ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA Beautiful Place and HD Photos

Although the trees that surround Angkor have been tamed, it is still possible to imagine how this ancient city was “lost” to the outside world for centuries until the French explorer Henri Mahout discovered it smothered in the jungle in 1860.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer civilization, which spanned some 500 years, until it was sacked by Thai invaders in 1431. It reached its zenith in the 12th century, first with the building of the temple that came to be known as Angkor Wat and later with the construction of Angkor Thom, a royal city-within-a-city.

The temple was built by King Suryavarman II as a representation of Mount Meru, the mythical holy centre of Hinduism. Sorrounded by a large moat bridged by a stone causeway, it is a west-facing rectangular stone structure comprising three levels. The uppermost level, formerly open only to priests and the king, is topped with four corner towers and a central sanctuary 65 metres from the ground. Originally devoted to the Hindu god Shiva, the temple later became a Wat, or Buddhist monastery, and is now accepted as a spiritual monument by the predominantly Buddhist Cambodians. Images of the Buddha can be found among its vaulted galleries.Even after more than 800 years of plundering and erosion the carvings of Angkor Wat remain exquisite and the wealth of detail is bewildering. Galleries of bas-reliefs - the longest in the world - depict scenes from the Hindu religious epic, the Mahabharata, battle scenes from Khmer history and warnings about the tortures of hell.

The temple is best seen in the golden light of early morning when the rays of the sun pick out the apsaras (celestial nymphs) carved into its walls, seeming to breathe life into them. Amid the quiet beauty, it is hard to imagine that this place was one of the final refuges of the notorious Khmer Rouge communist movement - until you notice scars from the impact of bullets on the stone of the building.
Direct flights from Bangkok in Thailand have made the temples of Angkor more accessible, and they are now visited by more tourists than ever. Most tend to gather at the north poollo phulograph the reflections of the rising sun, but those seeking peace and tranquillity should head straight to the principal sanctuary ut Angkor Wat. This is reached by one of four flights of steep and worn stairs, signifying just how difficult and arduous is the path to heaven. It was once the exclusive preserve of Hindu priests, but now you too can have it to yourself - providing you get there early enough.The top level of Angkor Wat seems to have been designed for the sunrise. Golden fingers slide through the unique, stone-pillared windows and illuminate details that quickly recede in the brilliant light of the day, and some of the most beautiful apsaras - which can be found in the central sanctuary - are uncovered by the rising sun, only to be hidden in shadow again just 20 minutes later.

 

It can sometimes be half an hour before the first few explorers from the sunrise party reach here. Most don't bother; they go back to their hotels for breakfast, and return here later in the day, when the sun is intense and energy-sapping, and the atmosphere far from spiritual.Other parts of the Angkor complex not to be missed are the Bayon and Ta Prohm. Built later than Angkor Wat, the Bayon is a small temple covered with giant, impassive stone faces reminiscent of Lord Buddha, and perhaps marking the transition from Hinduism to Buddhism in the Khmer civilization. Ta Prohm is a largely ruined temple complex, with roots of banyan and kapok trees growing out of the stonework - and sometimes so much a part of it that neither would survive any attempt at separation.INFO
Siem Reap. the nearest town to Angkor (10 km awayl. can be reached by plane from Bangkok, Thailand (Bangkok Airways has several flights a day in both directions} or from the Cambodian capital. Phnom Penh. Alternatively, you can get there by boat across Tonle Sap. This lake trip takes most of the day but is an interesting journey. A wide range of accommodation is available in Siem Reap, from inexpensive guest houses to the exclusive hotels.
Tickets for the ruins can be bought for one, three or seven days. Three days is a good amount of time.

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PYRAMID OF KUKULCÁN, Chichen Itza - MEXICO

Sitting at the centre of the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, the pyramid of Kukulcan has a pleasing symmetry and an imposing bulk, but perhaps its true majesty lies in the secrets of its construction - over 1000 years ago. The pyramid is a giant calendar. It consists of nine levels faced with a total of 52 panels - the number of y

ears in the Mayan- Toltec cycle. The staircases on each face of the pyramid have 364 steps. Add the square platform at the top, and you have 365 - the number of days in the solar year. Most impressively, at the spring and autumn equinoxes the shadow cast by the sun on the northern staircase appears to cause a massively long 'snake' to crawl down the building and link with the stone serpent's head at the foot of the staircase

The pyramid of Kukulcan has other secrets too. Hidden deep within it is another, much older pyramid. A small door takes you to a narrow passage that appears to run up what would have been the outside of the original structure. Cramped and oppressive, it leads to the original sanctuary, where a large chac-mool – the characteristic reclining Mayan figure - and a jaguar-shaped throne are for ever entombed, the jade inlay of the big cat's coat shining dimly through the gloom.

You will have to get up early to appreciate Kukulcan properly because by 10.30 a.m. it is swarming with visitors. If you are among the first through the gate at 8.30 in the morning, you should manage an hour of near-solitude.

From the top of the pyramid the whole site seems to be completely surrounded by a sea of trees stretching as far as the eye can see, and obliterating almost all signs of human life. Only the tops of some of the lesser ruins and the open grassed ceremonial area are visible. A number of other ruins make up the ceremonial area of Chichén Itzá, including the Temple of the Warriors, a large structure surrounded by intricately carved stone pillars and topped with a reclining chac-mool.

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Varanasi, India

 

Reputed to be the oldest living city in the world, having been continually inhabited for more than 4000 years, Varanasi (formerly Benares) is also one of the holiest places of Hinduism. It is so revered that the devout believe that just by dying there they can be freed from the endless cycle of rebirth. The old Hindu name for Varanasi is Kashi - City of Light - and the quality of light here is truly spectacular. It is one of the few places in the world where this has inspired artists with its clarity and texture. It IS best appreciated at sunrise as the faithful come down to the sacred : River Ganges to bathe.

The narrow, tangled streets of the old town, Godaulia, all seem to lead to the Ganges. Flanking the river and leading down to the water are flights of stone steps called ghats. Many of these are hundreds of years old, some built by the maharajas whose palaces still tower over them. The ghats teem with life: stalls sell everything from vegetables to religious icons, pandas (pilgrim priests) preach to the faithful, barbers shave the heads of pilgrims and mourners, sadhus (holy men) meditate and prrform feats of yoga, boatmen ply for trade, dhobi-wallahs (washermen) beat laundry against the steps and small boys play enthusiastic games of cricket. Streams of pilgrims from all over lndia make their way through this activity to bathe in the river, believing that by doing so they can welsh away their sins. The best way to observe the bathing ritual is to take a rowing boat down the Ganges. This will involve haggling with a boatman the day before you want to go, so ask at your hotel to get an idea of the correct price. Make sure you specify whether the price is per person or for the whole boat. (You might want to get this in writing to avoid the almost inevitable arguments later.)

Next morning, as you make your way to the river in the cold pre-dawn light, stumbling through the alleys of the old town and pushing past sacred cows that wander around freely, it will seem like a strange way to get to Paradise. However, as s oon as you are floating down the Ganges and the sun rises over the far bank, driving away the cold and bathing the ghats in soft golden light, you will forget the discomfort. Hindus try to visit Varanasi at least once in their lifetime, and have to bathe at five different ghats to complete the pilgrimage. Hinduism is a joyful religion, and although bathing has great spiritual significance, the pilgrims laugh, splash, dive and push each other into the water.

It takes a few hours to travel the length of the river, fighting the current and stopping to watch the pilgrims and sadhus along the way. Get your boatman to drop you off at Manikarnika Ghat and walk back along the river to Dasasvamedha Ghat where most boat trips start. Manikarnika is the cremation ghat. (Being cremated at Varanasi is yet another way to guarantee salvation, so many Hindu families go to great lengths to ensure their deceased loved ones undergo this ritual.) Bodies are brought from far away - sometimes on the roofs of buses - to be burnt here. Once at Varanasi, they are carried down to the ghat to chants of 'Ram Nam Satya Had' ('The name of god is truth!'), Firewood is haggled over, prayers are said, then the body is burnt and the ashes swept into the Ganges.

INFO

Varanasi is easily reached by air ,from New Delhi or Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). There are also comfortable express trains, although you should try to take at least one old-style Indian train just for the experience. Accommodation boils down to a choice between quality and location. Hotels near the ghats are generally cheap but shoddy. Those of better quality and therefore more expensive tend to be in the new town. As with most things in India, the contrast between the two is often extreme.

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Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City and HD Photos

Saint Peter´s Basilica is simbol of the force and the platform which, when the time again became ripe, would explode as the glorious centre of a rejuvenated Rome. By the third century, the Roman Empire had grown too big for its own good. Emperor Diocletian, aiming to make his cumbersome and restless dominions more manageable, divided the Empire into Eastern and Westem parts. The East was governed from Constantinople and the West from Ravenna, and then Milan. No longer the political focus of the Mediterranean and the conquered European world, the splendid city of Rome went into decline. However, before the Western Empire fell apart, two developments ensured that through its dark years, Rome's light would diminish but not extinguish. One was the establishment of the papacy. The second was the Basilica erected by Emperor Constantine, that great saviour of the Christians, over St Peter's grave.

In front of Saint Peter's Basillica you´ll find the statues of Saint Peter...

and Saint Paul, with Jesus on the topPeter, considered first amongst Christ's twelve apostles, was crucified and buried in Rome in 61 CE. He was the founder of Christianity in Rome. The Pope is recognized as his successor, as well as the Vicar of Christ and the worldwide spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church. As Rome struggled through its difficult years, the papacy floundered but held itself together. By the eighth century, the legacy of the Western Roman Empire had been appropriated by a federation of central European states going by the nomenclature of the Holy Roman Empire. 

Unified by Latin Christianity, the Empire beheld the Pope as its spiritual head. Nevertheless, despite being protected by the Holy Roman Emperors, the papacy remained insecure. By the fifteenth century, however, it had recharged and consolidated its resources. The Church was now plump with wealth, and its custodians, the popes, were itching to reassert their religion's and their own domimince. The Renaissance had begun in Italy. Rome's time had come again.

More than 1100 years into its first incarnation by now, St Peter's Basilica was not in the best of shape. Pope Nicholas V decided to something about it. From the time he began the demolition of the old building in 1452 to the consecration of the new building in 1626, eighteen popes blessed and witnessed the project. More importantly, virtually the who's who of the Renaissance's Creative line-up, as well as many Mannerist and Baroque virtuosos, contributed to it. The result was awesome.

The first impression of the Basilica - since 1929, a part of the independent Vatican state, within Rome - is of the enormity of its scale. The arrow straight road from the teeming city breaks into a massive piazza enclosed with semi - circular Doric colonnades designed by the Baroque architect Giovanni Bernini.

From the centre of the enormous space rises an Egyptian obelisk, first brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula in the first century, and raised here in the sixteenth century in complete silence, as a symbol of Christianity's victory over pagan faiths. The cross at its pinnacle is said to contain the relics of Christ's True Cross. The fifty-metre-high palatial façade of the Basilica is propped up by Corinthian columns. Again in Baroque style, Carlo Maderno's design is perfect for the Pope to stand at the balcony and bless the thronging crowds below. Past the main entrance into the Basilica is the Porta Santa, or the Holy Door, which is traditionally kept walled up and opened personally by the Pope for the course of a designated Holy Year. A window in the apse lights up an image of the Holy Spirit as a dove. 

Dominating the nave is Bernini's ornamental baldacchino of gilded bronze. It covers the main altar at which only the Pope can celebrate Mass. Underneath it is St Peter's subterranean crypt, from which two-and-a-half hectares of magnificence radiates.Some way off from the Basilica, on Janiculum hillside, is the site of St. Peter's crucifixion. In the early sixteenth century, Donato Bramante designed the Tempietto San Pietro here. Displaying all the elements of classical antiquity, the Tempietto is considered Rome's first true Renaissance building. Its drum, dome and Dark columns served as the prototypal essence of the Basilica's central plan, for which Bramantc was commissioned by Pope Julius II. He was succeeded by another Renaissance giant, Raphael, much of whose handiwork was later altered. However, the creative instinct behind the Basilica's masterpiece, its dome, was Michelangelo's.At the age of seventy - one, Michelangelo was persuaded to take over as chief architect of St Peter's. His conditions: he would work "for the love of the Saint", without payment, without interference and without accounting responsibilities. He probably got the deal he wanted, though his hemispherical design was changed to an ovoid shape due to structural concerns.

Almost 140 metres high, the dome gets its skeletal strength from sixteen externally visible radial ribs. One can climb up to the base of the lantern for a sweeping view of the symmetrical piazza.

The inner shell looms over the baldacchino. Embellished with scores of frescoes, its curvature soars up to a bright climax. Medallions of saints are ranged around the base. Around it, in letters two metres high, are words from the Gospel of Matthew. They recall of the true reason for the sumptuous art and grandeur all around: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church... I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven..." The Keys are below, carved on the base of the altar canopy, as part of Pope Urban VIII's coat of arms.

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GRAVENSTEEN, GHENT - BELGIUM

After the death of Philip of Alsace at the Siege of Acre, during his return visit to the Holy Land, The Gravensteen became the permanent seat of the counts of Flanders until the 14th century. After their departure, the castle was used first as the royal mint, then as a courthouse, then as a prison, and finally as a textile factory, before it was abandoned altogether and fell into decay.

Private houses were attached to the castle and a substantial amount of its stonework was removed for use in the construction of other buildings. By the end of the 19th century the castle was a forlorn ruin, and plans to demolish it were announced.

The prospect of losing the historic building, however, galvanised the citizens of Ghent into action. In 1885, the civic authority purchased The Gravensteen and set about an ambitious project that involved the demolition of all the abutting residences and the complete restoration of the keep.

Today The Gravensteen has recaptured much of its former glory and, although some Belgians question whether enough of the original castle remains for it to merit its claim to be almost a thousand years old, it has become one of Ghent's prime tourist attractions.

From the top of the keep there is a magnificent view over the city, and inside it there is a memorable, if sometimes ghoulish, exhibition of medieval weaponry and instruments of torture.

After it was reduced to a pile of stones in 1890, The Gravensteen was reconstructed according to ancient drawings, which were not always historically correct – hence the castle is a curious mix of architectural styles. Central to the building is the rectangular keep, with its battlements, and corbeled watchtowers on each , corner. The castle is still partially surrounded at the rear by a medieval moat.

The curtain wall, features several round corbeled, crenellated turrets, the largest with a conical spired roof, and wooden shutters covering window openings. Arrow slits are also incorported in the turrets. The smaller turrets are open at the back, while the larger one is square in section, containing a staircase for access to the different levels.

Passing through the huge gatehouse at the front elevation the visitor is presented with the impressive stone keep, which dominates the castle.

The Gravensteen (Count's Castle in Dutch) was built by Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders (ruled 1168-91).

It was modelled on the fortifications he had seen when he took part in the Second Crusade (1145-49).

Archaeological excavations have revealed at least one earlier fort, and possibly as many as three previous wooden stockades on this site.

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ALHAMBRA, GRANADA, SPAIN

Overlooking Granada, the Alhambra presents a hard and unyielding face to the world, its square towers displaying martial symmetry. This severity is softened when you approach from the back, as terraces of ornate gardens, interspersed with pools of running water, seek to emulate the shady, cool gardens of the Koranic heaven.

After the heat and dryness of North Africa the Moors must have thought they had reached heaven when they conquered Granada. The Sierra Nevada. snow-capped for much of the year, provided the conquerors with water for the fountains and pools that helped to make this corner of Spain paradise on Earth.

The Alhambra is a product of the wars between Christianity and Islam. The Moors of North Africa conquered Spain in 711, but by the beginning of the 13th century their influence had weakened and their 'kingdom' - just a few independent Muslim states in what is now Andalusia - was under pressure from Christian reconquistas. Prince Ibn al-Ahmar, who was driven south from Saragossa, decided to create a new capital at Granada, and began building the fortifications that would keep it safe. For over 200 years the kingdom prospered, and subsequent rulers added to and refined the Alhambra. It was a period of peace that came at a price, however. During this time the Christian kings of Spain were in the ascendancy, and Granada was left in peace only because the Moors paid tributes and sometimes sent troops to fight on the side of the Christians against other, more troublesome, Muslim city states.

At the end of the 15th century the battlements of the Alhambra were called into use when the army of Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabella laid siege to Granada. Seven months later this last Muslim stronghold in Spain gave way, and it has remained in Spanish hands ever since.

Typical of Moorish architecture, the palace has a façade that is both commanding and utilitarian, yet hidden within its defensive walls is decoration of enduring beauty. The Alhambra consists of three main parts: the Alcazaba, or fortress; the Generalife, which was the summer palace and actually lies outside the main defensive walls; and the Casa Real, or Royal Palace. The last of these is without doubt the most beautiful part of the Alhambra, many of its rooms decorated with colourful tiles or richly carved stonework, the patterns based on stylized quotes from the Koran.

Within some of these rooms you can still see the fountains or pools of water so prized by the Moors. Numerous small windows overlook shady gardens or the small white houses of the Albaicin district, the old Moorish quarter, parts of which are as old as the Alhambra itself. Spring is a beautiful time to visit, with clear warm days and cool nights. The trees are newly green, the gardens are in flower and the Sierra Nevada, still snow-capped, stands watch over the city. Even better, the Casa Real is not crowded and you can generally get in without queueing or waiting for a slot, as you must in the height of summer, when all the timed entrance tickets are often allocated within an hour of the ticket office opening.

You might also be able to get a room at the Parador de San Francisco, a luxury, state-run hotel in a converted monastery within the gardens of the Alhambra - a tranquil retreat in the evenings when the crowds have gone.

There are many vantage points around the city from which you can get a different perspective on the Alhambra. From the Mirador San Cristobel you will see the Alcazaba against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. Walk through the rambling, cobbled streets of Albaicin to the Mirador de San Nicolas and you will see wonderful sunsets that bathe the Alhambra in gLowing red light. From the top of the Sacromonte (the old gypsy quarter, where some gypsies still live in caves carved into the hillside) you will see how the Alhambra towers over the town from its perfect defensive position. And from the hill above the Generalife you can appreciate how much the gardens and water terraces contribute to the Alhambra. Also visible is the massive Palacio de Carlos V, built in the 16th century, after the Christian conquest, on the site of many lesser Moorish buildings. The grounds of this palace are so large that bullfights were once held in the courtyard.

Granada is easily reached by road from Seville or Malaga, two international airports that are well served by some airlines from most parts of Europe. While the Alhambra is seen to advantage from many viewpoints around the city, you can enjoy it at close quarters by staying in its gardens at the luxurious Parador de San Francisco. However, you should book well in advance for the privilege, even in the low season.

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TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA

 The most evocative views of the Taj Mahal are across the Yamuna River, and getting to the Taj is part of the magic. Although it is quicker to take a boat across, taking a cycle-rickshaw through the village of Katchpura is more atmospheric. In the cool of a pre-dawn morning, you will pass villagers sleeping on low charpoy beds outside their small dwellings, often passing so close that they could reach out and touch you.

On arriving at the fiver you mIght have to share the view with a fisherman or a small herd of water buffalo, but these merely add to the feeling of timelessness. From across the river the Taj MahaL is best seen at sunrise, when the light turns from cold misty blue to any variation of pink, pale gold or orange. The Taj mirrors these colours, eventually reaching a soft creamy white, changing, in turn, to a blinding white in the glare of the midday sun. Those who visit at that time of day often come away disappointed. It is worth visiting at different times over several days to appreciate both the might and grace of the structure as it changes with the light. You'll have to pay to enter the Taj MahaL and grounds, but it currently costs nothing to view it from across the river.

The Taj sits on a marble platform with a marble minaret at each corner, and these minarets actually lean out slightly so that they won't fall on the main structure in the event of an earthquake, Each face of the Taj has a giant arch and is decorated with exquisite calligraphy from the Koran and ornate carvings of flowers inlaid with pietra-dura mosaics of semi-precious stones.

The Taj Mahal is set in a relaxed but formal garden complex, with pools of water leading to it from the main gate - a special view that has inspired a generation of photographers, The distance from the gate to the Taj is deceptive and the building seems to grow in both size and stature as you approach.

The Taj Mahal was built in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz. Legend has it that he intended to build a duplicate Taj in black marble on the opposite side of the river as his own tomb. In recent years the ruins of foundations and gardens have been discovered there, which seems to support this theory, but the truth will probably never be known. Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son and spent his last days locked up in Agra Fort, just down the river from the Taj.

INFO

Agra can be reached by plane or fast train from New Delhi, although the latter has a reputation for pickpockets. The bustling streets of Taj Ganj, just outside the main gate. were once the home of the craftsmen who constructed the Taj. It is now a backpacker's ghetto with very cheap accommodation. Other attractions include the fort in Agra. which has good views down the Yamuna River to the Taj, and also the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri a few hours away.

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Jaisalmer Fort, India the most Beautiful Place

 

 Jaisalmer Fort sits in the Thar Desert in the westernmost part of Rajasthan. Located on a former trade route used to transport spices and silks between Arabia and India, Jaisalmer, more than anywhere else in India, appears to have stepped out of the Tales of the Arabian Nights - a collection of ancient folk tales. This is partly due to its location in a remote and inhospitable desert. and partly because of its appearance. Made rich from trade, its merchants built havelis, or merchants houses, with finely detailed windows and balconies that owe more to Arab style than Indian.

There are bigger and more impressive forts in Rajasthan - such as that at Jodhpur - but few have such an isolated and atmospheric location. Jaisalmer is also reputed to be the only inhabited fort in the world. The maze of tiny streets still rings with daily life, and visitors will often have to push past sacred cows which, unsurprisingly after generations of veneration, act as if they own the place.
The fort, built when the city was founded in 1156, is made up of 99 bastions (projections) linked by battlements that are two walls thick in places. It has seen action a number of times in its history and stone missiles - intended to be hurled down on besieging armies - still sit on top of the battlements. Various city states seemed always to be at war, but the fort was first sacked by Muslim invaders in 1294.
Rajput warriors would never surrender, preferring to ride out to their inevitable death in battle - an act of mass suicide known as johar - while their women and children threw themselves on to fires to preserve their honour. Although the main attraction of Jaisalmer is the fort itself, there are several things you should aim to see before leaving. Taking up two sides of the main square of the fort, the Rajmahal (city palace) of the former maharaja is seven storeys high and from the top you can look out over the town below and far out into the desert.
There is also a group of exquisitely carved Jain temples, some dating back to the 12th century when the fort was built. Within those it is possible to enter there is a subtle play of light and shade on the carvings, making them even more impressive than those on the outside. Built almost 100 years ago, the Gadi Sagar tank used to be the sole source of water for the town. Now often completely dry, it sometimes fills during the monsoon season (around September), and you might be rewarded with the rare sight of the fort seemingly perched above a vast lake.
Although it has endured for nearly 900 years Jaisalmer Fort is currently in danger of collapse. The city authorities blame this on soil shrinkage arising from the excessive use of water by the guest houses in the fort. Hoteliers deny this claim and blame the city authorities for using drainage pipes that are too small for the job. Whatever the cause, there are moves afoot to ban all business from the fort, which will mean that tourists must stay in the town outside and pay to visit the fort for sightseeing. vyhether or not you agree with this strategy, it will certainly change t,he atmosphere of the place for ever.
Although the, camel trains have long gone Jaisalmer remains a trading town, and people come to its market from the villages nearby. Camels, however, still contribute to the town's prosperity as a number of tourist operators offer camel safaris into the surrounding desert.
On the outskirts of the town are the Barra Bagh chatris (royal cenotaphs). These have commanding views over to the fort and offer good vantage points from which to watch the sun set, its last rays turning the town and the fort from the uniform yellow of daytime to a glowing golden hue.
During the peak tourist season (November to January) you can fly to Jaisalmer direct from New Delhi. Outside of these times the airport is closed and you will have to take a night train or a bus from Jodhpur. (There are at least three flights a day from Delhi to Jodhpur.) There are two Heritage hotels in Jaisalmer, the Jawahar Niwas and the Naryan Niwas Palace. The latter has phenomenal views of the fort from its roof.

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BELÉM TOWER, LISBON - PORTUGAL

 During the 16th century, Lisbon played a prominent role in international trade. Because of the established sea routes it became a natural port of call, and King João II devised a plan to protect the city by building three fortresses on the Tagus to form a triangular defence. The king died in 1495, and the building of the tower in the Belém district was left to his successor, Manuel II. Dedicated to the patron saint of the city, St. Vincent, the tower was designed by the architect Francisco de Arruda, recently returned from North Africa, and work was completed in 1520.

Francisco de Arruda's Moorish leanings can be seen in the tower's decorative features. In honour of the king, the tower also includes Manueline motifs - carved rope; armillary spheres; and crosses of the Military Order of Christ. The structure comprises the bastion, and the four-storey tower. The bastion housed the cannons and was the first Portuguese fortification to include a two-level gun emplacement. Gaps in the 3.5m (11.5ft) thick walls accommodated 17 large-calibre cannons, while a platform was used to site light-calibre guns.
The tower, 35m (115ft) high, included storage for gunpowder at the lowest level, with the commander's accommodation above. The second storey is flanked by balconies on all sides, while moving upwards there are first a chapel, and then an oratory at the top.
With the passage of time and the construction of more modern fortifications along the Tagus, the Belem Tower lost its prime function of defence and took on roles as a prison, customs post, telegraph office and lighthouse.

Constructed as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon, and as part of a defence system at the entrance of the Tagus river, the 35m (715ft) high tower stands behind the bastion, with its vaulted casemate (gun emplacement), facing the river it was to protect, and providing a beacon for vessels at night.
The façade is highly ornate, displaying Manueline motifs, including shields bearing the Cross of the Order of Christ on the crenetlations of the walls, and on the covered balconies of each wall on the second storey.
The corners of the bastion, and the topmost story of the tower, have delicate guerites (turrets) topped by Moorish cupoloas. The base of the turrets have images of beasts. A loggia on the first story overlooks the bastion, while a terrace surrounding the third storey provides stunning views of the landscape.

The tower was built in the early 16th century, during the Age of Discovery, as part of a three-fortress plan to protect the city of Lisbon and its harbour. Constructed in the Portuguese late
Gothic style, the Manueline, it originally stood on an island in the River · Tagus - although the river has since changed course. · Often used as a symbol of Lisbon and of Portugal’s past glories, the tower is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Samarkand, Uzbekistan the best Wonderful Place

The great city of Samarkand lies on the so-called Silk Road, the ancient trading route that led from China through the Middle East and into Europe. The city grew rich through trade, and constructed some of the finest buildings to be found in the Islamic world. Its strategic position has led Samarkand to be conquered and sacked many times throughout its long and bloody history. The first settlement there was constructed in the 6th century BC and was first conquered by Alexander the Great some 200 years later. As trade routes built up over the next few hundred years, the city grew in power and wealth despite being captured by both the Turks and Hun tribes. Indeed, it continue

d to flourish, as recorded by the Buddhist monk and traveller Xuan Zang when he arrived there in AD 630. At this time Samarkand followed the Zoroastrian religion of Persia, but the city fell to Islam when Qutaiba ibn Muslim invaded it in 712. This was the start of the first great period of Islamic development, which was curtailed at the beginning of the 13th century when the city was sacked by the Mongols of Genghis Khan, who slaughtered much of the population.

By the time another great traveller, Marco Polo, arrived at the end of the 13th century the city had been rebuilt, and he sang its praises. The Uzbek national hero, Tamerlane, chose it as the capital of the relatively small region of Transoxiana in 1370 and then proceeded to expand his empire until it reached as far as India and Syria. He was responsible for several great buildings, most notably the Bibi Khanum Mosque. His grandson. Uleg Beg. ruled the city until it fell to nomadic Uzbeks. Uleg Beg's great-grandson, Babur, retook the city in 1512 but was later driven out to India where he founded the Mogul Empire. This was the end of a golden era. Ravaged by earthquakes, looting and changing trade routes, Samarkand eventually succumbed to the Bolsheviks and became part of the Soviet Union in 1924. The ancient centre of Samarkand is the Registan. This square, one of the finest in Asia. is surrounded on three sides by madrasas, or Islamic colleges. Uleg Beg constructed the square and the first madrasa in the 15th century. The fronts of the madrasas are towering façades that lead into ornate courtyards ringed with two storeys of small cells where the religious students lived and studied.

Ironically, for all their anti-religious sentiment and public denigration of Islam, it was the Soviets who restored much of the Registan, straightening precarious minarets and reconstructing the characteristic turquoise-tiled domes. These still shine with an iridescence that perhaps suggests the cool water that is often lacking in this dry land. Islam forbids the representation of living things, so each of the madrasas is covered with ornate patterns (none symmetrical, as this too is forbidden) intricate Kufic quotations from the Koran and inscriptions extolling the magnificence of the buildings. Bizarrely, though, the Shir Dor Madrasa on the eastern side of the square has two representations of lions in front of suns with shining human faces. This apparent heresy is attributed in part to the ego of the governor who built the madrasa and also to the continued influence of the Persian Zoroastrians who revered the power of the sun. The Uleg Beg and Shir Oar madrasas are flanked by minarets, used more for decoration than for calling the faithful to prayer as the buildings were primarily colleges rather than mosques. In Tamerlane's day, however, they were also used for public executions: a favourite way of dealing with criminals was to throw them from the top in a sack.

For a couple of dollars, one of the uniformed guards might let you climb the crumbling steps to the top of the north minaret at Ulug Beg Madrasa for one of the most impressive views across the city to the Bibi Khanum Mosque. Tamerlane constructed this vast mosque from the finest materials after sacking the city of Delhi in 1398. In the adjacent bazaar life and trade continue much as they did when the Silk Road brought spices, gold and fabrics to be traded here. You can still buy the round hats worn by many of Uzbekistan's Muslims, decorated flat breads and exotic spices that hark back to the days when peppercorns and saffron were more valuable than gold.

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Samarkand is easily reached by bus or air from the capital Tashkent.

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Venice, Italy the Wonderful Place

No city is more romantic than Venice, and no sight more essentially Venetian than gondolas bobbing on a misty Molo, the waterfront where the Piazza San Marco meets the lagoon. In the very early morning the square is quiet, with only a few commuters disturbing the handful of pigeons that strut imperiously on its worn flagstones. Soon the place will be thronged with both tourists and birds, but for now you can be virtually alone.

Piazza San Marco has been at the centre of the city since it was first constructed in the 16th century, aLthough some of the buiLdings around it date from much earlier. At one end lies the Basilica di San Marco, construction of which began almost 1000 years ago. Squat and strangely shaped, its domed roof looks more Islamic than Christian when seen from the soaring heights of the adjacent campanile, or bell tower. At sunset the façade of the basilica seems to come alive as the mosaics, and even the stone itself, glow in the warm evening light.

Stretching from San Marco down to the waterfront is the Gothic white edifice of the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge's Palace. The doges · ruled the city from AD 697 until Napoleon's troops deposed the last of them in 1797. Although peppered with moralistic statues and carvings that depict such things as the fall of Adam and Eve, and a drunken Noah, the palace is best appreciated from afar, as it would have been by visitors arriving by sea in the days of the doges. Seen from a boat on the lagoon. or even from the top of the campanile on the island of San Giorgio, the façade combines elegance with a feeling of fantasy.

If the doges wished to portray an impression of piety with the outside of their palace, the inside shows a much more worldly extravagance. Room after room is decorated with the finest gilding and paintings, including works by Titian and Tintoretto. The doges were responsible for the judicial side of Venetian life, and many condemned people were led across the two-lane Bridge of Sighs to the prisons opposite.

Although not, strictly speaking, connected to the Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal is linked with it. A lazy, sweeping 'S' shape, it cuts through the city, defining it almost as much as the piazza does. The end of the canal opens into the lagoon where it meets the piazza, and the waterfront here is lined with the ubiquitous gondolas.

As all roads in Venice seem to lead to Piazza San Marco – virtually every street or alley junction has a signpost pointing in that direction - so all canals seem to lead to the Grand Canal. Now used mainly by tourists, gondolas still glide past the palazzos that line its sides.

Venice can be cold and damp during the winter, but this is a perfect time to visit. There are far fewer visitors, hotel prices are lower and, if you are lucky, you might even be there when the water floods Piazza San Marco, forcing locals and tourists on to raised walkways to keep their feet dry. Even in the winter you can experience blue skies and amazingly clear light.

A perfect winter day in Venice has to end with a warming hot chocolate or a typically Venetian spritz cocktail (white wine, lemon peel, a bitter aperitif and seltzer) at Caffe Florian. Founded in 1720, this elegant café, once patronized by Byron and Goethe is decorated with mirrors and murals cracked by years of damp sea air.

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From Marco Polo airport you can catch a vaporetto (water bus) or water taxi that drops you off at the Molo. Accommodation is expensive and can be hard to find in the peak summer months. The industrial town of Mestre is a short train ride away and offers cheaper options. A network of vaporetti ply the main canals and are a good way to get around. Otherwise, just walk and enjoy the experience of getting lost.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the best Amazing Place

The mountain of Corcovado, topped by a 32-metre statue of Christ the Redeemer facing out over Guanabara Bay, has to be the great enduring image of Rio de Janeiro. From up here, on a clear day, you can see almost the whole city, from the downtown business district to the Internationally famous beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. It also has one of the best views of Sugar Loaf Mountain, another of the city's great landmarks.

Rio de Janeiro is arguably the most stunning harbour city in the world, pipping both Sydney and Hong Kong. While the last two are amazing in their own way, Rio has the advantage of being built on a series of hills, some of which are still covered by virgin forest, and looks out over the most beautiful natural scenery of the granite islands in Guanabara Bay. Corcovado, set within a park that opens at 8 am, can be reached either by taxi or by a creaking old tram that winds its way up to the summit. You should really make the effort to reach the top early in the morning when misty clouds, backlit by the rising sun, sometimes fill the bay, with just the tops of the islands peeking above them. Ifs also well worth visiting at sunset, when the sun sinks into the hills behind Rio and the city lights up.

Similarly, the view of both Rio and Corcovado from Sugar Loaf Mountain is worth seeing at both ends of the day, when the city assumes quite different appearances. If you want to see the actual sunrise you will have to take a taxi to San Cristobel Point, which lies outside the park. Although not as high as Corcovado. it still enjoys a commanding view over the bay. From the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain it is possible to take a very short helicopter ride that flies you up and around the statue of Christthe Redeemer.

Rio, however, is about so much more than sights or even natural · beauty. No other city in the world epitomizes the 'Life's a Beach' philosophy more than Rio. And where better to see this than at Copacabana and Ipanema? Both immortalized in song, these beaches mirror the character of the cariocas, as the citizens of Rio cal themselves. As the clubbers who congregate there to wind down after an all-night party give way to the first of the morning's joggers, the next 24 hours will see everything from holidaymakers to beach boys, from volleyball players to bodybuilders - all set to a background of bossanova music and perhaps accompanied by a cocktail.

 

Rio has endured a bad reputation for street crime over the years, but has gone a long way to clean up this problem. As with most major cities, drugs and poverty make certain parts of the city riskier than others, but if you stick to the main areas (which include all the principal tourist sites) and don't carry valuables conspicuously, you will probably find Rio far less threatening than many European capitals. In fact, the biggest annoyance I suffered - though totally well meaning - was that the locals constantty warned me to be careful with my possessions.

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Many airlines fly to Rio from all over the world. Most of the hotels are out along the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The most famous hotel is the Copacabana Palace, run by the Orient Express Group. Even if you do not stay there you should visit the terrace bar for a sundowner. When on the beach, leave · all your valuables in your hotel or with the guards posted on the beach by most of the top hotels. The downtown area is quite a way from the beaches, but táxis are cheap and plentiful. The stunning views from Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado are not to be missed.

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