Eighth Wonder of the World
The Amber Room was a chamber decorated in amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors, located in the Catherine Palace of Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg.
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| Amber Room in 1917 |
Constructed in the 18th century in Prussia, the room was dismantled and eventually disappeared during World War II. Before its loss, it was considered an "Eighth Wonder of the World". A reconstruction was made, starting in 1979 and completed and installed in the Catherine Palace in 2003.
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| Reconstruction - 2003 Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat, "City/Capital of Temples", is a temple complex in Cambodia, located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (402 acres). The Guinness World Records considers it as the largest religious structure in the world. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire by King Suryavarman II during the 12th century, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century. Banaue Rice Terraces The Banaue Rice Terraces are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Banaue, Ifugao, in the Philippines, by the ancestors of the Igorot people, thought largely by hand. These are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps were put end to end, it would encircle half of the globe. Locals still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, the result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps". The terraces are thought to be over 2000 years old (Several researchers dispute this and say they are younger). Nevertheless, rice is an ancient ancestral crop of the Philippines, having been carried by Austronesian migrations into the islands since at least 1500 BCE (3500 years ago).
I thought I'd try somethihng different with this short series. Let me know if you like it. If so, there would be eight more posts. I'll spread them out.  |
