10 Famous Inclined Towers or Leaning Towers around the World

Leaning Towers, also called as “Inclined Towers” are towers that are intentionally built to lean or incline over an angle. When talking about leaning towers, the first tower that comes to our mind is the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa or Torre di Pisa, Italy. The fact is that this leaning tower was not intentionally built to lean. Presenting below are some of the famous inclined towers around the world.

10. Leaning Temple of Huma, Orissa, India

Leaning Temple of Huma, the only leaning temple in the world

Want to see the only leaning temple in the world? If yes, come and visit the Leaning Temple of Huma dedicated to Lord Shiva in India in the state of Orissa, now, called as Odisha.  It is not sure whether this temple was constructed this way on purpose or is a fault with the design. If you visit this temple, you can notice that it is the edifice that is leaning and not the pinnacle of the temple. It is believed that this temple was built by Emperor Anangabhima Deva-III, but later either rebuilt or renovated by King Baliar Singh. Plan a visit to this temple during March if you wish to see the annual fair, which will be held to commemorate Shivrathri, a famous Hindu festival.

9. Leaning Tower of Nevyansk, Nevyansk, Russia

Leaning Tower of Nevyansk, Russia

Courtesy: Wikimedia

Leaning Tower of Nevyansk is believed to be built in the 18^th century (anywhere between 1725 and 1732); however, information on when this leaning tower was constructed is not known. It is a 189 feet tall tower with a right angle inclination of 7 feet 3 inches from the top of the tower. As the answer to the question of when it was built is a mystery so is the purpose of the tower. There are many debates on the purpose of the tower, which includes a watchtower, bell tower, prison, laboratory, etc. It is a popular belief that the inclination towards to southwest is to symbolize the birth of Demidov. Even though much of the information about the tower is not known, it is the first tower in the world with cast iron cupola.

8. Sharps Island Light, Tilghman Island, Maryland

Sharps Island lighthouse, endangered lighthouse in Maryland

Sharps Island lighthouse is the third lighthouse in Maryland and was built using cast iron. The lighthouse is 35 feet tall and leans at an angle of 15 degrees. This was automated in the year 1938 and was later deactivated in 2010. This is one of the picturesque lighthouses as well as poorly maintained. Sharps Island lighthouse got a place for itself in the National Register of Historic Places in July 1982 and is one of the endangered lighthouses.

7. Leaning Tower of Niles, Touhy Avenue, Illinois

Leaning Tower of Niles, an exact replica of Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Are you trying to visit Paris to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but unable to do so; how about seeing a replica of it? Yes…Leaning Tower of Niles is a replica of Leaning Tower of Pisa and ½ the size of it. The original idea of constructing this tower was to store water for outdoor swimming pools. This was constructed by industrialist Robert Ilg. He built it as a part of Recreation Park for his employees. This tower now holds 4 fountains and a swimming pool of 30 feet.

6. Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Olympic Stadium, Canada's highest seating capacity stadium

It is a doughnut shaped multi-purpose stadium built to host the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada; it is nicknamed as the “Big O” due to its shape. This has a record of being the stadium with highest seating capacity in Canada. It was used as football and baseball stadium for some time, but now mainly used to conduct special events. This is the tallest inclined tower in the world.

5. Gate of Europe, Madrid, Spain

Gate of Europe, the world's first inclined skyscraper and Spain's second tallest twin tower

Gate of Europe is the first inclined skyscraper in the world and the second tallest twin towers in Spain. Each of these buildings is 115 meter tall and is inclined at an angle of 15 degrees. Both these towers have a rooftop helicopter pad. These were designed by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee.

4. Tiger Hill Pagoda, Suzhou City, China

Tiger Hill Pagoda nicknamed the "Leaning Tower of China"

Courtesy: Wikimedia

Tiger Hill Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda situated in the Suzhou city of China. It is popularly known as the “Leaning Tower of China” and was built during the “Five Dynasties” period. The pagoda is 154 feet tall with an inclination of roughly 3 degrees; this inclination is due to the fact that the foundation of the pagoda is half rock and half soil.

3. Leaning Tower of Suurhusen, Suurhusen, Germany

Leaning Tower of Suurhusen, the world's most tilted tower unintentionally tilted, Germany

Courtesy: Wikimedia

According to the Guinness World Records, Leaning Tower of Suurhusen holds the record of the most tilted tower in the world till 2010; however, it is still the world’s most tilted tower that was unintentionally tilted. The tower inclines at an angle of 5.194 degrees, which is 1.22 degrees more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy. This is a British Gothic church built in the Middle Ages in a marshy land; the church tilted when the water in the marshy land dried in the 19^th century.

2. Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi - the world's furthest leaning man-made tower

Courtesy: Wikimedia

Capital Gate claims the record of “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower” from Guinness World Records and leans at an angle of 18 degrees westwards. The building is currently owned by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. This is the first building in Middle East to diagrid technology; diagrid technology absorbs and channels the force created by wind as well seismic pressure.

1. Leaning Tower of Wanaka, Wanaka, New Zealand

Leaning Tower of Wanaka in Puzzling World, New Zealand

Courtesy: Flickr

Puzzling World is one of the famous tourist attractions in Wanaka, New Zealand. When started in 1973, it just had a maze; however, this is a place full of optical illusions, puzzles that visitors can solve, hologram hall, tilted house, and much more. The Leaning Tower of Wanaka was made to tilt at an angle of 53 degrees by pulling the building out of ground and balancing on one corner.

You will be amazed to look at these amazing leaning towers or inclined towers in the world!

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10 Must Visit Attractions in Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest as well as the most developed city in China and has a population of close to 23 million. Shanghai is located at the mouth of Yangtze River and is a major financial center of China. This city has lots of visitor attractions as it has lots of historical landmarks. Shanghai is nicknamed as “showpiece” of China.

City God Temple

One of the altars of the City God Temple, Shanghai

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City God Temple also called as “Chenghuang Miao” is not only a huge temple complex, but also a place where you will find lots of shops selling almost every traditional product of China. This temple was constructed to dedicate for Jinshan or the “Gold Mountain.” The temple has three main deities called Huo Gang (a famous Han dynasty emperor), Qin Yubo (who served in Yuan Dynasty) and Chen Huacheng (a Qing Dynasty general). The famous Yuyuan Garden of Shanghai is connected with the City God Temple.

Jade Buddha Temple

The front view of Jade Buddha Temple

Jade Buddha Temple, one can know from the name that it is a Buddhist temple was founded in 1882 and has 2 jade Buddha statues; one statue is a sitting Buddha and the other one is a reclining Buddha (a smaller statue). Reclining Buddha statue represents the death of Buddha. The temple contains the following: 

• Chamber of Heavenly Kings – contains statues of Wei Tuo, Bodhisattva, Maitreya and the Four Heavenly Kings. 
• Grand Hall or Great Hall – contains 3 Golden Buddhas, 18 unique golden arhats, Gods of Twenty Heavens and Guanyin and Shen Cai with their 53 teachers. 
• Jade Buddha Chamber, public restaurants and a Buddhist library.

Jing’an Temple

The front view of Jing'an Temple

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Jing’an Temple is yet again a Buddhist temple built in 247 AD. Jing’an means “Temple of Peace and Tranquility;” one can surely experience this when visiting this famous Buddhist temple. The temple was originally built beside Suzhou Creek; it was later moved to West Nanjing Road (the current site). This temple has three main halls, jade Buddha Hall with a jade Buddha statue, Abbot’s Chambers, a copper bell of Ming Dynasty, etc. This temple is opened for visitors between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm daily except on Buddhist holidays; an entrance fee is to be paid to visit the temple.

Longhua Temple

Longhua Temple, finest architectural example of Song Dynasty

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Longhua Temple is one of the finest architectural examples of Song dynasty and is dedicated to Maitreya Buddha. It is one of the city’s largest ancient temple complexes, which was constructed in 242 AD; there are various stories around the construction of the building. There are various buildings inside the temple, which includes: 

• Maitreya Hall with Maitreya Buddha statue
• Heavenly King Hall with Four Heavenly Kings statues
• Grand Hall with historical Buddha statue
• Three Stages Hall housing Amitabha Buddha, Buddhistava, and Mahasthamaprapta
• Abbot’s Hall
• Bell Tower
• Drum Tower
• Library consists of works of Buddha, his sutras, the ceremonial instruments, and various artifacts and antiques.

Jin Mao Tower

Jin Mao Tower, the fifth tallest building in the world by roof height

Jin Mao Tower is an 88-storey skyscraper in Shanghai city, China and is the worlds’ fifth tallest building by roof height. This tower boasts of having Shanghai Grand Hyatt Hotel (occupies floors from 53 to 87) as its occupant. Jin Mao Tower is a must visit place if you are looking for good restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping malls. The entire 88 floors are divided into 16 segments where each of these segments is 1/8 shorter than the 16-storey base. Chinese consider number 8 as lucky as it symbolizes prosperity; this building too revolves around this number.

Oriental Pearl Tower

Oriental Pearl Tower, AAAAA (5A) scenic area by China National Tourism Administration

Oriental Pearl Tower is a TV tower and one among the significant landmarks of Shanghai, China. This once holds the record of being the tallest tower in China. According to China National Tourism Administration, this area is classified as AAAAA (5A) scenic area; this is the highest rating given by the tourism administration. This rating is given based on various criteria including the site’s importance, transportation available, cleanliness, sanitation, etc. The tower contains 11 big and small towers and a total of 15 observation levels. The sightseeing floor is at 263 meters. This tower has a revolving restaurant. It is believed that the tower was designed based on a verse of a poem called Pipa Song from the Tang dynasty; however, the designer has said that he didn’t have this song in mind when he decided the design of the tower.

The Bund

The Bund, at night, a place to see various architectural styles

The Bund is one of the most well-known visitor attractions of Shanghai, China; it is a waterfront area and the height of the buildings is restricted here. This is one of the must see places in Shanghai if you are interested in visiting historical buildings. There is a total of 52 buildings in “The Bund” and these boasts of various architectural styles like Gothic, Renaissance, Art Deco, Romanesque, Baroque, etc. One can find lots of banks and financial institutions along “The Bund.”

Wen Miao

Wen Miao, Shanghai Confucian Temple

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Wen Miao is a Shanghai Confucian Temple, built to pay homage to Confucius. Wen Miao Lu was once a fishing village and it is believed that the temple was first founded by Yuan dynasty; it is also said that the temple went so many renovations. There is a market outside the temple; this is opened every Sunday morning.

Yuyuan Garden

Yuyuan Gardens mean "Garden of Happiness" or "Garden of Peace"

Yuyuan Garden is also called as the Yu Garden, meaning “Garden of Happiness” or “Garden of Peace.” It is a Chinese garden with a centerpiece made of exquisite Jade Rock. This is considered to be the largest garden of its era (Ming Dynasty) in Shanghai. It is a 5-acre garden and is divided into six areas; each of these areas is separated by a dragon wall.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Zhujiajiao Water Town, a must visit place in Shanghai to witness ancient buildings

Zhujiajiao is a small water town with a population of roughly 60,000 people and is believed to be 1,700 years old. One can witness the ancient buildings along the river banks of the city. As the name suggests, it is a water town and therefore, the transportation is through boats. One can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine in this water town. This consists of various bridges, Kezhi garden and Yuanjin Buddhist temple. You can also shop till you drop at Zhujiajiao Water Town.

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10 Most Celebrated Domes of the World

talking about architecture domes have a significant place. Domes are structural elements of architecture and they resemble a hollow upper half of a sphere. One can also call a dome as an arch that is rotated around its central vertical axis. The tradition of constructing multiple domes first started when church architecture started in Russia.

There are various types of domes such as onion domes, corbel domes, oval domes, parabolic domes, polygonal domes, umbrella domes, and much more. Find out some of the most celebrated domes around the world. This is just a list of 10 most celebrated domes from a very huge list of domes. Domes are indeed one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world.

Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Pantheon, Largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world

In Greek language, Pantheon means “to every god;” as the name suggests this was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa to all the gods of Ancient Rome, which was later completed by Emperor Hadrian around 126 AD. Pantheon in Rome is one of the most preserved Roman buildings.

This is a circular building with a granite portico and large Corinthian columns. There is a vestibule that links the porch and the rotunda (rotunda is any building that has a circular ground plan). Pantheon has a concrete dome and was built close to 2,000 years ago; this is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.

Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Suleymaniye Mosque, the second largest mosque in the world

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Suleymaniye Mosque is the second largest mosque in Istanbul; it took nearly 8 years to complete the construction. This mosque was built under the orders of Sultan Suleyman. This structure combines tall and slender minarets with large domed buildings that are supported by half domes.

Suleymaniye Mosque was designed as a kulliye, which means a complex where there are adjacent structures for both religious and cultural needs. Initially, this complex had hospital, a primary school, public bath, a roadside inn or a Caravanserai, Qur’an schools, school for learning hadith, medical college, and a public kitchen. Even though many of these structures are still in place, some of them have changed; the former imaret has been changed to a well-known restaurant and the hospital to a printing factory that is owned by the Turkish Army.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Night view of "The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat"

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St. Basil’s Cathedral is the popular name of “The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat;” this is a Russian orthodox church. This was originally called the “Trinity Church” or the “Trinity Cathedral.” There are a total of nine churches where the eight churches surround the ninth church that is in the middle in a symmetrical floor plan.

St. Basil’s Cathedral was erected on the Red Square of Moscow between the years 1555-61. The shape of the cathedral is a flame out of a bonfire rising into the sky. Many mislabel this as the Kremlin due to its close proximity. This cathedral is famous for its onion domes.

St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy

St. Peter's Basilica, the largest dome in the world - Wide angle view of the altar inside

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The official name of St. Peter’s Basilica in Italian is “Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano.” This is Late Renaissance church that is located within the Vatican City and is one of the holiest Catholic sites. The construction of St. Peter’s Basilica started in the year 1506 and was completed in the year 1626.

The skyline of Rome is dominated by the central dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The total height of the dome is 136.57 meters from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross making it the largest dome in the world.

Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India

Harmandir Sahib

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The best-known or the popular name of Harmandir Sahib is the “Golden Temple.” It is a Sikh gurudwara and the construction began when Guru Ram Das (4^th guru) was the guru; the construction got completed during the period when the guru was Guru Arjan Dev (5^th guru).

It was during the 19^th century, the upper floors were covered by gold by Maharaja Ranjit Singh who took over Punjab and protected it from outside attack. This is when Harmandir Sahib got its present name, “Golden Temple.”

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Taj Mahal, yellowish color during dusk. This monument is famous for its color changing properties as the day passes.

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Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan, a Mughal Emperor in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The entire structure was constructed using white marble. Taj Mahal is considered as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.” Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1983.

The shape of the main dome is onion; therefore, one of the best examples of onion domes. The height of the marble dome is 35 meters which is about the same length as the base; the height of the dome is highlighted by a lotus design.

St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England

St. Paul's Cathedral - looking up at the dome, first ever triple dome constructed

 St. Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of Bishop of London; the present church was built during the late 17^th century when a rebuilding program took place after the “Great Fire of London.” This was the tallest building in the London for close to 300 years with a total height of 365 feet.

The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the world’s highest domes and the church is the second largest church building in the United Kingdom; the first one being the Liverpool Cathedral. There are totally three layers in the large crossing dome and is the first ever triple dome constructed. There are 12 bells, 3 clocks, and one bourdon and a communion.

Ericsson Globe, Stockholm, Sweden

Ericsson Globe, the largest hemispherical building in the world and the world's largest scale model of Solar System

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Ericsson Globe was originally called as the “Stockholm Global Arena” and is currently the world’s largest hemispherical building. It is the national indoor arena of Sweden. The total volume of Ericsson Globe is 605,000 cubic meters. This indoor arena has another feather in its cap; it represents the Sun of the Sweden Solar System and is the largest scale model of Solar System in the world.

How it got its name as the Ericsson Globe? The naming rights of the building was officially acquired by Ericsson in the year 2009 and therefore became to be known as the “Ericsson Globe.” In the year 2010, a funicular railway was opened outside this indoor arena; each of these 2 gondolas can accommodate 16 people. This will take them to a height of 130 meters from where they get a unobstructed virtual view of entire Stockholm; one cannot see such an arrangement anywhere in the world.

Global Pagoda, Mumbai, India

Global Pagoda, the world's largest stone dome and the largest structure in the world that contains relics of Buddha

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The Global Pagoda or the Global Vipassana Pagoda is one of the notable monuments of Mumbai and was inaugurated in the year 2009. This Pagoda was built in gratitude to Buddha and his teachings. The pagoda’s shape was copied from the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

This pagoda holds the world record for the largest stone dome built without any supporting pillars; the height of the dome is 29 meters. There are three sub-domes and each of these domes was constructed at different periods. Global Pagoda has one more crown; it is the largest structure in the world that contains relics of Buddha. The construction of the Global Pagoda is still on as they wish to incorporate a museum that will depict both the life as well as the teachings of the Great Gautama Buddha.

The Eden Project, Cornwall, United Kingdom

Eden Project, a modern botanical garden

Eden Project at Cornwall, United Kingdom is famous for its largest greenhouse in the world; it contains almost all plants of the world. There are two huge enclosures with adjoining domes. These domes consist of hundreds and thousands of hexagonal and pentagonal inflated plastic cells; these are supported by steel frames.

This is one of the major tourist attractions of Cornwall. One can witness planted landscapes and vegetable gardens. This site is also famous for a giant bee and a towering robot made from old electrical appliances.

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Adventure Travel – Fantastic Five Mountaineering Travel Destinations

Mountaineering is definitely one of the best adventure sport or hobby. Mountaineering, adventures travel how it all started? It initially started as an attempt to reach the top of the peak or climbing unclimbed mountains. Mountaineering could be visiting snow covered mountains or traveling in glaciers or ice. Here is a small list of top 5 mountaineering travel destinations around the world.

1. The Alps, Europe

The Alps, Europe - One of the best mountaineering travel destinations

The first place that comes to our mind when talking about mountaineering or adventure travel is “The Alps.” Alps stretch from Austria in the east to Switzerland, Germany to France in the west. There are more than 40 alpine peaks in Alps and some of the most prominent peaks are Mont Blanc, Finsteraarhorn, Großglockner, Wildsptize, Monte Rosa, Dom, etc.

There are five climatic zones in the Alps, which include névé zone, alpine zone, subalpine zone, arable zone and lowlands. Summer is the best time for adventure sports like mountaineering, paragliding, tobogganing, hiking, etc. You will be able to watch spectacular scenes of flora and fauna on the way to the top of the Alps.

2. Pyrenees, Europe

Fromigal, a ski resort in Pyrenees

Pyrenees lies in southwest Europe and forms a natural border between the countries France and Spain. Pyrenees is divided into three main sections called the Atlantic, the Central and the Eastern Pyrenees. These are much older than the Alps. It is the place for the highest waterfall Gavarnie.

Pyrenees is just not a best place for mountaineering, but also famous for mineral springs and hot springs. Some of the best and well known hot springs include Les Escaldes, Eaux-Chaudes, Ax-les-Thermes, etc. It is also a best place for alpine skiing. You can see a lot of athletes taking their training in Pyrenees. It is a place for a number of ski resorts and summits.

3. Rocky Mountains, North America

Lake Moraine, Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains stretch from the British Columbia in the north to the United States in the southwest and are one of the most important mountains for adventure sports like mountaineering.

Rocky Mountains are home for various national parks and forest lands. When it comes to outdoor adventure or adventure travel, Rocky Mountains definitely offer many options. These are not only the best place for mountaineering, but also for camping, hunting, fishing, etc. These are also best place for winter sports and are home for lots of ski resorts.

4. Himalayas, Asia

Mount Everest, a prominent peak in the Himalayas

Image source: Wikipedia

One other place that people think of when it comes to mountaineering is the Himalayas. Himalayas contain 14 highest mountains in the world and over 700 peaks that are over 7200 meters. Himalayas are referred as “The Roof of the World.”

Trekking and mountaineering are the most popular activities in the Himalayas. It is also a place for various mountain passes like Banihal, Rohtang pass, Mohan pass, etc. Some of the prominent peaks in the Himalayas are Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, etc.

5.  Coast Mountains, North America

Juneau Icefield, Coast Mountains

Coast Mountains are major mountain ranges in the western North America and is virtually found all of the Coast of British Columbia. Mount Waddington, the highest mountains of British Columbia is in Coast Mountains.

This is one of the most sought after mountaineering spot. This is a place for glaciated peaks and home for some of the high-prominence peaks like Monarch Mountain, Skihist Mountain, Mount Ratz, etc. The climates are dry and warm in summer and dry and cold in winter.

Enjoy a trip to these adventurous travel destinations around the world.

References:

Mountaineering

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Asia

Know about Asian travel destinations

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