Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born on the 22th of May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and passed away on the 7th of July 1930. Do you know that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle started his writing career in his free time as a doctor, who had not received many patients? A Scottish writer and novelist, […]
Kaisergruft or the Imperial Crypt was built in Vienna, in 1632. The Imperial Crypt was built beneath the Capuchin Church, in Vienna. It has been the primary entombment place for the members of the House of Habsburg. Crypts of the 107 metal sarcophagi range in style from puritan plain to exuberant rococo. Amazing Fact: 145
St. Michael and All Angels Church was built in Blantyre, Malawi, between 1888 and 1891. St. Michael and All Angels Church was built on an original Scottish mission site. Built by Rev. David Clement Scott who had no formal architectural training, the church was built using clay bricks that were made on-site. No initial drawings
The Prussian National Monument for the Liberation Wars was built in Germany in 1821. The monument is a war memorial built in memory of Prussian soldiers and other citizens who were part of the Liberation Wars. The monument was built in cast iron and the ground plan resembled a German cross, with inscriptions and dates
The Shah Jahan Mosque was built in Sindh, Pakistan, in 1644. The Shah Jahan Mosque was built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. Built with red bricks, the mosque is covered with blue glazed tiles, giving it a unique serene look. The domes were built in such a way that a person
The Chaukhandi Tombs were built near Karachi, Pakistan, between the 15th and the 18th century. The Chaukhandi Tombs are essentially an Islamic cemetery. However, their elaborate sandstone carvings and north-south orientation is what sets them apart. There are single tombs as well as tombs with as many as eight graves. The tombs sarcophagus has elaborate
Mohenjo-Daro was an ancient urban settlement built in Sindh, Pakistan, around 2500 BC. While Mohenjo-Daro (Mound of the Dead) was the name given to the city in modern times, the original name remains unknown. The city was highly planned-out with an organized street grid having proper drainage systems, public baths, granary, guard towers and many
Fasil Ghebbi was a fortress city built in Ethiopia in the 17th and the 18th century. Fasil Ghebbi, literally meaning ‘Royal Enclosure’, was home to the Ethiopian emperors. Built across 70,000 square metres, the fortress was enclosed by a curtain wall with twelve gates. The architectural style displayed is a diverse blend of influences including
The Valley of the Queens is the burial site for the wives of Pharaohs, built in Egypt between 1543 BC and 1077 BC. The Valley of the Queens included many members of nobility, including the princesses, heads of stables and viziers in the early years. However, from the 19th dynasty, the tombs were exclusively used
Deir el-Medina is a village built in Egypt between 1550-1080 BC. Deir el-Medina was a village comprising only of the artisans who were working on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The culture of the village and accounts of community life, spanning 400 years, are perfectly recorded. There is a rich variety of
Diocletian’s Palace was built in Croatia, in the 4th Century AD. The Roman Emperor Diocletian built this structure as his retirement home. However, while half the ‘palace’ was used for the Emperor’s personal use, the other half was used as a military garrison. The palace was constructed of limestone, marble and brick. Decorative items like
The Monastery of St. Anthony was built in Egypt in 356 AD. The Monastery of St. Anthony sits in an oasis in Egypt’s Eastern Dessert. The monastery was a self-contained structure comprising of a mill, bakery, gardens and five churches. The walls are decorated with paintings of knights in vibrant colours and hermits in lighter
The Monastery of St. Paul (the Anchorite) was built in Egypt, in the 5th century AD. The Monastery was built on the site where St. Paul lived for 80 years. The monastery was populated with monks who may have been Melkites, followed by Syrian and Egyptian monks. However, the monastery was raided and destroyed numerous
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was built in Alexandria, Egypt, between 280-247 BC. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was between 120 and 137 metres in height and considered to be the tallest man-made structure for many centuries. After having been badly damaged by three earthquakes, the site of the lighthouse was
The Qubbet el-Hawa often referred to as the Tomb of the Nobles was built in Aswan between the 3rd millennium BC and the 11th century BC. The Qubbet el-Hawa consists of rock-cut tombs that were built along the western bank of the Nile. The tombs were built over centuries. While the elite tombs date back