Nemrut Dagi is the mausoleum of Antiochus-I. It is situated atop a mountain in Southeastern Turkey. It was built around the 1st century BC. Why it is special: Nemrut Dagi was built as a tomb-sanctuary with 8-9 metres tall statues flanking the tomb. These statues comprised Greek style faces of the king himself, lions, eagles […]
Uxmal is a Maya city from the classical period. Uxmal is located in the Yucatán region, in Mexico. It is believed that Uxmal was founded in 500 AD. Why it is special: The buildings in Uxmal are one of the best preserved of the Maya sites. Uxmal means, ‘Three times built’, which is assumed to
Timbuktu is a historical city in West Africa that is still inhabited. It is located in Mali, 20 km north of River Niger, in Africa. The city was formed when seasonal settlements inhabited it permanently around the 12th century. Why it is special: Lying on the southern edge of the Sahara (Desert), the town flourished
Tikal is the ruin of a city that is probably the largest archaeological site of Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the rainforest in Guatemala. Most of the architecture from the city dates back to the 4th century BC. Why it is special: One of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya, Tikal
The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval closed-spandrel segmental stone arch bridge. The Bridge is located in Florence, Italy, across River Arno. It was first constructed in 996 by the Romans, but was rebuilt in 1333 and again in 1345. Why it is special: The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval bridge that is renowned for the
Mount Fuji is an active volcano commonly referred to as Fuji-san. The Volcano is located 100 km to the southwest of Tokyo, in Japan. It is believed that the ‘Old Mount Fuji’ formed over the top of a basalt layer 1,00,000 years ago. Why it is special: Currently classified as an active volcano with a
Deception Island is a caldera of an active volcano, with one of the safest harbours in Antarctica. It is part of the South Shetland Islands Archipelago in Antarctica. The first recorded and authenticated sighting of Deception Island was in 1820. Why it is special: While it remains largely uninhabited, Deception Island has grown in popularity
The Drakensberg is a mountain range that is part of the Great Escarpment. It is situated in Southern Africa and Lesotho. The Drakensberg Mountains were formed in the last 20 million years due to massive upliftment of the central plateau and constant erosion. Why they are special: The highest peak in this range is 11,424
Anuradhapura is a major city of Sri Lanka. The city is located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was established in the 4th century BC. Why it is special: Covering a total area of 7,179 sq.km, Anuradhapura was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. Famed for its well-preserved ruins of
The Devils Tower is a laccolithic butte made up of igneous rock. It is situated in the Bear Lodge Mountains, in Crook County, United States. The oldest rocks in the Devils Tower were from 225 to 195 million years ago. Why it is special: The Devils Tower rises almost vertically above the Belle Fourche River,
Chocolate Hills are a geological formation of hills covered in green grass that turns brown like chocolate in the dry season. They are found in the Bohol Province, in the Philippines. They are dated to be as old as 2.5 to 1.5 million years old. Why they are special: Over 1,268 of these geological formations
Sigiriya is an ancient impressive rock fortress. Sigiriya is located on a massive column of rock, near Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was developed into a fort complex between 477 and 495 BCE. Why it is special: The fort sits atop a rock formation 200 metres high. It is said King
The Temple of Poseidon is an ancient Greek temple, which is now in ruins. It is said to have existed on Cape Sounion, south of Athens, Greece. It was constructed between, 444 and 440 BC. Why it is special: Sitting high above the sea, at 60 metres, the Temple was designed in a traditional hexastyle,
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Lights, are a natural light display that occur in regions with high altitude. The Aurora Lights occur in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. They appear when the magnetosphere is sufficiently disturbed by solar winds. Why they are special: When charged particles in the atmosphere collide with the
The Neuschwanstein Castle is a Romanesque revival palace. The Castle is situated on a hill above the Hohenschwangau village, near Bavaria, Germany. The construction of the Castle had started in 1869. However, only the façade was completed by 1886, while much of the interiors were left unfinished. Why it is special: The Neuschwanstein Castle was