The Temple of Artemis at Epheseus

A question can come in mind that this is just a temple how it can have place amongst other unique structures like Pyramid, Hanging Gardens and the Clossus of Rhodes answer for that is just simple the beauty of this temple attracted people for years which mean it was the one of the most beautiful structure on earth in its times. The Temple of Artemis is not a simple temple like other ones; it was the most beautiful structure on earth was built in honor of the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana) of hunting and wild nature.

It’s located near the town of Selcuk, 50km south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey.

The temple foundation was made in 7^th century BC. But its structure, which is listed as Wonder that was built in 550 BC. Its construction expenses were beard by the Lydian king Croesus and the Greek architect Chersipheron designed it and it was decorated with bronze statues, which were sculpted by the most skilled artists of their time like Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, and Phradmon.

Similar to other temples of that time its foundation was in rectangular form, the building was made of marble having a decorated outward appearance and a spacious courtyard. There was a marble step surrounding the building led to the high terrace that was almost 80m (260 ft) by 130m (430 ft) in plan. The columns were 20m (60 ft) high with Ionic capitals and carved circular sides. There were total 127 columns aligned orthogonally covering the whole area except the central cella or house of the goddess.

The temple was having so many very beautiful works of art that includes four ancient bronze statues of Amazons sculpted by the finest artists at the time.

The early descriptions about the temple by the historians helped a lot the archeologists to re build the building. Well a more accurate reconstruction of the temple may give the general layout of the temple.

Coober Pedy Australia: The Place Where People Live Underground

Australia is an amazing place which is a country and a continent also. Before Second World War it was hard for world to reach this continent across the ocean. But now this continent is amongst the world’s most developed places. Australia is having diverse climate conditions.

Central Australia is having extreme weather conditions. The dry desert and hot temperature makes it hardiest place to live. But there is something unique about this desert which attracts the tourists. The stark beauty, strange geological formations, unfamiliar type of animals and shrubbery are main source of attraction for tourists in Coober Pedy.  

Coober Pedy is a south Australian town with population of 3500 people and it’s a famous tourist destination for tourists who love to visit extreme climate places. Coober Pedy is located 846 Km north of Adelaide and 645 Km south of Alice Springs.

It will be better that you prepare on forehand before traveling to Coober Pedy. This unique town is also known as Opal Capital of the world as world’s 70% opals coming out of its 70 minefields. Eighty years of mining made this town look like a lunar landscape.

World’s Only Underground Town

But the thing which makes Coober Pedy unique in world is that 80% of population lives there under ground. It’s because of hard weather temperatures which goes up to 50 degrees in summers. That’s why people live in houses dug into the ground. But its not like that people there live like the ancient human beings, these underground residents have all the modern facilities which you can expect in any normal house.

The reason to have underground residence in Coober Pedy is that the insulation makes it cooler and saves the inhabitants from harsh affects of the hot weather.

In Coober Pedy’s other attractions is its Desert Cave, which is the most prestigious accommodation for tourists. It will be a unique and fascinating experience for a tourist to spend some nights in an underground hotel. World’s only underground bar and gaming room is also here. There is also an art gallery, showcasing some of the best work of the artists from Central Australia.

Umoona Opal Mine

If you want to see this culture at its best then it’s necessary that you would visit a mine. Umoona Opal Mine and Museum is the main tourist attraction in Coober Pedy , here you can know so much about opals. On a visit to Umoona Opal Mine you will be guided and shown that how they cut and polish the opal stones. There is an interpretative center in Umoona Opal Mine which explains the history and process of mining and also documentaries are shown. You can see different displayed fossils there which were found in the mines. There is a retail centre also where you can buy genuine Coober Pedy made jewelry.

Locals of Coober Pedy

Inhabitants of Coober Pedy are having relaxed and friendly attitude. Though this is a small town but here you can see incredible ethnic diversity, with over 45 different nationalists being represented.

Exclusive Natural Attractions

Near the Coober Pedy town there are some exclusive natural attractions which are being shown in many Hollywood’s movies. One of them is the Breakaways which is a series of flat topped mesas formed over the years and other is Moon Plains that are a vast expanse of rocky plains unlike anywhere in the world.

There is no problem of accommodation for tourists in Coober Pedy, as they are welcomes always. You can always checking into an underground hotel!

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa is located in Alexandria, Egypt.

Alexandria was having different blends of culture in the late first century. It was having Roman and Greek traditions and Christianity was also flourishing despite from all that changes in culture ancient Egypt’s great kingdoms were still not forgotten. This place was having unique impact that people combine their talents rather than destroying cultures.

The evocative reminders of a culture that existed 1,900 years: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, “ Mounds of Shards”. Three levels burrow into the ground its carved out of solid rock near the sites of the ancient stadium and the long vanished temple of Serapis, a Greek and Egyptian god. Many such catacombs once filigreed Alexandria’s underground but earthquakes and construction projects destroyed them.

Kom el Shoqafa was not find out by any human that’s interesting also in 1900 when it was re discovered after centuries that was by a donkey which accidentally fell through a hole in the ground, and that time it was seen the animal had made an extraordinary archeological find.

Kom el Shoqafa was an active burial site in the late second century. There is ancient circular staircase leads down into the catacombs. The bodies were lowered by rope down the well formed by the spiraling stairs. At the end of the staircase there are two benches are carved into wall inches overhead by the cockleshell motif found in classical designs.

A circular building through a six-pillared central shaft opens off the vestibule. On the left there is triclinium, that’s the funeral banquet hall where friends and family gather on stone couches covered with cushions. It is believed by the scholars that the catacombs at 1^st may be were only for one family but latterly they were expanded into a mass burial site, and its assumed that was administrated by a corporation with dues paying members.

Down through staircase to second level there is an area eerily alive with sculpture. In the lobby of the building two pillars are topped by the papyrus, lotus, and acanthus leaves of ancient Egypt, two falcons flanking a winged sun decorate the frieze. In the walls there are carved figures of man and a woman probably can be figures of the tomb’s original occupants. The man’s body in figure is having stiff hieratic pose as its found in ancient Egyptian sculpture while his head is in the lifelike manner of the classic Hellenes and the woman’s figure is also rigid but it sports the Roman hairstyle.

Three huge stone coffins with non-removable covers along the sides of the chamber. It’s assumed that bodies were inserted in them from behind using a passageway that runs around the outside of the funeral chamber. There is a hallway with 91 wall inches in the central tomb chamber and each one providing burial space for three mummies.

The visitors can reach the first level through a breach in the rotunda wall that way probably was not used by the original builders. This way leads to the Hall of Caracalla, in this hall the bones of horses and humans were found. The hall name is on the name of Emperor Caracalla who massacred the Alexandrian youth in 215 AD.

El Camino del Rey

El Camino del Rey is a very dangerous walkway that goes along the steep walls of a narrow gorge known as El Chorro.

Location of El Chorro

The El Chorro gorge is located in Spain near Alora, a village close to Malaga. It’s very close to the Mediterranean Sea.

El Chorro is a limestone gorge in Andalusia through that passes the Guadalhorce River. In 1921 Dam was made on this river forming three reservoirs, which are having thick pine forests on the sides. Makinodromo is having rivers, lakes, canyons and full of trees, this area is well known in Europe for rock climbing and its also popular for mountain biking, hiking and camping.

Next to El Chorro gorge there is a 700 meters high Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Pass and on the side of this high mountain there is a walkway. This path is famous as a very dangerous path called El Camino del Rey (The King’s little path).

This path was constructed in 1901 and it got its name because Alfonso XIII of Spain officially opened the path.

People are traversing this path from many years but now this path is in poor condition due to lack of repairs. In 2000 a tourist had died trying to cross it. But that accident hasn’t affected many people. El Camino del Rey is still a popular climb even today.

Description

The Camino del Rey is a path constructed on the gorge wall. This unusual walkway is hundred meters above the canyon base and travels the full length of the gorge.

Currently the walkway is no longer in best shape because different sections of concrete are broken away. Still the walking the full length on it is possible. It is said that the walkway was built so that the king can observe the engineering work taking place in the gorge. But now this walkway instead of Royalty gets the climbers.

This walkway is only 3 feet wide and its held to the mountainside by pins driven into the stone. 700 feet below the river is flowing.

On purpose of its building was to allow local workers the ability cross between two nearby waterfalls, Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls and it was serving as a shortcut to workers so that they wont have to climb down the mountain on one side and climb back up on the other.  But now this walk is in status of serious disrepair many parts of this walkway are completely collapsed leaving nothing but a metal beam and a wire. So if you got chance to walk on that then that’s best for you to never look down.

Though there is a great danger and risk but that doesn’t seem to stop people from climbing it. This walkway is still serving as short cut to Makinodromo the famous climbing sector of El Chorro. A century ago this walkway was a shortcut and its still serving as a short cut several people risk their lives on a daily basis to climb on that though is illegal.