Petra
Petra is an archaeological site in the Arabah, Ma’an Governorate, Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.More than 2,000 years ago Petra was used as a temporary refuge by nomadic Nabatean Arabs, Bedouins who came north out of Arabia. From a few caves in a rocky outcrop, easy to defend, the nabateans created Petra as a fortress city.Many of these temples or tombs go back to about 600 B.C., but the particular one they used was built around the time of Christ. Nobody knows for sure what it was used for. Behind the temple face are a few small, square rooms, which are completely empty. Whatever they held was stolen long ago. It’s quite an incredible place - like a tenth wonder of the world.
Before reach the Petra, visitors have to cross through the "Siq" which an amazing and narrow gloom chasm. It's about a kilometer long.
Famous of Petra:It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. Petra is also one of the new wonders of the world. The Nabateans constructed it as their capital city around 100 BCE .The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced to the West by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was famously described as “a rose-red city half as old as time” in a Newdigate prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.”On December 6, 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site.On July 7, 2007, Petra was named one of New Open World Corporation’s New Seven Wonders of the World.The picturesque site is featured in various films such as: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, “Arabian Nights”, Passion in the Desert, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, the Sisters of Mercy music video “Dominion”, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.Here some nice views of Petra:
Petra Sandstone Layer:
HallgrimskirkjaHallgrimskirkja is 74.5 m (244 ft) and it is also the sixth tallest building in Iceland. It is situated in the city center and has become one of Reykjavík's best known symbols. Hallgrimskirkja is named by an Icelandic poet and clergyman - Hallgrímur Pétursson. The church has a stylized concrete exterior inspired by the distinctive basalt formations found throughout Iceland.
The Bell
The bell tower, accessible via an elevator, provides the best views in the city. The three bells in the tower represent Hallgrímur, his wife, and their daughter who died young.HistoryA Lutheran parish church, Hallgrimskirkja is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-74), author of the beloved Passíusálmar ("Hymns of the Passion") and other works. He was one of the most influential pastors during the Age of Orthodoxy and wrote many important Lutheran hymns.The modern Nordic design of Hallgrimskirkja is the work of state architect Guðjón Samúelsson, who also designed Reykjavik's Landakotskirja and the Akureyrarkirkju in Akureyri. The church took 38 years to build (1945-86), the tower being completed long before the church's actual completion.Leif Eríkson monument
The statue in front of the church is of Leif Eríkson, an Icelandic/Norwegian explorer and the first European thought to have landed in North America. The monument was a gift from the United States for the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, which marked the 1000th anniversary of Iceland's parliament.Here some view of Hallgrímskirkja:
Alcazar of SegoviaAlcazar, a castle-palace, lies in the walled city of Segovia in the province of Segovia in Spain. It's one of the most famous castles in Spain due to the fact that a lot of Spanish kings resided here and because of its beautiful exterior.
The construction of this majestic castle-palace probably began in the last quarter of the 11th century, by King Alfonso VI, following the Reconquest, on a site fortified by the Romans, Visigoths and Moors successively. The great keep, with its dozen semicircular sentry boxes, next to the entrance of the Alcazar over the artificial moat (seen left), was the last to be built. A lot of royals resided here, such as; King Ferdinand III, King Alfonso X, King Juan II and King Enrique IV, who all altered the buildings to their likings.Building History:Originally a fortress, the Alcázar has also been a royal palace, the site of Philip II's wedding to his fourth wife, Anne of Austria, and more recently a military academy. In the upper part of the city, the oldest foundations have been identified as Roman. Documents indicate that a fortress existed on this site by the early 12th century known as the Alcázar, an Arabic word for a royal residence. The palace was enlarged in the 13th and 14th centuries and again during the reign of King John II (1405-1454) when towers were added and the East Tower and moat were enlarged. Under Philip II (1558-1598) major alterations were made; slate roofs and spires on towers were added. From 1764-1862 the Royal Artillery College was housed here.
During John II's reign the East Tower was enlarged; now called the Tower of John II, it is twice as high as the original (which came to the line of balls across the center, halfway up) and twice as wide. The double horseshoe window, which dates from the 13th century, was one in the center of the tower. Bars on the windows reveal this tower's history as a state prison.Patio de Armas, designed by Francisco de Mora, 1593
A medieval courtyard, the doorways of which remain, had once provided an open space in the center of the residential part of the palace. During the reign of Philip II (1556-1598) a number of alterations were made, including the design of this parade ground, in the style of the Escorial. (Francisco de Mora was Juan de Herrera's student.) This elegant Renaissance courtyard has two storeys in granite with semi-circular arches on the first floor and a post and lintel structure on the second. Galleries are on three sides of the courtyard, which has a stone fountain at the center.
In 1862 however the Alcazar was devastated by fire. In 1882, it was rebuilt using old sketches of the interior before the fire. It see inside today is a 19th century remake. After completion the Alcazar firstly became the Military Archives and later an Artillery Academy and Museum. In the mid-20th century this use also ended and the Alcazar is now used for cultural activities and as a museum. It's state-owned. Visitors can climb the keep for some great views.
The Moat
The defensive moat goes back to the middle ages although the arcade spanning it dates from the 16th century. At 26 meters down, it was crossed by a drawbridge at the front of the palace.Here some views of Alcazar of Segovia:The Outer Hall
The Throne Room
The Galley Room, which gets its name from the shape of the ceiling being like an inverted hull of a ship.
Stained class window in Alcazar
The Pine-Cone Room
Queen of Castille
The Royal Bedroom
The Room of the Monarchs
The frieze bordering the room has figures of all
the monarchs of Asturias, Castile, and Leon.
The Chapel
The Armory
16th century hunting crossbow
Minting coins from the 18th century
The Museum of the Royal Artillery School
