According to legend, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan wanted to build the most beautiful mausoleum on earth to express his love for his favorite wife. Or, perhaps he was simply asserting his political power. The Taj Mahal may have been designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, an Indian architect of Persian descent. Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic elements combine in the great white marble tomb. The Taj Mahal is just one of many architectural wonders in a land of majestic tombs and erotic temples.
The Forbidden City, Beijing, China
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, and the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.
The Millenium Dome, London, England
The Millennium Dome, designed by Sir Richard Rogers, 1996?99. The Millennium Dome was one of the UK's most controversial public projects.The new millennium officially started in Greenwich, England on 1st January 2001; The World's biggest dome was built on the Meridian Line (The Prime Meridian of the World) in Greenwich to celebrate this historic event.
Burj-Al-Arab Hotel, Dubai
Considered one of the world's most luxurious hotels from the day it opened, The Burj Al Arab is a futuristic architectural marvel towering over the Gulf. Its design is stunning - the Burj Al Arab is shaped like a billowing spinnaker sail. Its height is staggering - the hotel measures 332 meters (1053 feet), making it one of the world's highest buildings.
The Burj Al Arab (means "The Arabian Tower" in Arabic) is built on a tiny man-made sea island, a mere football kick from the Dubai mainland. A short causeway links the hotel to the Dubai mainland. The skyscraping Burj Al Arab is firmly rooted. Its foundation pillars reach 40 meters (120 feet) underneath the seabed.
The Burj Al Arab (means "The Arabian Tower" in Arabic) is built on a tiny man-made sea island, a mere football kick from the Dubai mainland. A short causeway links the hotel to the Dubai mainland. The skyscraping Burj Al Arab is firmly rooted. Its foundation pillars reach 40 meters (120 feet) underneath the seabed.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Famous for its impressive size, remarkable architecture and beautiful mosaics and frescoes, the massive ochre-coloured domed structure known as Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul's most popular attractions. It was commissioned as a cathedral in the 6th century and remained the most important church in Christianity for over 900 years. In the 15th century Mehmet II conquered the city and converted it into a mosque, adding the minarets and fountains. It functioned as such for the next 481 years until the founding of the secular Turkish Republic in 1934 when it was declared a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest Byzantine buildings in the world, and the vast interior, with its huge soaring dome, is extraordinary. The interior contains different features from its time as a cathedral and then as a mosque, including incredible Byzantine mosaics, icons and marble columns, a mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca), and Islamic calligraphy inscriptions on the dome from the Ottoman period.
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