tower for the Cathedral of Pisa, not a leaning tower that scares people into thinking that it might tumble down and collapse any second. The tower leans because of the construction on soft soil, financial problems, and a lack of experience in the architects. The government closed the tower to the public in 1990 because of safety concerns and set out a restoration campaign. In eleven years, the campaign restored the building, prevented it from falling, and at the same time, preserved its famous appearance. Since the campaign was successful, the tower was reopened to the public in 2001.

Porcelain Tower of Nanjing

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Located in Nanjing, China on the Yangtze River, the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing is also called the Temple of Gratitude by the people of China. It is also known as as the Porcelain Pagoda of the Grand Bao’en Temple. The tower is made out of porcelain bricks that shine in the sun. The tower is nine stories high, with a total height of 250 feet. During construction, the size of each story must decrease after every level because if all the stories were the same size, the tower would collapse. The tower was planned to have thirteen stories, but a bolt of lightning struck in 1801 and knocked off the last three stories and it was almost destroyed completely during the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864).

Hagia Sophia (Church of Saint Sophia)

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The most important and amazing Byzantine architecture in Istanbul were the churches. The most remarkable church of all the Byzantine churches is the Hagia Sophia, which means the Church of Holy Wisdom of God. Built between 532 and 537, the Church consists of acres of mosaics, marble pillars, and gold. The church was raided in 1204 by the Crusaders, but it still continued to serve as a church until 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. By then, the Church was turned into a mosque for about 500 years and became a model for other Ottoman mosques. The faces of the original mosaics were plastered over because of Islamic religion. In 1934, the Turkish government removed all religious aspects and turned the building into a museum. Today, the Hagia Sophia is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

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