Tag: UNESCO
Ramappa Temple – A Floating Bricks Marvel
This perhaps is the only temple in India to be named after its chief sculptor, Ramappa. - Ramappa Temple - A Floating Bricks Marvel - Travelure ©
Temples of Hampi – Vijayanagara Empire
Built between the 14th and the 16th centuries, they flaunt signature period workmanship. - Temples of Hampi - Vijayanagara Empire - Travelure ©
Ruins of Hampi – The Places of Worship
The key cluster here comprises the Kodandarama, Yantradharaka Anjaneya, Ranganatha, and Varaha temples. - Ruins of Hampi - The Places of Worship - Travelure ©
Boudhanath Kathmandu – The Largest Stupa in Nepal
The all-seeing eyes painted on the four sides on the base of the spire symbolise awareness, and their gaze follows you as you go around its perimeter soaking in the bustle and belief. - Boudhanath Kathmandu - The Largest Stupa in Nepal - Travelure ©
St Barbara Church, Kutna Hora – Central Europe’s Architectural Beacon
The bright reds, sparkling greens, hues of blues, and rich purples impart the stained glass windows, exquisite vibrance. - St Barbara Church, Kutna Hora - Central Europe’s Architectural Beacon - Travelure ©
Belvedere Palace, Vienna – World’s 7th Oldest Museum
Besides being the repository of outstanding works of art, the Belvedere Palace itself is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. - Belvedere Palace, Vienna - World’s 7th Oldest Museum - Travelure ©
Tam Coc, Ninh Binh – Vietnam’s Inland Ha Long Bay
About 20 minutes into the ride we found ourselves ducking under as our boat passed through a cave. - Tam Coc, Ninh Binh - Vietnam’s Inland Ha Long Bay - Travelure ©
Ha Long Bay – Nature’s Pillars in the Sea
Explorations around the place have revealed signs that human life existed here between 18,000 and 7,000 BCE. - Ha Long Bay - Nature’s Pillars in the Sea - Travelure ©
My 1503-Day Journey on Instagram
Over the years, the platform has evolved. It has become a veritable menu of places to see as you finalise your itinerary. And I decided to further bolster this menu. - My 1503-Day Journey on Instagram - Travelure ©
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul – A Byzantine Architecture Marvel
Hagia Sophia can brag to have the world’s first photoshopped artwork - the Empress Zoe mosaic on its first floor. The empress married at least three times, and the face of the person on the left has been repainted at least thrice to depict her then-husband. - Hagia Sophia, Istanbul - A Byzantine Architecture Marvel - Travelure ©
Qutub Minar – Symbolic Axis of a Faith
His vision for Qutub Minar was to build a symbolic structure for muezzin’s call for prayer, not just for the neighbouring mosque, but for the entire Islamic world. - Qutub Minar - Symbolic Axis of a Faith - Travelure ©
Mumbai During COVID-19 Lockdown – Fresh as a Flower!
When I shared some of these images with Mumbaikars, their eyes glossed over with nostalgia as they remembered the Mumbai of earlier times - Mumbai During COVID-19 Lockdown - Fresh as a Flower! - Travelure ©
Rome Was Not Built in a Day
Roman history dates back to 753 BCE, but, according to archeological evidence, humans have lived in the city for the last 14,000 years. So much so the 1st-century BCE Roman poet Tibullus called it an eternal city. - Rome Was Not Built in a Day - Travelure ©
Red Fort or Lal Qila Delhi India
UNESCO inscribed Lal Qila on the world heritage list in 2007 as it marks the “Zenith of Mughal Creativity”. Lal Qila’s innovative planning, architecture, and landscaping influenced later buildings and gardens in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, and further south. - Lal Qila or Red Fort Delhi India - Travelure ©
Gobekli Tepe Turkey – World’s oldest temple?
Göbekli Tepe is the most ancient site of humans practising religion. Schmidt called it the first human-built holy place. The religion originated here. - Göbekli Tepe Turkey - World’s oldest temple? - Travelure ©
UNESCO Heritage Site Ayutthaya Thailand
Ayutthaya today is a historical park. What remains of this former capital tells a tale of glory and gore. While there, spare a thought for the fact it is a site of mass murder, rape, and enslavement of Siamese people. - UNESCO Heritage Site Ayutthaya Thailand - Travelure ©
Old City of Jerusalem Israel
The narrow lanes lined with petty trade and souvenirs. Manned by folks as old as the place. Bustle and buzz of a beehive. Canopied shop fronts forcing dim bulbs to light up a bright day. And I was a character in French Orientalist Charles Theodore Frere’s ‘The Souk’. - Old City of Jerusalem Israel - Travelure ©
Historic Areas of Istanbul Turkey
Straddling two continents, and between two seas, Istanbul enjoys a unique position. A European and an Asian side. A natural strait - Bosphorus - separates the two. Earlier going by the names Byzantium and Constantinople, it is home to over 15 million people. - Historic Areas of Istanbul - Travelure ©
Gaziantep Turkey – A UNESCO Gastronomy Creative City
In one room, over a dozen traditional chefs were at work. They were creating sheets of white flour, thinner than muslin. The room had a haze of flour. The rolling pins were a yard and a half long. These sheets were being sheared off the pins in delicate layers. And all this, happening on a table over 25 feet long! - Gaziantep Turkey - A UNESCO Gastronomy Creative City - Travelure ©
Eiffel Tower Paris France
You are born a deer with a lifespan of a mere 20 years. Along the way, you turn into a tortoise with a lifespan of 130 years and counting. Pray, you can only be Eiffel Tower! - Eiffel Tower Paris France - Travelure ©
Galle Fort Galle Sri Lanka
A few metres inside the fort, I found myself on a crossroads. I realised I had to be my own guide. I spotted a lighthouse. Being a sea lover, I chose to go that way. - Galle Fort, Galle, Sri Lanka - Travelure ©
Temple of Heaven Beijing China
In the cool shade, I spotted a couple of sexagenarians. They were facing each other. Clasping each other’s arms, they moved in tandem. Their moves resembled part dance, part hand combat. A few seconds and I realised it was their morning workout - Tai Chi. - Temple of Heaven Beijing China - Travelure ©
Humayun Tomb New Delhi India
If Humayun Tomb were a man, he would be a 449-year old trendsetter. Affluent, disciplined, able-bodied, mature, suave, big-hearted, and attractive. Let us see why. - Humayun Tomb New Delhi India - Travelure ©
Simbel Wonder – Abu Simbel Egypt
In the 1960s, a team dismantled Abu Simbel into large stone blocks. Those blocks were then transported from their original location to a sandstone cliff - Simbel Wonder - Abu Simbel Egypt - Travelure ©