Unusual corners of the world. The strangest places on earth
The most beautiful places in the world have always attracted millions of tourists. Be it high mountains or endless valleys, vast seas or historic buildings. The sights of planet Earth are an endless and fascinating journey. We have prepared the Top 20 most beautiful places in the world. Watch, discuss and share the post on social networks with your friends!
20th place - Kungur ice cave, Russia
8th place - Faroe Islands, Iceland-Norway
Located between Iceland and Norway. More than 50 thousand people live on the archipelago. The total area of the archipelago is 1400 sq. km, and includes 18 small islands, 17 of which have life. Even in the coldest month, the temperature does not fall below 0 degrees. The attention of all tourists who come to this amazing place is offered: a unique landscape, green meadows, clouds, rocks and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean. You will not find such beauty anywhere else!
7th place - Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve, Russia
It is located 12 kilometers from the city of Serpukhov on the left bank of the Oka River. The territory of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve with an area of 4945 hectares is forested, it is located near the northern border of the mixed forest subzone. Here visitors can see a unique phenomenon - deciduous forests meet with conifers. Vacationers who come to this place will be able to see more than 960 higher plant species. Visit the most beautiful places in Russia and this place should certainly be among them.
6th place - Yellowstone Volcano, USA
One of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States of America. Yellowstone National Park is skillfully located on the territory of three states at the same time: Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. The park is famous for its waterfalls, hot springs, rich flora and fauna. This reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in March 1872. Those who have seen the most unusual places on Earth always distinguish Yellowstone in a special category.
5th place - Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina
A real wonder of the world, which is located 20 km from the town of Puerto Iguazu. The legendary national park invites everyone to plunge into the wonderful world of the Amazonian forests with incredible landscapes. The classic tour of the park is a short walk to the waterfalls. A boat ride on a turbulent river - and you are already at the foot of the world-famous waterfalls, which you saw from above only half an hour ago.
4th place - Yosemite National Park, USA
The first natural American reserve, which is famous throughout the world for its unique virgin nature. The reserve with the highest waterfall is located in the state of California. Most of the films about the Indians were filmed on the territory of Yosemite National Park.
3rd place - Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
This is a majestic building, which is located near the town of Füssen in Bavaria. The amazing beauty of the mysterious castle enchants tourists with its magnetism literally at first sight. The castle was built in 1869 by Ludwig II, who wanted to recreate the era of chivalry. A record amount of money was spent on the construction of this architectural masterpiece - more than 6 million gold marks. After the death of the monarch, the castle was opened to the public, this was done in order to recoup at least part of the money spent on construction.
2nd place - Niagara Falls, USA-Canada
The most famous waterfall in the USA and Canada. It has become one of the most visited attractions in North America. It got its name from the Indians who lived here, and is translated as “thundering water”. The width of the waterfall is 670 meters, the depth in its middle is about three meters, and the height is 51 meters. Every year, 20 million tourists from all over the world come to admire the beauty of the waterfall. For maximum enjoyment of the beauties, tourists are offered viewing platforms, a cable car, galleries and paths for pedestrians, and even an excursion in a hot air balloon and helicopters.
1st place - Grand Canyon, USA
(Grand Canyon) is one of the oldest national parks in the United States of America. The picturesque corner is one of the most perfect creations of nature on Earth. It is located in the state of Arizona. Until the middle of the 16th century, the Grand Canyon was inhabited by the Pueblo Indians, who lived in small dwellings in the form of caves. The Grand Canyon is a huge tourist complex with numerous parking lots, slopes and overnight accommodations. Many people think that this is the most beautiful place on earth!
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My personal rating of unusual places on our planet. We are not talking about beauty, although many of the places considered are not without such a quality, namely, about unusualness and even strangeness. This list includes places, bumping into which, when searching on the Internet, it was difficult to resist the exclamation: “Wow! And there is such a thing on our planet!”
Places are sorted in ascending order of the “Wow factor”, that is, starting with the simply interesting, continuing with the unusual, and ending with very strange, even fantastic, unearthly landscapes (although this gradation is very arbitrary).
Unusual places on our planet.
Let's start with a trip to the "Edge of the World" ..
It is located near the town of Skagen in Denmark, as the locals called the junction of the North and Baltic Seas: 
This is the confluence of two currents of different composition and density, which for some reason do not mix, but form a clear boundary. It turns out beautifully and mysteriously, but in my opinion it looks more like not the "End of the World", but some kind of "Border between Worlds".
Entrance to the underwater kingdom.
This is the "Great Blue Hole", which is located in the Caribbean Sea near the Yucatan Peninsula. Its diameter is 305 meters, the depth is about 120-140 m: 
Once this hole in the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean was an ordinary "land" cave, in which the "roof" collapsed, and then it was flooded by the waters of the oceans that rose after the end of the Ice Age. This is the largest hole of its kind on our planet. After Jacques Cousteau featured it in his film, it became the world's most popular diving site.
Inverted sky.
Natural mirror area of 10 thousand square meters. m. 
This is a dry lake in Bolivia, it is called "Uyuni Salt Flats". Such a fantastic effect of a giant mirror occurs during the rainy season, when water covers the surface of the salt marsh with a thin layer. The rest of the time the lake looks like this: 
Crooked forest.
Forest with crooked trees in Poland. 
This forest was planted in the 30s of the last century. Virtually all of its 400 trees have a synchronous bend to one side. There is no exact scientific explanation for this phenomenon, but the most plausible version sounds like this:
..As you know, in ancient times, furniture with smooth curves and crooked legs was in fashion. In general, curved wooden parts were used everywhere, for example, sleigh runners, details of boats, ships, etc. Usually, wood was bent already in the production process, but here, in the area of the Polish village of Gryfino, we see the result of an experiment on the production of a pre-curved wood.
But, the Second World War prevented this ambitious commercial project from being realized - the village was destroyed, young "slender" pines were abandoned. But now, in Poland, which is rather poor in sights, there is such a strange forest, protected by the state as a nature reserve.
Valley of love.
These rocks definitely resemble something.. hence the name of the valley, which is located in Cappadocia (Turkey). But not only the Valley of Love, but the rest of Cappadocia is a place with a very unusual "mushroom relief". 
Such a relief is a consequence of powerful eruptions that took place here in prehistoric times, after which wind and water took over, which, over millions of years, together created these pillars with hats.
Then, several thousand years ago, people set to work and created here cave dwellings and entire cave-underground cities, going to a depth of up to 80 meters. 
In total, there are about 40 cave cities in Cappadocia, in which up to 30,000 people once lived.
Scuba diving in the park.
Agree, a very unusual place for diving is to swim among the alleys, benches and trees: 
There is such a park in Austria. It is located near a clean mountain lake, and for most of the year it is an ordinary park. But in summer, when the snow melts in the mountains, the water level in the lake rises by several meters, turning the surrounding area into an attraction for divers.
I think that scuba divers experience very strange sensations while swimming in this lake, it probably looks like flying in weightlessness or in a dream, because instead of the usual deep landscape, they see an ordinary park underwater.
Another proof of the wisdom of nature. Look at what beauty she turned an ordinary trash can: 
50 years ago, this place on the coast of the Gulf of California was a large dump of household waste. But somewhere in the 60s, it was forbidden to throw garbage here, the main rubbish was taken out, but the broken glass remained .. And nature, as usual, performed a miracle!
Welcome to Glass Beach California!
Happy Island.
This is the name of the island , more precisely an archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean, a few hundred kilometers from the coast of Somalia and Yemen. The unusualness of this island is that for several million years it has been isolated from the rest of the earth, thanks to which many ancient plants and animals have been preserved here in their original form.
Once here, you will be transported into the past of the Earth by about 10-20 million years. Everything is as it was then, only dinosaurs are missing: 
We continue the review..
It turns out there is such a miracle on our Earth! This country, or rather a city, is located in China. 
This place was created to attract tourists. "Little people" live here, arrange performances for tourists, and in general, make money on tourists as best they can. Therefore, many Chinese dwarfs have a chance to find work and shelter in "Country of the Lilliputians".
Arizona, 240 km from the famous Grand Canyon. Fantastic, surreal beauty, especially when the rays of the sun enter during the day: 
or the moon at night: 
The place where Antelope Canyon is located belongs to the Navajo Indians, so to get here, you need to negotiate with them ($)
and hire a guide.
If you suddenly decide to go there, be careful in rainy weather - even if it rains somewhere nearby, the canyon can fill up with water very quickly and almost silently. Thus, in 1997, 11 tourists died here.
Wave.
Arizona Wave (The Wave) - another miracle of nature: 
They say nature is the best artist, in this case we see her work in the style of "surrealism".
This place, as well as Antelope Canyon, is located near the Grand Canyon Park. The surface of the “Wave”, despite the fact that it was formed under the influence of rain and wind for millions of years, is rather fragile in places, so large crowds of tourists are not allowed here. The maximum is 20 people a day, and tickets here are raffled off like a lottery, so it’s not easy to see this beauty with your own eyes.
But you can see the photo or video:
These multi-colored rocks are located in the geological park of the Chinese province of Gansu, and there are no other hills of the same type anywhere else in the world. 
Hundreds of millions of years ago, this area was the bottom of the sea. But, as often happened in those geologically active times, the sea became dry land, and the silt deposits dried up and oxidized. Naturally, it was not without the participation of water and wind, which washed out and blew out various layers of sedimentary rocks, of different colors and shades.
Now it is a unique place of its kind that attracts tourists from all over the world. For them, convenient paths and viewing platforms have been built here. Another curious fact is that once the famous Silk Road ran through this area.
The strangest place in the world.
This may be a very loud headline, but if not this strange place, then what!?!
Of course, these toys were never alive, but according to the terrible impression that the discarded dolls hung on the trees make, such a definition is quite suitable for this place: 
The Island of the Dolls is located in Mexico, not far from Mexico City, among the canals of Xochimilco overgrown with reeds and shrubs. Of course, there is a legend that explains what happened here:
In the middle of the last century, a man named Don Julian Santana Barrera lived in these places. He was gloomy in temperament, liked to drink a lot, and was not quite friendly with his head, which is why those around him did not like him. At some point, his roof went completely, and this happened on religious grounds. With his delusional sermons, he annoyed the neighbors so much that they began to beat him periodically.
Because of all this, Don Julian decided to get away from the bustle of the world, chose a wild island among the canals of Xochimilco, began to grow vegetables there and fish for lunch. He was alone on a desert island, just like Robinson Crusoe. Rejected by society, he felt an all-consuming loneliness and hatred for the whole world.
One day, Don Julian found a doll on the island. He knew that not so long ago, a girl drowned somewhere nearby - most likely it was her doll! As a religious man, Don Julian believed that the girl's soul still wanders here without finding rest, and for his personal safety he needs to somehow win her over. Since then, occasionally visiting the city, he collected discarded dolls from the garbage dumps and brought them to the island as a gift to the spirit of the deceased girl.
..As the years passed, there were more and more dolls, and more and more Don Julian survived out of his mind - the mania of collecting dolls took possession of his consciousness completely and completely. He became obsessed with dolls, they completely replaced his society and human communication. Now he was not alone - he lived a full life surrounded by friends, girlfriends, neighbors, acquaintances .. and enemies. He treated his friends in a friendly way - he courted them, shared shelter with them, and they kept him company on long dull evenings.
But Don Julian did not have many friends, for the most part he was surrounded by enemies. And with the enemies of Don Julian Santana Barrera was cruel! He carried out executions over them like a medieval inquisitor cracking down on heretics, and then hung them from the "corpse" on trees, mainly around the perimeter of the island, in order to frighten evil spirits and intruders.
This is how this strange and mysterious man lived on his island, Robinon Crusoe of the 20th century. But one day, when his nephew, the only living person who occasionally visited him and brought him food, once again sailed to the island - Don Julian was no longer here. It looks like he drowned in the canal, as did the girl whose doll became the first inhabitant. "Islands of the Dead Dolls"
Here is such a legend .. I apologize if I caught up with horror at the end of the post. I fantasized a little based on what I found on the Internet about this strange island .. just to make it more interesting.
Our planet is beautiful. And the more a person travels, the more he is convinced of this. But to visit all the beautiful places, cities, lagoons and natural sites, a lifetime is not enough. It is difficult to rank the "Top 10 most beautiful places on the planet." And what can serve as a criterion? The aesthetic sense of people is different. In addition, there are man-made landscapes, the sight of which is breathtaking. These are, for example, tulip fields in Holland, flower plantations in Provence, Hitachi Park near the Japanese city of Hitatinaka, laid out in 1991 on the site of a former military base, or the Rhine Valley with its medieval castles and vineyards. But we still chose a dozen dizzying landscapes that everyone should like. In this article we will list the most beautiful places on the planet with their descriptions and photographs. Do you agree with the rating below?
big blue hole
This unique natural phenomenon is invariably present in all lists of the most beautiful places on our planet. It may not always take the first line. Not far from the Yucatan Peninsula, along the Caribbean coast, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef stretches for 700 kilometers.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau discovered the Blue Hole at the site of the underwater coral ridge Lighthouse. The phenomenon belongs administratively to Belize and is located one hundred kilometers from the coast of this Latin American country. The hole is a perfectly round hole with a diameter of 305 meters and a depth of 120 m. Among the azure of shallow water, it seems to be a dark blue pupil. Alas, the most beautiful places on the planet are often the most inaccessible. You can also admire the hole from the air. But in order to fully enjoy the beauties of this phenomenon, you need to immerse yourself in it - in the truest sense of the word. If you are a professional diver, you will have an unforgettable sight. The walls are surrounded by stalactites, and this “cave” is inhabited by huge groupers, rays and lemon sharks.
Fly Geyser
The most beautiful places on the planet are not limited to masterpieces created by nature, such as, for example, the Blue Hole. Fly Geyser is a thermal and permanent source on the ranch of the same name in the US state of Nevada.
This beauty arose…by mistake. In 1916, a rancher wanted to cut a well. But in his zeal, he dug into the geothermal pocket. Boiling water began to dissolve mineral rocks and in 1964 came to the surface. Now the geyser throws three jets of water to a height of one and a half meters. Cyanobacteria, algae and calcium carbonate color the liquid in bizarre colors. Unfortunately, few can see this beauty. And not because the ranch is located in impregnable mountains. No, the geyser, which occupies the second position in the "Top of the most beautiful places on the planet" is located 30 km from the town of Gerlach and very close to the R34 road. But the ranchers carefully hide their wealth and let only those they wish look at it. All attempts to buy out the territory in order to make the passage to the geyser available to the public have so far been unsuccessful.
crystal river
The official name of this waterway is Caño Cristales. But the local tribes living in the jungles of Central Colombia call it the "River of Five Colors" or "Escaped from Paradise." Many beautiful places on the planet are in the tropics. But Caño Cristales is the most original river.
Its waters are indeed colored red, green, yellow, black and blue. The inhabitants of the river - algae - make them so. A rainbow streams through the foothills of the Amazon rainforest. You can get to this natural phenomenon with an excursion to the Serrania de la Macarena National Park. The tours last four days and run from June to November, during the algal bloom season.
Bend of the Colorado River
Later, the lake is covered with a salt crust. Water breaks out in small cone-shaped volcanoes. The city of Uyuni is also famous for the Fisherman's Island (Isla de Pescadores). In fact, this is an oasis in which eight-meter cacti grow, sometimes up to a thousand years old. And the banks of the salt marsh are surrounded by the Forest of Stones. Fanciful sculptures are created by rain and wind.
Spotted Lake Kliluk
Three seasons a year, this is the most common body of water. And only in the hot summer the surface and the shores of the lake turn into the most beautiful places on the planet. This body of water has the highest concentrations of sodium, calcium, magnesium sulfate, titanium and silver in the world. When the summer heat comes, the top layer of water dries up. Minerals form multi-colored islands - "floes" that float on the surface of the lake, and you can walk on them. Imagine! The color of such icebergs depends on the predominant substance. The facility is located near the town of Osoyoos in Canada, close to the US border.
The Europeans gave the reservoir the name Spotted Lake (Spotted Lake), which is a literal translation of the name given to the object by the Okanagan Indians. For them, Kliluk is still a sacred place. After all, the waters of the lake heal wounds. The indigenous population bought the reservoir and does not allow whites to go to it. You can admire the lake only from a distance - from the highway.
Enchanted Well
If the Canadian lake is included in the Top 10 "Beautiful places on planet Earth" only in summer, then this attraction reveals its magic for only an hour and a half a day. After all, there is an enchanted well at the bottom of an 80-meter cave. The water in it is so clear that you can see the bottom to the smallest detail. But the well is deep - thirty-seven meters! At the bottom rest trees and branches that fell into the cave many years ago. The well reveals its charms from half past eleven to noon. Then the sun's rays penetrate the cave.
As if at the wave of a fairy wand, everything - the reservoir and the walls of the underground cavity - is illuminated with magical sapphire light. This phenomenal natural site is located in the Chapada Diamontina National Park in the northeast of Brazil. Due to the fragility of the eco-system, access to the well is strictly regulated.
marble caves
And closes the list of "The most beautiful places on the planet" lake, lying on the border of Argentina and Chile. It has three names at once. The Argentines call it Buenos Aires, the Chileans - General Carrera, and the local Indian tribes - Chelenko, which means "Storm Lake". The name is very successful, because the climate here is harsh, mountainous. But the lake is teeming with fish, especially trout and salmon. The most beautiful and original corner is on the Chilean side. These are the Marble Caves.
The valuable stone here is apparently invisible. And marble in the caves of different shades - even deep blue. The rays of the sun penetrating under the arches of the caves make the mineral play with hundreds of colors.
Earth is the most beautiful planet in the solar system, and perhaps the entire universe. The nature of our planet surprises with its beauty, brightness of colors, unique views and diverse landscape.
Beautiful caves and golden beaches, beautiful forests and majestic mountains make up the beauty of the Earth. Some of the corners of our planet do not leave the pages of fashion guides. But, there are places that are rarely found in such literature.
We open our review from the symbol of the mysterious Myanmar - the ancient city of Bagan. It is called the city of a thousand pagodas. This place was the capital of the Bagan kingdom. His greatness was so strong that the best minds and masters of antiquity aspired to Bagan. Thanks to them, Buddhist temples and other beautiful structures were built.
Only a few of them survived to our time. The most significant of them is the Shwezigon Golden Pagoda. It was built in 1057 on the site indicated by the white elephant carrying the bandage, tooth and rib of the Buddha. These relics are kept in the temple until now.
The photo of the most beautiful and amazing places in the world should definitely include other attractions of Bagan: Ananda temples, Htilo-Minlo, Shveleykto and Bu-paya pagoda.
Colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia (China)
The most amazing places on the planet can be built by human hands or nature. Colored rocks, which are located in the Chinese province of Gansu, are natural formations made of multi-colored sandstones. Recent studies show that more than 100 million years ago there was an ocean here. The silt colored the sandstone and made the rock formations so original.
Today, the mountain peaks of Danxia near the town of Zhangye are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. So that tourists can enjoy the views of these mountains, the locals have built many boardwalks and paths with which you can walk between these amazing mountain peaks.
Yusupov Palace (Russia)
But, back to man-made miracles. In any almanac of the most beautiful places in the world, you will find such an architectural monument as the Yusupov Palace. It is located in the heart of St. Petersburg on the Moika River. Built in the 18th century for the niece of Peter the Great, Princess Praskovya, it only passed into the possession of the Yusupovs in 1830. But, since then, he is associated only with this legendary surname. This palace is the site of the assassination of Grigory Rasputin.
Li River (China)
Another beautiful place in China is the Li River. This is one of the most picturesque water bodies on our planet. Starting as a small stream in the Mao'er Mountains, it runs like a "silk ribbon" through the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. The locals call this Lijiang River. It is recognized as the cleanest river in the Middle Kingdom. Its main attribute is the majestic karst giants. They were formed with the help of water and wind over many centuries. These mountain formations have poetic names and attract tourists from many countries of the world with their beauty.
You can enjoy the beauty of the Lijiang River with the help of a cruise ship or using the service of local "gondoliers".
Meteora monastery complex (Greece)
There are many amazing places in our world. If we talk about architectural monuments, then most of them are in Greece. This country, which became the ancestor of modern Europe, is proud of its legendary "ruins". But the monasteries of Meteora are no less popular. Their main feature is their amazing location: they crown the high peaks of the mountains of Thessaly.
Christian hermits hid in the mountains from Albanians, Turks and ordinary robbers. Over time, students gathered around them, who built monasteries of amazing beauty and resembling the nests of huge birds for themselves and their teachers. The word "Meteora" is translated as "soaring in the air."
Mount Erebus (Antarctica)
Erebus volcano is one of the most interesting places in the world. It is famous for the fact that on its territory you can observe a lake of real lava. This natural phenomenon is unique. The volcano was named after the ship of the expedition, James Clark Ross, who discovered this natural phenomenon. The glow of this volcano attracts everyone who travels on Lake Ross. It is a kind of visiting card of Antarctica.
Rice Terraces (Philippines)
The list of the most interesting places in the world must be continued with the rice terraces of the Philippines. They are even called the eighth miracle of counting. And this is not surprising. These man-made gardens were built by the ancestors of today's locals over 2,000 years ago. Plowed, multi-level fields not only fed the Ifuago people, but were also an excellent defensive structure.
Union of Fire and Ice (Kamchatka - Russia)
Talking about interesting places on Earth, one cannot ignore Kamchatka. On the territory of this peninsula, you can find 28 active and 160 extinct volcanoes. If you want to climb fire-breathing mountains, watch salmon spawning and see the world's largest bears, then be sure to go and temper your spirit with the help of Kamchatka. The amazing places of nature of this place are conducive to hiking, extreme and sea tourism.
Death Valley (USA)
Another natural monument is the Death Valley. It must be included in all lists of interesting places in the world. We will not bypass this unique place either. Formed many thousands of years ago at the bottom of the sea, this valley is striking in its natural phenomena. Here, literally, stones walk. Leaving bizarre footprints on the petrified mud. But, if you decide to get here, then you need to prepare for the intense heat. During the day, the temperature here rarely falls below 50 degrees.
Guam Gorge (Russia)
The gorge is located in the upper reaches of the Kurdzhips River in the Krasnodar Territory. The natural beauty of this gorge attracts tourists all year round. But, here you can do not only the contemplation of the magnificent flora and fauna, but also extreme tourism. Rock climbing is especially highly developed in the Gum Gorge.
Beach with caves near the Algarve (Portugal)
One of the most amazing places in the world, no doubt, are the Portuguese caves, which are located in the southernmost province of the country of port wine and the birthplace of Cristiano Ronaldo. The most famous of them is the Algarve de Benagil cave. It is called the most beautiful cave in the world. Wind and sea water - these two creators have created a magnificent example of one of the best travel destinations in the world.
Sagano Bamboo Grove (Japan)
For many of us, the beauty of the Land of the Rising Sun is associated with cherry blossoms. In this country, even special tours are being created, with the help of which you can observe the alternate flowering of this plant in all provinces of Japan. But, another equally popular symbol of Japan is the Sagano Bamboo Forest. Looking through the photos of the most beautiful and amazing places in the world, you will definitely find several images of a picturesque grove of evergreen bamboos there.
These majestic plants, when blown by the wind, make sounds reminiscent of the popular wind chimes. This beautiful park was created in the 14th century by the monk Muso Soseki.
The nature of Sokotora seems like a setting for science fiction films. Charming vegetation, many of which are unique to this island, divine beaches and silence. This is just what you need for happiness and a serene paradise vacation.
Lake Baskunchak (Russia)
It is called the most salty lake in the world. In terms of salinity, Baskunchak exceeds the famous Dead Sea. This reservoir is located in the Akhtubinsky district of the Astrakhan region. Not far from this lake is the Baskunchakskaya cave. Its one and a half kilometer length attracts speleologists.
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Places where every cultured person dreams of visiting.
Experts from the world's largest travel site TripAdvisor have compiled a rating of 25 cultural sites that have been most highly rated by tourists from around the globe.
In general, if you have not yet decided on your vacation plans, in this review website you can find some great ideas. For the next 25 vacations.
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, recognized as one of the New Wonders of the World, is located on the territory of modern Peru, on the top of a mountain range at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. It is called the "city in the sky" or "the city among the clouds", sometimes called the "lost city of the Incas". Some archaeologists believe that this city was created as a sacred mountain retreat by the great Inca ruler Pachacutec around 1440, and functioned until 1532, when the Spaniards invaded the territory of the Inca empire. In 1532, all its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared.
2. Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the six largest mosques in the world. Named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates. Unlike many other Muslim temples, everyone is allowed into it, regardless of faith.
3. Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The Taj Mahal mausoleum is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The construction was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love.
4. Mesquita, Cordoba, Spain
Walls decorated with intricate patterns, mosaic ornaments, hundreds of thin openwork columns - this is how the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba appears today. Many centuries ago, there was an ancient Roman temple on this site, then it was replaced by the Visigothic church, and in 785 Mesquita appeared. It became the second most important mosque on the planet, and the pilgrimage to Cordoba was even equated with the hajj to Mecca, which is obligatory for every Muslim. But then the Catholics replaced the Moors, and Mezquita was turned into a Christian church.
5. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Italy
The heart of the Vatican and the entire Catholic world, St. Peter's Basilica is one of the main attractions of Rome. Here you can see ancient Rome from a bird's eye view, admire the interior of the cathedral from the top of the dome, defend the mass and even receive the blessing of the pontiff.
6. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat is the largest religious building ever built, with a history of almost 9 centuries. Even its name speaks about the monumentality of the temple complex, because Angkor Wat literally translates as Temple City. It covers an area of 200 hectares and is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide. This colossal building is dedicated to the god Vishnu, revered in this area.
7. Bayon Temple Complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Bayon is one of the most amazing temples located on the territory of Angkor Thom and was its religious center. The "highlight" of Bayon is the towers with many faces carved from stone, silently looking from a height on the vast territory of Angkor Thom, and in the heyday of the state - on the entire Khmer Empire. Initially, there were 54 towers, which symbolized the 54 provinces under the rule of the king. Today, only about 37 towers have survived.
8. Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, has become the only Russian attraction on Trip Advisor's list. Spas-on-Blood attracts tourists from all over the world not only with the splendor of its domes and interiors, but also with an unusual history that has given rise to many legends and conjectures. Many of them are connected with the fact that the temple was erected on the spot where on March 1, 1881, I. Grinevitsky, a Narodnaya Volya member, mortally wounded Alexander II, who was popularly called the Tsar Liberator for the abolition of serfdom.
9. Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
10. Walls of the old city, Dubrovnik, Croatia
In 1979, UNESCO added the Old Town of Dubrovnik to the World Heritage List, including a large part of the ancient walls of the city. They surround the city on all four sides and contain an venerable collection of historical monuments, including towers, fortresses, churches, monasteries, squares and streets, schools, museums and galleries. These defensive stone walls have protected their citizens since the founding of Dubrovnik in the 6th century.
11. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar
The Shwedagon Pagoda is the highest spiritual building in Myanmar, or, as it is also called, the Land of Pagodas. The entire complex of the giant pagoda occupies more than five hectares of land, on which, in addition to the main structure, there are many smaller spiers and countless sculptural images of mythical and real animals : golden griffins and elephants, dragons and lions. Such as it is today, the Shwedagon Pagoda became in the 15th century, during the reign of Queen Shinsobu. It was then that the giant temple was finally given the shape of an inverted begging bowl and sheathed with gold from top to bottom.
12. Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Washington DC
The Lincoln Memorial is a majestic temple, made in the ancient Greek style and somewhat reminiscent of the Parthenon. It is supported by 36 white marble columns, representing the number of states that belonged to the United States at the time of President Lincoln's death. In the center of the temple is a statue of the world's most respected American president, seated in an armchair. Its height is 5.79 meters.
13. Ancient City of Petra, Petra / Wadi Musa, Jordan
In the heart of Jordan, in the valley of Wadi Musa, deep in the sandy mountains, is the amazing city of ancient Petra. Initially, Petra was a temporary home for the nomadic tribes of the Nabataeans. From several fortified rocky caves, it gradually grew into a large fortress city. There is only one way to get to the city - through the narrow gorge of the Siq, which was once the bed of a mountain stream. Petra still belongs to the Bedouins, who welcome guests to their land.
14. Section of the Great Wall of China Mutianyu, Beijing, China
In no other section of the Great Wall of China has restoration work been carried out as well as in the Mutianyu section. This site, with 22 watchtowers that have retained their original appearance, is a real architectural masterpiece. The phrase Mutianyu is translated from Chinese as "a valley in which you can admire the views of the fields." Among all sections of the Great Wall of China, Mutianyu is the longest fully restored section open to tourists.
15. Ancient City of Ephesus, Selcuk, Turkey
The largest and best-preserved ancient city on the Aegean coast and the second largest after Pompeii in the Mediterranean, ancient Ephesus is the most visited attraction in Turkey. Legends connect the appearance of the city with the name of Androclus, the son of the ruler of Athens Codras, who, on the advice of the oracle, arrived in these places to lay the temple of Artemis. The city got its name from the Amazon Ephesia, beloved of Androclus.
16. Alhambra, Spain
Alhambra (Arabic Al Hamra - literally "Red Castle") is an ancient palace and fortress of the Moorish rulers of the province of Granada in southern Spain. The castle occupies the top of a rocky plateau on the southeastern border of Granada. The name Alhambra probably comes from the color of the sun-dried clay or bricks from which the castle walls are made. However, some historians suggest that the name comes from the "red flame of torches" that illuminated the long-term construction of the castle, which went on around the clock.
17. Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
The Australian War Memorial is the main memorial dedicated to the memory of soldiers who died during the First and Second World Wars. Today it is considered one of the most significant monuments of its kind in the world. The memorial is located near the Parliament building, from the balcony of which a panoramic view of the monument opens.
18. Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy
According to the annals, at the beginning of the 13th century, the inhabitants of the city-state of Siena, which acted as the main rival and opponent of Florence, “called on their leaders to build a temple more magnificent than that of their neighbors.” So between 1215 and 1263, the Duomo of Siena was founded on the site of the old temple according to the plan of the Gothic master Niccolò Pisano. Today this majestic temple is the main attraction of the city.
19. Milan Cathedral (Duomo), Milan, Italy
The most important place in Milan is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nashente (Duomo), the pearl of Italian Gothic, which was built from 1386 to the beginning of the 19th century. The third largest Catholic church on the planet can safely be considered one of the wonders of the world. Its hundred-meter spiers rise above the center of Milan, and the golden statue of the Madonna on the longest spire (four meters high) is visible from many parts of the city.
20. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world: its construction began almost 150 years ago and continues to this day. Although initially Antonio Gaudi had nothing to do with the construction of this temple, a year after the start of work, he led this project. Gaudí built the temple for 30 years until he died. The reason for such a long construction is that the Sagrada Familia is built solely on donations from parishioners.
25. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Its architect was the Dane Jorn Utzon. Having designed the original roofs, somewhat reminiscent of shells, he made Sydney a magnificent gift - a symbol of the city. Today, every tourist, planning to visit Australia, must include an excursion to the majestic opera house in the program of his trip.
