10 Most Celebrated Domes of the World

talking about architecture domes have a significant place. Domes are structural elements of architecture and they resemble a hollow upper half of a sphere. One can also call a dome as an arch that is rotated around its central vertical axis. The tradition of constructing multiple domes first started when church architecture started in Russia.

There are various types of domes such as onion domes, corbel domes, oval domes, parabolic domes, polygonal domes, umbrella domes, and much more. Find out some of the most celebrated domes around the world. This is just a list of 10 most celebrated domes from a very huge list of domes. Domes are indeed one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world.

Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Pantheon, Largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world

In Greek language, Pantheon means “to every god;” as the name suggests this was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa to all the gods of Ancient Rome, which was later completed by Emperor Hadrian around 126 AD. Pantheon in Rome is one of the most preserved Roman buildings.

This is a circular building with a granite portico and large Corinthian columns. There is a vestibule that links the porch and the rotunda (rotunda is any building that has a circular ground plan). Pantheon has a concrete dome and was built close to 2,000 years ago; this is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.

Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Suleymaniye Mosque, the second largest mosque in the world

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Suleymaniye Mosque is the second largest mosque in Istanbul; it took nearly 8 years to complete the construction. This mosque was built under the orders of Sultan Suleyman. This structure combines tall and slender minarets with large domed buildings that are supported by half domes.

Suleymaniye Mosque was designed as a kulliye, which means a complex where there are adjacent structures for both religious and cultural needs. Initially, this complex had hospital, a primary school, public bath, a roadside inn or a Caravanserai, Qur’an schools, school for learning hadith, medical college, and a public kitchen. Even though many of these structures are still in place, some of them have changed; the former imaret has been changed to a well-known restaurant and the hospital to a printing factory that is owned by the Turkish Army.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Night view of "The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat"

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St. Basil’s Cathedral is the popular name of “The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat;” this is a Russian orthodox church. This was originally called the “Trinity Church” or the “Trinity Cathedral.” There are a total of nine churches where the eight churches surround the ninth church that is in the middle in a symmetrical floor plan.

St. Basil’s Cathedral was erected on the Red Square of Moscow between the years 1555-61. The shape of the cathedral is a flame out of a bonfire rising into the sky. Many mislabel this as the Kremlindue to its close proximity. This cathedral is famous for its onion domes.

St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy

St. Peter's Basilica, the largest dome in the world - Wide angle view of the altar inside

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The official name of St. Peter’s Basilica in Italian is “Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano.” This is Late Renaissance church that is located within the Vatican City and is one of the holiest Catholic sites. The construction of St. Peter’s Basilica started in the year 1506 and was completed in the year 1626.

The skyline of Rome is dominated by the central dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The total height of the dome is 136.57 meters from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross making it the largest dome in the world.

Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India

Harmandir Sahib

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The best-known or the popular name of Harmandir Sahib is the “Golden Temple.” It is a Sikh gurudwara and the construction began when Guru Ram Das (4^th guru) was the guru; the construction got completed during the period when the guru was Guru Arjan Dev (5^thguru).

It was during the 19^th century, the upper floors were covered by gold by Maharaja Ranjit Singh who took over Punjab and protected it from outside attack. This is when Harmandir Sahib got its present name, “Golden Temple.”

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Taj Mahal, yellowish color during dusk. This monument is famous for its color changing properties as the day passes.

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Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan, a Mughal Emperor in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The entire structure was constructed using white marble. Taj Mahal is considered as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.” Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1983.

The shape of the main dome is onion; therefore, one of the best examples of onion domes. The height of the marble dome is 35 meters which is about the same length as the base; the height of the dome is highlighted by a lotus design.

St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England

St. Paul's Cathedral - looking up at the dome, first ever triple dome constructed

 St. Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of Bishop of London; the present church was built during the late 17^th century when a rebuilding program took place after the “Great Fire of London.” This was the tallest building in the London for close to 300 years with a total height of 365 feet.

The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the world’s highest domes and the church is the second largest church building in the United Kingdom; the first one being the Liverpool Cathedral. There are totally three layers in the large crossing dome and is the first ever triple dome constructed. There are 12 bells, 3 clocks, and one bourdon and a communion.

Ericsson Globe, Stockholm, Sweden

Ericsson Globe, the largest hemispherical building in the world and the world's largest scale model of Solar System

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Ericsson Globe was originally called as the “Stockholm Global Arena” and is currently the world’s largest hemispherical building. It is the national indoor arena of Sweden. The total volume of Ericsson Globe is 605,000 cubic meters. This indoor arena has another feather in its cap; it represents the Sun of the Sweden Solar System and is the largest scale model of Solar System in the world.

How it got its name as the Ericsson Globe? The naming rights of the building was officially acquired by Ericsson in the year 2009 and therefore became to be known as the “Ericsson Globe.” In the year 2010, a funicular railway was opened outside this indoor arena; each of these 2 gondolas can accommodate 16 people. This will take them to a height of 130 meters from where they get a unobstructed virtual view of entire Stockholm; one cannot see such an arrangement anywhere in the world.

Global Pagoda, Mumbai, India

Global Pagoda, the world's largest stone dome and the largest structure in the world that contains relics of Buddha

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The Global Pagoda or the Global Vipassana Pagoda is one of the notable monuments of Mumbai and was inaugurated in the year 2009. This Pagoda was built in gratitude to Buddha and his teachings. The pagoda’s shape was copied from the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

This pagoda holds the world record for the largest stone dome built without any supporting pillars; the height of the dome is 29 meters. There are three sub-domes and each of these domes was constructed at different periods. Global Pagoda has one more crown; it is the largest structure in the world that contains relics of Buddha. The construction of the Global Pagoda is still on as they wish to incorporate a museum that will depict both the life as well as the teachings of the Great Gautama Buddha.

The Eden Project, Cornwall, United Kingdom

Eden Project, a modern botanical garden

Eden Project at Cornwall, United Kingdom is famous for its largest greenhouse in the world; it contains almost all plants of the world. There are two huge enclosures with adjoining domes. These domes consist of hundreds and thousands of hexagonal and pentagonal inflated plastic cells; these are supported by steel frames.

This is one of the major tourist attractions of Cornwall. One can witness planted landscapes and vegetable gardens. This site is also famous for a giant bee and a towering robot made from old electrical appliances.

5 Record Holding Caves of the World

In the early days, primitive people used caves as place of dwellings; they used them for various other purposes like burial or sites for religious practices. These caves are formed due to various geological processes like water erosion, pressure, atmospheric influences, digging, etc. Here is a list of six of the record holding caves of the world; this includes greatest total length, deepest, largest passage and much more…

1.      Greatest Total Length Cave - Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, USA

Mammoth Cave, the greatest total length cave in the world

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

The total length of Mammoth Cave is 628 kilometers and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Mammoth Cave is inside the Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, USA; the total area of the park is 52,830 acres. This cave system is very stable as they are made of limestone strata that are capped by sandstone. The national park was established mainly to preserve this cave system, Mammoth Cave. One can witness the endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, an eyeless shrimp at Mammoth Cave.

2.      Longest Surveyed Underwater Cave – Sistema Ox Bel Ha, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Sistema Ox Bel Ha cave, longest surveyed underwater cave

Ox Bel Ha means “Three Paths of Water” in the Mayan language. In the last week of March 2011, Sistema Naranjal was connected to Sistema Ox BelHa to make it the longest surveyed underwater cave; before this connection, it was Sistema Sac Actun that was the longest surveyed underwater cave system. The total length of Ox Bel Ha is 233.43 km.

3.      Deepest Known Cave - Krubera Cave, Abkhazia, Georgia

Krubera Cave or Voronya Cave, meaning "Crows' Cave"

Image source: nationalgeographic

Krubera Cave, also known as Voronya Cave or Voronja Cave is believed to be the deepest known cave; it was measured from the highest entrance to the lowest point of the cave. This cave is close to 2,000 meters deep. In Russian, Voronya Cave means Crows’ Cave; it was called so as one can see a large number of crows nesting at the entrance pit.

4.      Deepest Vertical Shaft or Vertical Drop Cave – Vrtoglavica Cave, Slovenia, Italy

Vrtoglavica Cave, the deepest vertical shaft cave.

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Vrtoglavica Cave is located inside a mountain called Kanin Mountain; this mountain lies in the Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. What is a vertical shaft? A vertical shaft is a place in the cave where the caver has to abseil, meaning, he/she has to descend using controls like a rope. The total depth of the cave is 603 m. Vrtoglavica means vertigo; there are no documented proofs to know why the cave was called the Vrtoglavica cave.

5.      Largest Passage – Son Doong Cave, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

Hang Son Doong Cave, the largest passage cave famous for fast-flowing underground river

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In Vietnamese language, Hang Son Doong mean “Mountain River Cave”; this is a cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the Quang Binh Province of Vietnam. This cave is famous for its largest fast-flowing underground river. It was in the year 1991 this cave was found by a local man named Ho-Khanh; earlier to its discovery, people were afraid to cross the cave due to the whistling sound or noise made by the underground river.

10 Famous Defensive Walls around the World

Defensive Walls is a fortification and are constructed to protect a city or settlement from invaders. These defensive walls are also termed either as city walls or town walls. When said defensive walls or city walls the first wall that comes to our mind is “The Great Wall of China.” Are there other famous city walls? If yes, where are these defensive walls?

10. York City Walls, England, United Kingdom

The wall walk at York City Walls, England

York City walls are in the city of English city of York and this place is known for its city walls right from the times of Romans. York City Walls are also referred to as Bar Walls or Roman Walls. York city in England has more miles of intact walls than any other city in England. It was the Romans who first defensive city walls in York city; this was followed by Danes. It was the Danes who restored the walls built by Romans. York City walls are a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade 1 listed building.

9. Hadrian’s Wall, England-Scotland border

Hadrian's Wall, England-Scotland Border is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

Hadrian’s Wall is yet another masterpiece of Roman Britain; it was called as Hadrian’s Wall as this city wall was constructed during the rule of Emperor Hadrian. It is believed that many of the gates through the wall have served as customs posts, but not much of evidence is found. Hadrian’s Walls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This wall is 120 m long, which is 80 Roman miles. It is believed that this wall was built to safeguard the empire and was imposed by divine instruction.

8. Roman Walls of Lugo, Galicia, Spain

An original Roman Gate among the five, Roman Walls of Lugo, Spain

Roman Walls of Lugo was constructed in the 3^rd century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Majority of the wall is still intact and this wall is at the historic center of Lugo in Spain. Roman walls of Lugo is stated as “the finest example of late Roman fortifications in western Europe.” The length of the walls is 2,120 meters and is 4.2 m wide. There were initially 5 gates, which then became ten as the population of the city increased.

7. Chester city walls, England, United Kingdom

Chester City Walls made of sandstone in England

Image via Wikipedia

Romans started the construction of Chester city walls to protect Chester city in Cheshire, England between 70 and 80 AD. In 100 AD, the wall was reconstructed using sandstone, but the sad part is that the construction didn’t get over for nearly 100 years. It was very difficult to maintain the city walls and therefore, was converted into a major tourist attraction. Many of the medieval structures like Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower, Pemberton’s Parlour, Morgan’s Mount, Phoenix Tower, Barnaby’s Tower, etc., have been incorporated in this major tourist attraction.

6. Moscow Kremlin Wall, Moscow, Russia

Moscow Kremlin Wall by the side of Moskva River, Moscow

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Kremlin wall is considered as one of the symbolic constructions in the history of Russia; this wall was constructed to protect the city of Moscow Kremlin. During the course of time, Russian borders expanded and the canons placed in the wall were removed. The outer perimeter of the Kremlin wall is close to 2200 meters and therefore would look like a loose triangle.

5. Kano City Wall, Kano, Nigeria

Kano City Walls, the most impressive monument in West Africa

Kano City walls is believed to be “the most impressive monument in West Africa.” Majority of the portions of the wall is damaged; this site is submitted to UNESCO World Heritage Site to be a part of it. It is said that the best part of the Kano city wall is the western section. People in Nigeria believe this wall has to be restored.

4. Walls of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Walls of Dubrovnik along with Mincenta Tower

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Walls of Dubrovnik are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These defensive walls are considered as great fortification during the Middle Ages as any hostile army was unable to breach the wall and get inside; this stone wall was constructed to protect the people of Dubrovnik city.

3. Fortifications of Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China

Fortifications of Xi'an, oldest and best preserved city walls in China

Image via Wikipedia

These are definitely one among the best preserved and oldest Chinese city walls. These walls were constructed in the year 194 BCE; however, the existing walls were constructed during the rule of Ming Dynasty in 1370. The base layer of the fortifications of Xi’an was done by earth, quick lime and glutinous rice extract.

2. Visby Rigmur, Gotland, Sweden

Visby Rigmur or City Walls of Visby, part of World Heritage City 731.

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This wall is 11 feet high and was constructed in two phases; Rigmur means ringwall in Sweden. Visby Rigmur or the City walls of Visby was constructed during the Medieval period; the oldest defensive tower is called the “Powder Tower.” This wall is part of World Heritage City 731. During the time of construction, there were 29 towers; however, currently there are only 27 towers.

1. Intramuros Walls, Manila, Philippines

Intramuros Walls mean "within the walls" in Latin

Image via manila.gov

Intramuros in Latin means “within the walls” and the seat of the government during the Spanish Colonial Period were the Intramuros Walls. This wall was identified as “On the Verge” of irreparable loss and destruction by the Global Heritage Fund.

Make sure to see these famous walls when you visit these spectacular places.

Renowned Rock-Cut Temples of South India

India is known for its cultural heritage and most importantly famous for temples. There are lots of cave temples in India. Rock-cut architecture is a practice where either buildings or structures are carved in caves. Here is a sneak preview of some of the famous rock-cut temples of South India.

1. Undavalli Caves, Andhra Pradesh

This is the entrace to the 3rd floor of Anananthapadmaswamy temple

Undavalli Caves boasts of ancient viswakarmastapathis and is an excellent example for rock-cut temples in India. This cave is a finest example of Gupta architecture. This cave is carved out of sandstone.There is a large statue of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture; this statue is made from single block of granite. Apart from a big statue of Lord Vishnu, there are lots of statues for the Lords Brahma and Shiva. It is a treat to watch the beautifully carved sculptures in these caves. 

2. Aihole, North Karnataka

Ravana Phadi Cave at Aihole, Karnataka

Aihole is a temple complex and a popular tourist attraction in North Karnataka; it is believed that this may be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is definitely hard to believe that this temple was built 1400 years ago. Aihole is the best example for Badami Chalukya architecture; this type of architecture have three basic features in them, namely, pillared verandah, columned hall, a sanctum cut out deep into rock. There are lots of temples in Aihole and these are subdivided into two categories; Kontigudi group and Galaganatha group. Some of the temples in these groups include Lad Khan temple, Durga temple, Suryanarayana temple, Triyambakeshvara temple, Huchimali temple, Ravana Phadi cave, etc.

3. Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, Karnataka

The Disc and its shadow at Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple

Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple is yet another excellent of Indian rock-cut architecture. The main deity of this temple is Shiva; this temple is a protected monument under the Karnataka Ancient and Historical Monuments, and Archeological Sites and Remains Act 1961. What is so special about this temple? Every year on Makar Sankaranthi (a festival of harvest in India) day, sun rays will fall directly on the deity of Shiva inside the cave for one hour. Isn’t it amazing to know the knowledge of our ancestors when there was no Internet or very less developments in Science? 

4. Kottukal Cave Temple, Kerala

Kottukal Cave temple

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

It is believed that this rock-cut temple in Kerala was built between 6th and 7th century AD when Nedila Paranthaka Nedumchadayan was ruling Chadayamangalam. Lord Shiva and Ganesha are the primary deities of this rock-cut temple. It is said that incarnations of Lord Shiva brought this huge rock to this place and the smaller rock called the “chummaadu paara” supports the bigger rock. The daily rituals are taken care by the Travancore Devaswom Board. This is one of the major tourist attractions in Kerala especially due to the calmness and serenity of the place. 

5. Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Pancha Rathas of Mahabalipuram

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

When visiting Tamil Nadu, one of the must visit rock-cut architectures or cave temples would be Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This cave temple was built between the 7th and 9th centuries AD by Pallavas. The monuments in Mahabalipuram boast of the Dravidian architecture. Some of the notable structures include Thirukadalmallai, a temple of Lord Vishnu; Varaha Cave temple, Pancha Rathas, and the Descent of the Ganges.

6. Thirunandhikkara Cave Temple, Tamil Nadu

Thirunandhikkara cave temple, Kanyakumari

Image courtesy: krishnasepages

This is another great example of rock-cut architecture; this was built between the 7th and 8th centuries AD by the Pallavas. This cave temple is part of the Thirunandhikkara temple of Kanyakumari District. It is believed that it was first the Jains who made this cave temple in the 7th century CE, which was later taken by Hindus.

It is not necessary that one has to go on a religious pilgrimage tour to visit these cave temples; these rock-cut temples are indeed a tourist attraction in itself. 

Unique and Unusual Hotels around the World

Hotels, are all of them just buildings? Nah…there are some unique hotels around the world; they range from hotels on trees, prison converted into a hotel, hotels in cave, hotels made of salt, etc. Let us have a look at some of these unique hotels around the world.

1. Library Hotel, New York City 

The Poetry and Garden themed bookmarks lounge, Library Hotel

Courtesy: Library Hotel

Library Hotel in New York City is one of its kinds when it comes to luxury boutique hotels. There are ten floors in the hotel and the unique feature of this hotel is that each floor is assigned a category based on Dewey Decimal System; Dewey Decimal System is a proprietary system used for library classification. Each of these categories has a subcategory too.

Third floor is categorized as Social Sciences with subcategories called Law, Money, World Culture, Economics, Political Science, and Communication, Fourth floor is categorized as Language with subcategories called Ancient Language, Middle Eastern Language, Asian Language, Germanic Language, Romance Language, and Slavic Language. Similarly each and every floor has a unique classification; Fifth floor is Math and Sciences, Sixth floor is Technology, Seventh floor is Arts, Eight floor is Literature, Ninth floor is History, Tenth floor is General Knowledge, Eleventh floor is Philosophy and Twelfth floor is Religion. You get a set of books as complement when you stay in this hotel apart from other complimentary amenities. How nice it would be to read a book in a cozy and comfy bed with a cup of hot coffee?

2. Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas

The pyramid shaped Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas Strip

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada is a unique and unusual hotel because it is shaped in the form of a pyramid. This hotel contains 4,400 rooms and this includes 442 suites. Luxor Hotel is the third largest hotel in the world and second largest hotel in Las Vegas. The main portion of the hotel is a 30-story pyramid, 820,000 cu. meters atrium, and a 34 meter tall obelisk. The guest rooms are situated on the outer walls; they can be reached using inclinators which are available in the inner surface.

Indulge yourself in the spas or have a great splash in the swimming pool or shop in the 29 retail stores. Now you too can say that you have stayed in the pyramid and played in it even though you have not visited the pyramids in the Egypt; how nice…

3. Treetops Hotel, Kenya

Treetops Hotel (No see, No Pay policy hotel in Kenya)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

 Treetops Hotel is in Kenya at 1,965 meters above sea level on the Aberdare Range. This hotel was first opened as a treehouse on the tree tops of Aberdare National Park to help visitors get better view of the wildlife of the park. Treetops Hotel currently has 50 rooms. This hotel gained popularity when Queen Elizabeth II accede the throne after her father’s death. Another reason for the popularity is the “No See, No Pay” policy; this means the guests are not charged if they are not able to see any big game.

It is the best hotel to watch wildlife if you can adhere to certain strict rules of them; these stringent rules are:

1. It is just an overnight destination; therefore only an overnight luggage will be allowed.
2. There is a low level decibel restriction as the animals are very sensitive to sounds; guests are banned from wearing hard-soled footwear.

Watch the wildlife from these treetops and am sure this safari will be a memorable one.

4. Langholmen Hotel, Stockholm

Langholmen Hotel (A prison with 500 cells converted to a hotel in Stockholm)

Image courtesy: Langholmen Hotel

Langholmen Hotel was once a prison with 500 cells, but now converted to a hotel. This hotel was once the biggest prison in Sweden before being converted as a hotel. There is a museum too in this hotel. This hotel boasts of a beach, jogging circuits and promenade trails. The hotel rooms are termed as cells and they say that you get your own key to your cell.

5. Palacio de Sal, Salar de Uyuni

Palacio de Sal (Hotel made completely of salt in Salar de Uyuni)

Image courtesy: wickedreport

How about visiting and staying in a hotel that is completely made of salt? It is just not the walls or ceilings that are made of salt, but even chairs, tables, cots, decorations are made of salt. Palacio de Sal is termed the largest salt flat in the world. There are totally 16 rooms in this salt hotel resembling an igloo. Relax and rejuvenate yourself in the dry sauna or steam room. Do not forget to take a dip in the saltwater pool or the whirlpool bath. Staying in a hotel completely made of salt will definitely be a very unique experience.

Enjoy your stay in these unique as well as unusual hotels! Hope the cost doesn’t put a hole in your pocket!

Lovely Lowland Castles around the World

Castles, when we say this we all knew about castles that are built on hilltops; how about knowing castles that are built on lowlands or valleys? Are you thinking whether such castles really exist? Yes…here is some of the lovely lowland or plain castles around the world.

Lowland castles are castles that are built or situated on lowlands, valleys or plain. These lowland castles are also called as “Plain Castles.” There are so many lowland castles around the world; Germany holds a record of having 34% of lowland castles or plain castles.

1. Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland 

Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland (Category A listed building and a triangular shaped castle)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Caerlaverock Castle belongs to the category called water castle as it uses water as a defensive obstacle. This is a Category A listed building in Scotland. One of the unique features of this plain castle is that it is a triangular shaped castle; this itself a very unique feature among British castles. There are three lengths of defensive curtain wall and their three angles are linked by higher corner towers. The north tower has an impressive twin-towered gatehouse.

2. Castle Stalker, Scotland 

Castle Stalker, Scotland (The best-preserved surviving medieval tower house)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Castle Stalker belongs to the category called island castles; a variation of water castle. These island castles in general will not have moats or shield wells as they are normally separated from the shore by a minimum of two water bodies. Castle stalker is a four-storey tower house and is considered one of the iconic romantic images of Scotland. This is one of the best-preserved surviving medieval tower houses in Western Scotland.

3. Château de Sully-sur-Loire, France

Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire, France (Classic example of medieval fortress, Monument Historique in France)

 Château de Sully-sur-Loire belongs to water castle category; this wonderful castle has been converted to a palatial seigniorial (seigneur means a feudal lord in French) residence. This castle is a classic example of medieval fortress with its high towers and deep moats. French Ministry of Culture has declared this Château de Sully-sur-Loire Castle as monument historique, which is a National Heritage Site of France.

4. Warwick Castle, England 

Warwick Castle, England (A best example of river castle)

Warwick Castle belongs to river castle category; a river castle is one that is erected on a river bank. These river castles are surrounded by moats that are filled by water from the river in which the castle is erected. This castle is erected on the River Avon in the county town of Warwickshire; it has a sandstone bluff also known as the sandstone cliff. Some of the attractions include a bird show called the “Flight of the Eagles,” archery displays, a live actor performance similar to London Dungeon called the “The Castle Dungeon;” this list of attractions doesn’t end here.

5. Malbork Castle, Poland 

Castle of Malbork, Poland (World's largest castle by area)

Malbork Castle is the largest castle in the world in terms of area and is one of the finest examples of medieval fortress; this was also the largest brick castle in the world when completed in the year 1406. There are various subdivisions as well as multiple layers of defensive walls in Malbork Castle. There are three castles, namely, the High, Middle and Lower Castles and these are separated by several moats and dry towers.

Visit these plain castles or lowland castles if you are planning to visit any of these countries; these castles boasts of the excellent architecture of the past and a must visit tourist attraction.

Best Places to Celebrate New Year Eve – 2012

New Year is fast approaching and all of us are eager to welcome the New Year with open hands. When a New Year arrives things that come to our mind would include New Year resolutions, celebrations, and finally the fireworks. What are the best places to celebrate this New Year Eve?

1.     Times Square, New York City:

Times Square is a place that is always buzzing up with energy and if it is going to be New Year, more power and energy comes into foray. Have you watched the ball drop on the television last New Year? Ball dropping is a New Year tradition being followed since 1904; a must watch celebration. This ball is made of Waterford Crystal; this ball is descends 23 meters a minute and will rest at the bottom of the pole at midnight.

The Waterford Crystal at Times Square

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Are you a party animal and wish to party the whole night? Clubs in and around Times Square would be opened for night parties and you can really have a blast. Make yourself available on the New Year Day to watch the ball dropping and party all night.

2.     Tokyo, Japan:

Do you wish to celebrate New Year a few days earlier and extending the celebrations even after New Year? If yes, Tokyo would be the perfect or best place to celebrate New Year for you. The actual New Year celebrations start on the 29^th of December and ends on the 4^th of January. Majority of the tourist spots may have been closed down during this period, but places like restaurants and pubs would be crowded with people. How about watching fireworks? It will be a spectacular event.

Kadomatsu, the traditional decoration for the New Year holiday in Japan

Japanese have a New Year tradition where the gongs in the Buddhist temples would strike 108 times at the stroke of midnight; watch it. You can eat their traditional noodles called the Toshikoshi Soba or even visit “The Imperial Palace.” This palace is opened for public just for 2 days in a year, which is 1^st and 2^ndof January.

3.      London, United Kingdom:

Are you keen on watching fabulous fireworks? If yes, London is the best place to celebrate this New Year. A recent statistics says that nearly a million of people gathered near London Eye last year to watch the spectacular fireworks. How about you being one among millions this year to watch the brilliant fireworks? This year (2012) you can watch the fireworks in London from viewing areas on both the North and South banks of the river between Waterloo and Lambeth bridges.

Trafalgar Square at London

Image source: Wikipedia

If you feel the place would be too crowded, you can watch the fireworks display at London Eye or at the big screens kept in Trafalgar Square. Pubs and clubs are opened almost all through the night on New Year just for party lovers.

4.      Sydney, Australia:

New Year at Sydney, Australia

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

To be one of the first in the world to ring in the New Year, go to Sydney. Here, you can witness absolutely stunning fireworks accompanied by music exploding over the Sidney Harbour Bridge, the magnificent center piece of beautiful Sydney Harbour. More than a million people gather around Sydney Harbour for Midnight Fireworks, countdown and party. There are plenty of vantage points around the harbour, but probably best views of fireworks and all the New Year’s action are from one of the boats in the harbour. What can be better than to party on a boat at New Year’s Eve wearing shorts and flip flops? Don't forget to book your place on board in advance! Don’t miss to watch the “Harbour of Light parade” that will be held before the midnight fireworks.

5.      Scotland, United Kingdom

Do you wish to celebrate the New Year in a place that has several customs and a world famous street party? If yes, head to Scotland. They celebrate the New Year as Hogmanay. One of the most widespread traditions followed in Scotland is “First-footing;” a person who crosses the threshold of being a friend or neighbor comes to your house with lots of gifts such as coal, whiskey, salt, shortbread, and a black bun. This symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the entire year.

Celebrations at Edinburg for Hogomanay, the New Year in Scotland

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

 Edinburg is the Scottish capital and this holds the world’s most famous New Year celebrations called the street party held at Princes Street. At the stroke of midnight, cannon is fired and this is followed by fireworks. The celebrations in general start on December 28^th and goes on till January 2^nd.  

6.      Gisborne, New Zealand

Fireworks at Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

Image courtesy: sacbee

Gisborne is 496.3 km west of International Date Line and therefore, this is the first city to see the beginning of the New Year. Visit Gisborne and be the first person to celebrate the dawn of the New Year. It is really a treat to the eye to watch those beautiful street carnivals and fireworks. Visit the Sky Tower, one of the tallest freestanding structures in the Southern Hemisphere for the spectacular fireworks.

7.      Marina Bay Area, Singapore

Be one among the nearly 250,000 people who watch the impressive New Year celebrations at the Marina Bay Area in Singapore; this starts at the Marina Bay Area and extends to Esplanade Promenade, Esplanade Bridge, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Merlion Park, and the Padang. You can also hop on to “The Singapore Flyer” which is the world’s tallest ferry wheel to watch the spectacular New Year celebrations.

Skyline of Singapore on New Year

Image courtesy: Telegraph

Visit any of these places and enjoy the New Year celebrations. If you are like me who wishes to stay home with family and friends for the New Year, cook a delicious meal and enjoy sharing it with your near and dear. Isn’t this the best New Year celebration?