Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site situated on a mountain ridge high above the Urubamba Valley in Peru.

Archaeologically shows the site is typical Inca in style with polished dry-stone walls.
In 1981 Machu Picchu was proclaimed as a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary, also a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Machu Picchu was established around 1462 probably as a traditional birthplace of the Inca of the “Virgins of the Suns”.

Some sources, however, claim that the site was an Inca “llaqta”, a prison, an agricultural testing station as well as an estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti.

The Machu Picchu was abandoned about 100 years after its establishment.

Over the years the site was gradually covered by the surrounding jungle and became almost undetectable. Only a few people were aware of its existence.

In 1911 the American historian Hiram Bingham was taken to the place of a local 11 year old boy named Pablito Alvarez. Bingham was quite attracted to the place and undertook to examine it. After years of examination he finally reached the citadel by Quechuans. He named the site “The lost City of the Incas” and dedicated numbers of articles and books to the discovery of it.

The main buildings of Machu Picchu were constructed by polished dry-stones while the others were built using mortar. Constructions built of mortar were not of particularly great importance.

Architectural the buildings were so constructed as to withstand earthquakes.
It is not yet clear how the Incas managed to move the heavy stone blocks although it is believed that they have done it by using hundreds of men to push the stones up inclined planes.

Machu Picchu includes about 140 structures and featured among which are numbers of sanctuaries, temples, parks as well as several residences.

There are three main districts in the urban sector of the site, the Sacred District, the Popular District and the District of the Priests and the Nobility.

In 2008 Macho Picchu was listed by the World Monuments Fund as one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world.

Address:
Macho Picchu
Urubamba Province
Cusco State
Peru

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan is a unique archaeological site located in the San Juan Teotihuacan municipality in the State of Mexico, Mexico. The site is well known for hosting some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas as well as numbers of complexes called “Avenue of the Dead” and also several well-preserved murals.

Since 1987 the site has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and now it is one of the most famous and visited attractions in Mexico and worldwide as well.

There is no information on what was the original name of the site was but in some hieroglyphic texts from the Maya region the Teotihuacan is mentioned as “Place of Reeds.
The current name of the site was given by the Nahuatl speaking Aztec.

Although the establishment and early development of the Teotihuacan is not really known, the archaeologists assumed that it was built by the Toltec.

Another assumption is that the site can be found by the Cuicuilo during their emigration into the Teotihuacan valley.

There is also a belief that the founders of the site were the Totonac people.

Between 150 and 450 CE, the city was in its heyday. At that time it was a very significant cultural centre within an area of more than 30 km² and population about 250,000.

According to archaeological evidence the Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic city, dominated by Otomi, Zapotec, Mixtec, Maya and Nahua people.

In religious terms the city was close to those of other Mesoamerican cultures. Human sacrifice was one of their beliefs. Probably it was practised in the name of the prosperity of the city.
The Teotihuacan was a place hosting a great number of craftsmen, potters, jewellers as well as numerous obsidian artifacts and colourful murals.

Historians believe that sometime during the 7th or 8th centuries, the city was attacked and burnt by invaders.

Around the 6th century began reducing the number of people inhabiting the city. It is believed that this was caused by climate changes occurred in 535-536 CE.

Now the Teotihuacan is within an area of 83 km², including amazing architectural monuments such as the “Avenue of the Dead”, the Temple of the Feathered Serpent and also many smaller talud-tablero platforms.

Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls are amazing waterfalls located on the Niagara River, between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York

The waterfalls are distinguished not so much with height but more by their width. They are the most powerful waterfalls in North America, serving as a highly esteemed source of hydroelectric power.

It’s not quite sure how the waterfalls have received their present name. The Iroquoian scholar Bruce Trigger claims that the name “Niagara” was borrowed from the name of a group of local residents known as the “Niagagarega”.

It is supposed that the very first people who observed and gave a detailed description of the waterfalls were Samuel de Champlain, Pehr Kalm, Paul Ragueneau, Louis Hennepin and Jean de Brébeuf.

After the American Civil War, the Niagara Falls were described by the New York Central as a lovely place for pleasure and honeymoon visits.

In 1897, the first steel archway bridge called Whirlpool Rapids Bridge was established near the waterfalls.

After the First World War the access to the Niagara Falls became possible for automobiles.
The Niagara Falls was formed by the Wisconsin Glaciation about 10,000 years ago. Similarly, the North American Great Lakes and the Niagara River were created.

Due to the process of erosion the original Niagara Falls shifted about 6.8 miles southward instead of being closer to the sites of present-day Queenston, Ontario and Lewiston, New York.

The Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls are the two divisions of the Niagara Falls.
The width of the Horseshoe Falls is about 2,600 feet and the height is approximately 173 feet.
The width of the American Falls is 1,060 feet while the height varies between 70-100 feet.

During the peak flow season, the quantity of the water is usually about 202,000 cubic feet per second. It reaches 100,000 cubic feet per second during the summer months but in the winter the amount of water reduces to about 50,000 cubic feet per second.

The various indicators of the power of water are managed by the International Niagara Board of Control.

Trafalgar Square - London

Trafalgar Square is one of the best known squares located in the heart of England’s capital London. The square is also one of the most famous visited attractions in the world with over fifteen million visitors annual.

The name of the square was given by George Ledwell Taylor, representing a tribute to the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The idea for the architectural design of the square belongs to Sir Charles Barry which was accomplished in 1845.


The Trafalgar Square has a large central area three of which sides are embraced by roadways while other side leads to the National Gallery.

Right in front of the National Gallery are the two magnificent statues of James II and George Washington.

To the east of the gallery you can see the St Martin-in-the-Fields church.

In the centre of the square is Nelson’s Column on top of which stands the statue of an admiral Horatio Nelson who commanded the British Fleet at Trafalgar.

Fountains and four major bronze lions surround the Nelson’s Column. The lions were designed by Sir Edwin Landseer and the fountains are the work of Edwin Lutyens who made them in 1939. The fountains were built in memory of Lord Jellicoe and Lord Beatty.

There are four plinths in the corners of the square, three of which contain the statues of George IV, Henry Havelock and Sir Charles James Napier. The fourth plinth is supposed to keep the equestrian statue of William IV but it ultimately did not happen because of lack of funds.

The New Greater London Authority decided to take care of the plinth, providing series of exhibitions. The displays include the marble torso-bust of Alison Lapper, a model of 21-storeys as well as the quite interesting display where within 100 days, a randomly selected number of 2,400 people had to stand on the plinth for an hour.

In 2003 the northern part of the square was reconstructed as a process leading to create two Saxon scissors lifts for those with disabilities as well as a small café and several public toilets.

Trafalgar Square hosts New Year events, Christmas ceremonies, Political demonstrations and Sport events.

Address:
Trafalgar Square
London
WC2N 5DN
United Kingdom

Times Square - New York

Times Square is one of the world’s most visited attractions and is located in Manhattan, New York City.

Times Square is an area that is found at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets.

The Times Square is a significant landmark of the city of New York and it is known for its spectacular animated and digital advertisements.

Previously named Longacre Square, Times Square got its present name in 1904.

Along with the growth of New York City Times Square enjoy a growing stature as well. It gradually became a cultural centre, hosting a number of theatres, music halls and hotels. It also became a place where important events are held, such as a World Series and a presidential election.

During the 1910s and 1920s, the Times Square was among the most visited areas in Manhattan. This was the reason that it got the nickname The Tenderloin. It was also the time when Times Square became a place of crime and corruption, represented by gambling and prostitution.

In the mid-1990s, the mayor of the New York City Rudolph Giuliani marked the beginning of the programme, which seeks to eliminate the existing bad reputation of the city by increasing the security and opening many more tourist attractions as well as many upscale establishments.

Times Square is the only neighbourhood in Manhattan which is authorized to demand from the building owners to set illuminated signs.

The signs in Times Square are known as “spectaculars” and the greatest of them are called “jumbotrons”.

In 1992 the Times Square Alliance took a decision to make the quality of commerce and cleanliness in the area much better.

Today, Times Square hosts ABC’s Times Square Studios, a Toys "Я" Us store, Hershey’s and M&M stores also a great number of theatres and several restaurants such as Ruby Foo’s, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Carmine’s as well as Planet Hollywood Restaurant and Bar. There are also headquarters of many media, publishing and financial firms.

At Times Square on the 2002 New Year’s celebration, the new mayor of the city of New York became Michael Bloomberg.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a major pre-Columbian archaeological site located in the northern centre of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, Mexico.

The ruins of the site are one of the greatest examples of the Maya civilization.

The name of the site is translated as “At the mouth of the well of the Itza”, considering that the word itza originates from the Maya “itz” and “a” which mean respectively “magic” and “water”.
The Chilam Balam books claim that the earlier name of the site was different but it is difficult to be identified because of the lack of any orthographic source. However it may be sounds such as Uuc Yabnal, Uuc Hab Nal or even Uc Abnal.

It is believed that the first word means seven but there are quite contradictory views on the meaning of others. They are translated as “Seven Bushes”, “Seven Houses” also “Seven Lines of Abnal”.

Somewhere between the end of the Late Classic and the earl part of the Terminal Classic, the Chichen Itza became a regional capital and significant political, social, economic as well as cultural centre.

Most likely, the city was ruled by more than one person, considering that it had a “multepal” system of government.

The Chichen Itza is consisted of numerous stone buildings which are combined in a series of architectonic sets. Some of the well known buildings are the Great North Platform, the Ossario Group and the Central Group.

There are also a few other complexes, including the Group of the Initial Series, the Group of the Lintels and the Group of the Old Castle.

The Great North Platform complex is represented by the monuments of El Castillo along with the Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court.

El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulkan is a step pyramid with square terraces which staircases lead to the four sides of the temple.

The Temple of Warriors is a large stepped pyramid which columns are all depicted with images of warriors.

The Great Ball Court is a quite amazing archaeological site, hosting the Temple of the Bearded Man and the Temples of the Jaguar.

The Ossario Group complex includes a pyramid and the Temple of Xtoloc. The temple has a number of pilasters, representing mythological scenes, images of people as well as some plant and bird species.

The Central Group complex consists of Caracol, Las Monjas and Akab Dzib.

Kuressaare Castle - Estonia

Kuressaare Castle is a beautiful Episcopal Castle located in the capital of Saaremaa, Kuressaare city, Estonia. The castle is one of the most remarkable sites in the republic.

One of the things that makes the castle so interesting and notable is that it is the only remaining intact medieval fortress in the Baltic countries.

The late Gothic dolomite was established as a main residence of the Bishop of Saare-Lääne bishopric. He ruled from there to the conquest of the ancient country of Saaremaa from the German knights.

The oldest part of the castle, the Tower of Tall Hermann is supposed to be built somewhere around 1260.

It is assumed that the main part of the castle was begun to build about 1338 and took forty years of construction.

The existence of Episcopal castle was mentioned in 1381 for the first time in literature.

The castle is a three storey building, consisting of two towers, the seven storey Defence Tower and the Watch Tower. The Watch Tower is the taller one and its roof was not accomplished until 16th century.

At that time the castle was sold to the Danes who surrounded it with a moat and also built a citadel. Later, the fortress fell into the hands of Swedes and Russians who modified it.

During the 19th and 20th centuries the castle was in possession of the Knighthood of Saaremaa who carried out a number of restoration work on it.

The architecture of the Kuressaare Castle is a typical example of the late Gothic style.

On entering the castle it is visible to see a gun dated from 1803 and a beautiful vase, depicted with elements of the medieval baptismal fonts.

There is a gallery with a width of one meter which defence tilt covers the whole castle.

The castle hosts a museum strewn, representing significant historical information on the history of the region.

The café situated on the top of the tower of the castle offers a magnificent view to the surroundings, the sea as well as the island of Abruka and other islets.
The Kuressaare castle is also a place where many cultural events are held.

Next to the area of the castle are located a few hotels, spas, tennis courts, the yacht harbour and mini-golf course.

Address:
Kuressaare Castle
Lossihoov 1
93815 Kuressaare
Estonia

Somapura Mahavihara

Somapura Mahavira is one of the well known Buddhist monasteries, located in Paharpur, Naogaon, Bangladesh. The monastery is also one of the most significant archaeological sites in the country and it was defined by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

It is known that several monasteries were established during the Pāla period in ancient Bengal and Magadha.

Tibetan sources indicate there were five of them which were the Somapura Mahavihara, Vicramashila, Nalanda, Ordantapurā and Jaggadala.

They were all formed as a network which helps to coordinate easily with each other.

Seals were found in excavation at Paharpur with inscriptions to indicate that the Somapura Mahavihara was built by the secong Pala king Dharmapala of Pāla Dynasty.

According to the Tibetan sources, Taranatha’s history and Pag-Sa-Jon-Zang, the monastery was built by the Dharmapala’s successor Devapala after his conquest of Varendra.

During the reign of Mahipala, the Somapura Mahavihara was entirely reconstructed and renovated.

In the 11th century the monastery was destroyed by fire but about a century later was again repaired. The recovery process was carried out by Vipulashrimitra who moreover added the temple of Tara.

By the time Mahapanditacharya Bodhibhadra was serving as a monk, the monastery became a home for Atisha Dipankar Srijnan. He spent many years in the monastery, translating the Madhyamaka Ratnapradipa into Tibetan.

There were several other scholars, among whom Kalamahapada, Viryendra and Karunashrimitra, who also lived in the monastery for really long periods.

Somewhere between the 9th and 12th centuries, the Somapura Mahavihara became a place visited by many Tibetan monks.

In the 13th century, during the Muslim occupation, the monastery was completely abandoned.

The architectural style of the Somapura Mahavihara is really quite interesting and unique.

The monastery is within an area of 85,000 m², including 177 cells, viharas, temples, numbers of stupas as well as several other buildings.

The walls of the monastery are all terracotta plaques, representing in some way the influence of the Buddhist religion, the Jain religion and the Hindus religion. These three religions known as Dharmic Traditions had enormous intellectual importance of the Somapura Mahavihara .

Address:
Somapura Mahavihara
Paharpur
Naogaon
Bangladesh

Tel: +880 2812 6817

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Timgad - Algeria

Timgad was a Roman colonial town, located in the city of Batna, Algeria, North Africa.

It was first found by Emperor Trajan around 100 A.D. He named the town Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi in memory of his mother Marcia, father Marcus Ulpius Traianus and his eldest sister Ulpia Marciana.
In the 3rd Century Timgad was served as a Christian centre while in the 4th Century became a Donatist centre.

In the 5th Century the town was pillaged by Vandals and fell into oblivion. When the Byzantine general Solomon came to take possession of it in 535 A.D., the town was revived again. This lasted up to 7th Century when it was again pillaged by the Berbers and totally abandoned.

There wasn’t any historical evidence for the existence of the Timgad until 1881 when its remains were excavated.

The reason that the town has preserved so well over the years was that it was buried under the sands of the Sahara.

The excavated ruins of the Timgad are a really great example of the use in the Roman city planning grid plan. The existence of the grid plan can best be seen in the orthogonal design, represented by the decumanus maximus and the cardo lined by a Corinthian colonnade.

At the west end of the decumanus standing at a height of 12 metres is the triumphal arch Trajan’s Arch also known as Timgad Arch. It was made of sandstone and has three openings, the central of which is 11 feet wide. Four fluted columns, made of fine white limestone and marble, are located in each of the facades of the arch, rising to a height of 19 feet.

Just outside the Arch is situated the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter. It was built as a dedication to the Optimus Maximus Jupiter and dimensions approaching those of the Pantheon in Rome.

Other significant monuments of Timgad are the 3,500-seat theatre, which is in very good condition and can till be used, also a large Byzantine citadel, a seventh century church, a library and some thermal baths.

Since 1982 Timgad has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Mount Yasur - Vanuatu

Mount Yasur is an active volcano standing 361 metres high above sea level, located on the Tanna Island in the South Pacific country of Vanuatu.

Vanuatu is a tropical archipelago consisting of several active and inactive volcanoes, among which the most attractive is the Mount Yasur.

It is believed that the volcano was formed by movement in the Indo-Australian and the Pacific Plates.

The Mount Yasur was first discovered by Captain James Cook in 1774. Probably the glow of the volcano in the night sky was what most impressed the captain although he was not allowed to visit the volcano since it is considered taboo by locals.

The volcano crater reaches 400 metres in diameter, erupting lava almost constantly.

The activity of volcano is quite different and varies. For the safety of visitors, the government of Vanuatu has set a station on the volcano which takes into account strength of activity.

There are four levels of specific activity of volcano.

The Level 0 and the Level 1 are considered for the levels with the lowest activity and then access to the volcano is allowed.

When the activity reaches level 3 the access is prohibited because then the lava erupts hundreds of metres out of the crater, creating a large cloud of smoke and ash.

Level 4 is the level with the highest eruption activity, causing serious damage not only to certain areas of the island but also to neighbouring islands.

Although the volcano is nearly constantly erupting it is one of the most visited and famous tourist sites.

The view when the volcano is erupting is truly remarkable and deserves to be seen.

Today the Mount Yasur area is a sacred place for the John Frum cargo cult. It is a kind of a religious cult whose followers believe that all the manufactured western goods have been created by some ancestral spirits mainly for Melanesian people but white people are unfairly appropriated the goods.

Mount Yasur is situated in the eastern side of the island, about an hours drive from White Grass airport and Lenakel town. There are flights every 45 minutes and boats every 2 or 3 days.

British Airways Flights - New York

British Airways holds regular flights to New York; these flights fly to either John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Of all the British Airways flights to New York only two operate solely with British Airways airline carriers, these are from London Heathrow and London Gatwick in the United Kingdom. All other British Airways Flights to New York are carried out through code share agreements with flights from Amsterdam and Paris flown by the airline carrier Open Skies, and flights from San Juan, Washington, Raleigh/Durham and Halifax being flown by American Airlines.

As mentioned previously there are two different airports in New York that British Airways operates flights to, these both have daily flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick. Flights from other destinations may not be so frequent.

Click on British Airways to find flight timetables

British Airways main base is London Heathrow where it stations the majority of its huge airline fleet, the secondary base for British Airways is London Gatwick.

British Airways is one of the world’s largest international airline carriers and because of this offers some great deals and competitive rates on flights to places such as New York. British Airways has well trained flight attendants and also offers a great in flight service that will make your journey both comfortable and enjoyable.

British Airways Flights to New York

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London Heathrow – Flights daily
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