Top 10 Unknown Wonders of the World
The world as we know it is full of wonders, both natural and artificial. But their beauty does not cease to inspire us even today. Though there are only seven known or recognized wonders but we believe these wonderful creations are everywhere. Everything you set your sight upon and if it inspires and rejuvenates you, then it is a wonder. From Taj Mahal to hanging gardens of Babylon to great Canyons, we are surrounded by these wonders everywhere. But there are more to them.
We bring you top 10 unknown wonders of the world:
10. Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
The Banaue Rice terraces have followed the course of natural mountains for over 2,000 years and were carved by indigenous people of that area with least equipments, largely by hands. The Filipinos call them as the ‘Eighth wonder of the world’ and they are so vast that if spread individually, they would cover half of the globe! The terraces are located approximately 1500m above sea level and are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. The natives still cultivate rice and vegetables on these terraces. These terraces are an excellent example of sustainable farming with traditional techniques.
9. Jeju Island, South Korea
This is a volcanic island located 130m from the southern coast of Korea. Being the largest island and smallest province in Korea, it has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm. The central feature of the island is its tallest mountain and a dormant volcano- Hallasan, rising 1950m above the sea level. The legend has it that three demigods emerged from Samsung- hyeol on the northern slopes of Mt. Hallasan and became the oldest natives of this island. The island currently faces threat from construction of naval base in that area. The natives and residents have voiced their opposition loudly and also filed a lawsuit to oppose the construction of naval base.
8. Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Lying in the Matale district of Sri Lanka, Sigiriya or Lion’s rock is renowned tourist destination surrounded by remains of gardens, reservoirs and other structures of the now ruined palace. During prehistoric times, it was used as a rock shelter mountain monastery with its caves donated to the devotees of Buddha. The entire complex was built by king Kashyapa and after his death the place became a monastery. This is a beautifully constructed site and on its west side, lies a park for royals. With water retaining structures and upper part of the fort has rock cut cisterns. Sigiriya is a fortress as well as a palace and even after centuries, it still exudes charm and magnificence and attracts tourists in large numbers.
7. Ajanta caves, India
The 30 rock cut caves of Ajanta lie in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra dating back to 2nd century BC. The caves have some of the finest surviving remains of Indian art and paintings and masterpieces of Buddhist art. The caves are located on the south side of a U-shaped gorge and the waterfall can be heard from inside the caves. Due to heavy forest density in the area, the sight was hidden from public view until recently discovered by a British official in 1819. All the paintings show heavy religious influence of Buddha and depict several incidents from his life.
6. Tower of Hercules, Spain
The tower of Hercules has served as lighthouse and landmark in since 1stcentury AD in north-western Spain. The tower is built on a 57m high rock and further rises to 55m. There are several myths surrounding the tower and one of them is, the hero Hercules slew the giant Geryon after three days and three nights of a long battle. He then buried the head of that tyrant under his weapons and ordered the construction of a city on that site and the lighthouse now stands atop his skull. This harbor is also notorious for being the ‘harbor of death’.
5. Bu Tinah Island, UAE
Bu Tinah is a small cluster of islands, 25km away from Zirku island of Abu Dhabi and they rise only above 1 or 2m above the sea water. It is home to rare birds, dolphins and extensive variety of coral reefs and turtles. It is protected and private natural reserve and was designated as UNESCO World heritage site in 2001. The thriving habitat of the island with its distinctive natural beauty with shallow water and extensive coral reefs is an endangered marine habitat.
4. Torun old city, Poland
Torun is an ancient city in Poland situated by Vistula River. The town market and its gothic town hall are one of the 25 most beautiful places on earth. There are many sights to look at in the town such as ruins of the castle built by Teutonic knights which were later destructed by the inhabitants. Another such sight is the largest and gothic cathedral of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist just outside the history museum. It also has a fountain that has bronze frogs on its rim surrounding a statue of violin playing boy.
3. Leptis Magana, Libya
Also known as Lepcis Magana, this was a prominent city of the Roman Empire and its ruins are located in Libya. The city was founded by Phoenician colonists in 1100BC and then became a part of Roman Empire. The city achieved prominence when a native Lucius Severus became the emperor and he favored his home city over all the others and with his wealth and lavish, it became the most prominent city in Africa. He introduced various changes in the city such as creation of forums and resurrection of docks. Today, this site is one of the most important and impressive remains of Roman period.
2. Bagan ancient city, Myanmar
Earlier known as Pagan, the city of Bagan in Myanmar has over 2000 Pagodas and temples. According to Burmese legends, the city was found in 2nd century CE and fortified in 859 CE. The city attracts monks and students from various parts of the world and its culture is highly dominated by religion. It is a pilgrimage destination for thousand of devotees with temples dating back to 1500 years.
1. Meteora rock, Greece
Meteora rocks are a prominent part of Eastern unorthodox monasteries in Greece. The name literally means, middle of the sky or suspended in the air and they get the name from the structure they possess. The rocks look like they were pushed out from the surface of earth and appear to be reaching for the sky. The place has been a site of worship for monks and nuns. These rocks were formed 60 million years ago and are composed of sandstone and conglomerate. A series of earthquakes pushed the seabed upwards causing fault lines in the thick layers of sandstone. Further weathering shaped them up in their current avatar. The rock terraces are occupied by monasteries most of them were formed during Byzantine era. The Meteora rocks emanate the union of beings with the universe.
Tags: banaue rice terraces, central feature, demigods, dormant volcano, eighth wonder of the world, filipinos, gardens of babylon, hanging gardens of babylon, indigenous people, irrigation system, jeju island, matale district, northern slopes, rainforests, sri lanka sigiriya, sustainable farming, tallest mountain, volcanic island, wonder of the world, wonders of the world
0 comments:
Post a Comment