Historic Monuments/Sites You'd Like To Visit

[Satori]

What historic monuments, heritage sites, or architectural wonders from around the world
do you find interesting, have visited, or would like to visit?

As much as possible, include those less popular than the ones in the pictures,
so we may discover some places we may not have heard of yet, or are unfamiliar with.
(Unless there's an interesting story about the popular ones you'd like to share of course. )





Let's travel, and discover!

 

[Satori]

In general, I find temples, shrines, and churches just so beautiful.
Because they are religious public structures, thus valuable to the masses,
much time and effort is usually put into their planning and construction.
The designs are often very symbolic, and details very intricate.

There are so many of them from across the globe I'd love to visit,
but I'm starting off with a few from India.



~ Mahabodhi (Great Enlightenment) Temple - Bodh Gaya, India

Built around 250 BC by Emperor Ashoka, this is the Buddhist temple that marks
the site where Siddhartha Gautama is said to have gained enlightenment.

~ The Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God) in Amritsar - Punjab, India

Also popularly known as The Golden Temple of Amritsar, this is considered the holiest Sikh gurdwara (place of worship).
Amritsar is the name of the tank surrounding the temple, which symbolizes the "Pool of the Nectar of Immortality."

~ Jagannath Temple at Puri - Odisha, India

A temple dedicated to one of the Hindu deities Jagannath (Lord of the Universe).
(The word juggernaut got its origin from Jagannath)

 

[Satori]

Then, some temples in Japan.


~ Kinkaku-ji (Temple of The Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto

Officially called Rokuon-ji or "Deer Garden Temple," this is one of the most famous sites/buildings in Japan.

I would add more temples from Kyoto, but there are so many (more than 1600), I don't even know how to choose!



So for now, I'm going on a side trip to Nara, and post the original
~ Nanto Shichi Daiji or "The Seven Great Temples of Nanto"

These used to be the seven most powerful temples in Nanto/Nara, which was once the capital of Japan.


1. Daian-ji

2. Gango-ji

3. Horyu-ji (Temple of the Flourishing Law)

4. Kofuku-ji

5. Saidai-ji (Great Western Temple)

6. Todai-ji (Great Eastern Temple)

7. Yakushi-ji

 

[thirdhalf]

Angkor Wat

Mont-Saint-Michel

 

[thirdhalf]

Chand Baori

Leshan Giant Buddah

Mesa Verde

 

[thirdhalf]

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Sainte-Chapelle

Tikal

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela, Ethiopia

 

[thirdhalf]

Lincoln Memorial

Easter Island

Panthenon, 2000 years old and still the worlds largest unreinforced concrete dome

Krak des Chevaliers

Wudang Building Complex

Brihadeeswarar Temple

Derawar Fort

Shibam

 

[muir]

Mont-Saint-Michel

There's a corresponding michaels mount on the other side of the channel on the coast of england:

They're on leylines

 

[j654dgj7]

More than anything, I would love to visit the temple mount in Jerusalem! No introduction needed.

Also, Rome. Just Rome. All of Rome.

 

[Satori]

Amazing pictures! Thanks for sharing everyone.

Those ceilings and stained glass windows at Nasir al-Mulk Mosque and Sainte-Chapelle...

Also, though there are many step wells in India, the Chand Baori is really one great example
that shows the historic magnificence of the state of Rajasthan ("Land of Kings") in India.
These wells are not only tanks/pools to collect and store water in, but they're also places
where people can gather to socialize and perform some religious practices.

Here's another stepwell, which is a fairly recent addition to the list of world heritage sites:

~ Rani-ki-vav (The Queen's Stepwell) in Patan - Gujarat, India

Just look at the carvings in the side walls~

And a huge circular section (apart from the main rectangular tank)~

 

[invisible]

i went to a beautiful place in california called mariposa sequoia grove where there are some famous trees that had holes carved through their trunks many years ago. it was a sunny winter day and the snow was melting and dripping off the trees. the walking path to the grove was pretty icy, i was wishing i had better shoes. there is a particularly old tree there and standing in the space it inhabits is mind blowing, i truly felt like a speck of dust.

i have also visited the Sainte Chapelle in paris and i have a picture of it on my wall above my bed. beautiful, beautiful! visit early in the morning to skip the queue, which ive heard is hours long these days.

 

[invisible]

i would love to see some more of the US, the famous national parks, arizona and nevada. i think japan would be amazing too.

 

[thirdhalf]

Historic but not in a happy way.


A-bomb dome

Dresden fire bombing

 

[thirdhalf]

Sagrada Familia

Blue Mosque

Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple

Chichen Itza

Klementinum library

Kostnice

 

[thirdhalf]

Dubrovnik

Carcassonne

 

[thirdhalf]

The Library of El Escorial

Wiblingen Monastery Library

Abbey Library of St. Gallen

Trinity College Library

Taktsang Palphug Monastery

The Valley Of Flowers

Corinthos Channel

Château de Chenonceau

Bojnice Castle

 

[thirdhalf]

Haiku Stairs

The Iniciatic Well

Meteora

Rock-cut tombs in Myra

Sintra

Colmar

Ronda, Málaga

 

[Satori]

Citadels and palaces too are amazing! Keep em coming!


Here are more:

~ The Potala Palace - Lhasa, Tibet

Named after the Mount Potalaka, which means "Brilliance," the Potala Palace
used to be the residence of the Dalai Lama, but is now a museum.

~ Mysore Palace - Karnataka, India

Now also one of the most famous attractions in India, this is the official residence of the royal family of Mysore.

~ Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) - Rajasthan, India

Its five-storey design is made to imitate the crown of the Hindu deity, Krishna.


The small windows, decorated with lattices, serve as a sort of viewing area for the royal ladies (who had to cover their faces).

~ Lahore Fort - Pakistan

The original founder and date this citadel was built is still a question,
but it has been destroyed, rebuilt and added to by certain rulers quite a few times over the course of history.

(More forts next time )

 

[thirdhalf]

The Winter Palace

Palace of Versailles

Forbidden City

Château de Chambord

Alhambra

 

[muir]

The Iniciatic Well

This one is high on my list of wanna sees

It is an initiatiory structure taking the initiate down 7 spirals into the underworld