Category Amazing Places

               The Statue of Liberty which is one of the world’s tallest was built to celebrate the birth of the United States of America. It was a gift from the French people to the Americans symbolizing the spirit of liberty, friendship and fraternity. This Statue stands on Bedloe’s Island, now called Liberty Island, at the mouth of New York harbour. This was put here as desired by its sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.

               The plan for this monument was made by the famous French historian Edouard de Laboulaye after the American civil war. The cost of the statue was met by the French people, while the money for the 150 ft pedestal was raised in the United States. The statue was made of copper sheets. In 1885, the complete statue, 152 feet high and weighing 225 tons was shipped to New York City. It was put on the pedestal at Bedloe’s Island and dedicated to the nation by President Grover Cleveland on Oct. 28, 1886.

               The total height of this monument from the pedestal upto the torch is 305 feet. It represents a women wearing a robe and holding a burning torch aloft in her right hand. The left hand holds a tablet bearing the date of American Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776). At night the statue is floodlit and the torch shines with a powerful light. An elevator rises to the balcony level, and a spiral staircase leads to an observation platform in the figure’s crown.

               The statue was at first administered by the Lighthouse Board, because the illuminated torch was considered as a navigational aid. In 1901 the statue was transferred to the War Department. In 1924, it was declared a National monument. In 1956 Bedloe’s Island was renamed as Liberty Island.

               This colossal statue stands as a symbol of freedom and equality. The French people made this gift to the Americans on the 100th anniversary of US independence. 

Phan Thiet is a city on the coast in south eastern Vietnam. It is a place that is noted for its coastal attractions.

          Kyoto is a city located in the west-central part of the Honshu Island in Japan noted for its history and culture. It is the capital of the Kyoto Prefecture of the Kansai region and forms a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. The city was once the imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years and hence, is also called the thousand-year capital.

          Not much about the early history of Kyoto is known. But archaeological evidences suggest that human settlements in the region began in the Paleolithic Era. By around the 6th century AD, the Shimogamo Shrine was established here.

          At present, Kyoto is an important city in Japan. It is also a major tourist place noted for its architecture, gardens, and palaces. There are around 2000 religious places in Kyoto including 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. While the Katsura Imperial Villa in the suburbs of the city is regarded as a fine architectural treasure, the Shugaku-in Imperial Villa stands out as the best garden in the country. The city is a major centre for the manufacturing of Kimono, the traditional Japanese garment.

           The Santorini Island or Thera is an island on the southern Aegean Sea that lies about 200 kilometres southeast of Greece. It is part of an archipelago of the same name, and covers a total land area of around 90 square kilometres. The municipality of Santorini consists of the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia, and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana.

           It has been found that Santorini is geologically, the remaining eastern half of an exploded volcano. There is a central, rectangular lagoon that is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides. The main part of the island slopes downward to the sea.

           Experts hold that the site of the island has witnessed one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. Known as the Minoan eruption or the Thera eruption, it took place some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan Civilization.

           History goes that the name of the island ‘Santorini’ had arisen in the 13th century, and is a reference to Saint Irene. 

               Colosseum or the Flavian Amphitheatre is a huge amphitheater that was built in Rome between 70 and 72 BC. It was constructed during the rule of Vespasian, a Roman emperor of the Flavian dynasty. The magnificent structure is located just east of the Palatine Hill. 

          The Colosseum, said to be the biggest amphitheatre in the entire Roman Empire, could house around sixty thousand spectators. Structurally, it was an oval or round building that had rising levels of seats arranged around a central open space. This space called the arena was meant for staging entertainment, gladiator fights etc.

          However, in medieval times the Colosseum was damaged by lightning and earthquake. It was also largely vandalized, as a result of which its marble seats and decorative materials disappeared. The building was subsequently used as a place to house animals and slaves. The Serious efforts to preserve the majestic construction were made only in the 19th century.