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Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

29 October, 2012

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 18th 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 19th 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!

07 August, 2012

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

Image courtesy
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

Image courtesy
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

Image courtesy
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

Image courtesy
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.


09 July, 2012

7 Beautiful Canyons around the World


Canyons are also called as gorges; these are formed due to long time erosions of rivers. One can spot canyons in dry or parched areas as physical weathering conditions play a major role in the formation of canyons. The canyon walls are in general formed of resistant granite or sandstone. When talking about canyons one can never forget the “Grand Canyon” in Arizona; however, we are going to take a look at equally beautiful canyons around the world other than Grand Canyon.

7. Matka Canyon, Skopje, Macedonia

Matka Canyon, popular tourist destination in Macedonia

Image source
Matka (means womb) Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Macedonia. It is a home for 10 caves and the length of the caves vary between 20 meters to 176 meters. According to New7Wonders of Nature project, Vrelo Cave in Matka is one among the top 77 natural sites. There are lots of monasteries in Matka Canyon. One can spot lots of butterflies and bats at Matka Canyon; it is home for nearly 77 endemic butterfly species. This is one of the best spots for alpine hiking, kayaking, fishing and swimming; the best season is between April and November.

6. Kings Canyon, Northern Territory, Australia

Kings Canyon, Australia
Kings Canyon forms a part of Watarrka National Park in Australia and is a popular tourist destination for adventurous hikers or travelers. This is also a best place to watch rare and beautiful looking birds like Spinifex pigeon, black-breasted buzzard, dusky grasswren, etc. There are two walks in Kings Canyon; one walk takes you to the bottom of the canyon and the other to the top of the canyon. It is at the top walk that one finds “Heartbreak hill” that offers spectacular and scenic views of the entire landscape, a permanent waterhole, and sandstone domes; remember this is too steep and hence called the “Heartbreak Hill” or “Heart attack Hill.”

5. Charyn Canyon, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Charyn Canyon, best place to watch unusually shaped rock formations

Image source
Charyn Canyon is located in Charyn River and is a part of Charyn National Park in Kazakshtan. This is the best place to watch unusual and oddly shaped rock formations; this is the reason why one part of it is also called as “Valley of Castles.” It resembles “Grand Canyon” in many ways even though it is much smaller in size; it is nicknamed “the little brother of Grand Canyon.”

4. Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Blyde River Canyon, Second largest canyon in Africa

Image source
Blyde (means happy or glad) River Canyon is believed to be the world’s largest green canyon as one can witness lush green scenery everywhere around the canyon and Africa’s second largest canyon. Due to the lush subtropical foliage, it is home for many species of birds, antelopes and fishes. Some of the bird species include the beautiful Narina Trogon, Bald Ibis, Green Twinspot, Wood Owl, Jackal Buzzard, etc. This is a most sought tourist spot or attraction in Mpumalanga.

3. Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru

Colca Canyon during winter

Image source
Colca Canyon is believed to be the deepest canyon in the world and is the third most popular tourist destination in Peru. To watch the near threatened Andean Condor species, one must go to Cruz del Condor, which is nearly 3,960 feet below the canyon’s rim. One can also watch lots of other bird species like Giant Colibri, Andean goose, vicuna, etc. There are lots of other things one can do at Colca Canyon other than bird watching; this includes taking a dip in the hot springs, hiking, trekking, mountaineering, visiting archeological sites, etc.

2. Fish River Canyon, Namibia, Africa

Fish River Canyon during early morning
Fish River Canyon is the world’s second largest and the largest in Africa. This is one of the most sought after tourist attraction in Namibia. This is one of the best mountaineering spots, but the sad part is that hikers have to sleep outdoors during their trekking. The best time for hiking is between May and mid-September as hiking is prohibited in the summer season owing to very high temperatures.

1.Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, Tibet, China

Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the deepest and the largest canyon in the world

Image source
Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is considered the deepest and the largest canyon in the world. Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is place for unique plants, bird species and is home for King Cobra. Some of the unique species include Ice Mouse, Ice Flea, etc. This boasts of rich biological resources, spectacular scenery and a popular eco-tourism spot. It is a best spot for whitewater kayaking.





05 April, 2012

10 Famous Defensive Walls around the World


Defensive Walls is a fortification and are constructed to protect a city or settlement from invaders. These defensive walls are also termed either as city walls or town walls. When said defensive walls or city walls the first wall that comes to our mind is “The Great Wall of China.” Are there other famous city walls? If yes, where are these defensive walls?

10. York City Walls, England, United Kingdom

The wall walk at York City Walls, England
York City walls are in the city of English city of York and this place is known for its city walls right from the times of Romans. York City Walls are also referred to as Bar Walls or Roman Walls. York city in England has more miles of intact walls than any other city in England. It was the Romans who first defensive city walls in York city; this was followed by Danes. It was the Danes who restored the walls built by Romans. York City walls are a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade 1 listed building.

9. Hadrian’s Wall, England-Scotland border

Hadrian's Wall, England-Scotland Border is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 
Hadrian’s Wall is yet another masterpiece of Roman Britain; it was called as Hadrian’s Wall as this city wall was constructed during the rule of Emperor Hadrian. It is believed that many of the gates through the wall have served as customs posts, but not much of evidence is found. Hadrian’s Walls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This wall is 120 m long, which is 80 Roman miles. It is believed that this wall was built to safeguard the empire and was imposed by divine instruction.

8. Roman Walls of Lugo, Galicia, Spain
An original Roman Gate among the five, Roman Walls of Lugo, Spain
Roman Walls of Lugo was constructed in the 3rd century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Majority of the wall is still intact and this wall is at the historic center of Lugo in Spain. Roman walls of Lugo is stated as “the finest example of late Roman fortifications in western Europe.” The length of the walls is 2,120 meters and is 4.2 m wide. There were initially 5 gates, which then became ten as the population of the city increased.

7. Chester city walls, England, United Kingdom
Chester City Walls made of sandstone in England

Image via Wikipedia
Romans started the construction of Chester city walls to protect Chester city in Cheshire, England between 70 and 80 AD. In 100 AD, the wall was reconstructed using sandstone, but the sad part is that the construction didn’t get over for nearly 100 years. It was very difficult to maintain the city walls and therefore, was converted into a major tourist attraction. Many of the medieval structures like Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower, Pemberton’s Parlour, Morgan’s Mount, Phoenix Tower, Barnaby’s Tower, etc., have been incorporated in this major tourist attraction.

6. Moscow Kremlin Wall, Moscow, Russia
Moscow Kremlin Wall by the side of Moskva River, Moscow

Image via wikipedia
Kremlin wall is considered as one of the symbolic constructions in the history of Russia; this wall was constructed to protect the city of Moscow Kremlin. During the course of time, Russian borders expanded and the canons placed in the wall were removed. The outer perimeter of the Kremlin wall is close to 2200 meters and therefore would look like a loose triangle.

5. Kano City Wall, Kano, Nigeria
Kano City Walls, the most impressive monument in West Africa
Kano City walls is believed to be “the most impressive monument in West Africa.” Majority of the portions of the wall is damaged; this site is submitted to UNESCO World Heritage Site to be a part of it. It is said that the best part of the Kano city wall is the western section. People in Nigeria believe this wall has to be restored.

4. Walls of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Walls of Dubrovnik along with Mincenta Tower

Image via wikipedia
Walls of Dubrovnik are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These defensive walls are considered as great fortification during the Middle Ages as any hostile army was unable to breach the wall and get inside; this stone wall was constructed to protect the people of Dubrovnik city.

3. Fortifications of Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China
Fortifications of Xi'an, oldest and best preserved city walls in China

Image via Wikipedia
These are definitely one among the best preserved and oldest Chinese city walls. These walls were constructed in the year 194 BCE; however, the existing walls were constructed during the rule of Ming Dynasty in 1370. The base layer of the fortifications of Xi’an was done by earth, quick lime and glutinous rice extract.

2. Visby Rigmur, Gotland, Sweden
Visby Rigmur or City Walls of Visby, part of World Heritage City 731.

Image via Wikipedia
This wall is 11 feet high and was constructed in two phases; Rigmur means ringwall in Sweden. Visby Rigmur or the City walls of Visby was constructed during the Medieval period; the oldest defensive tower is called the “Powder Tower.” This wall is part of World Heritage City 731. During the time of construction, there were 29 towers; however, currently there are only 27 towers.

1. Intramuros Walls, Manila, Philippines

Intramuros Walls mean "within the walls" in Latin

Image via manila.gov
Intramuros in Latin means “within the walls” and the seat of the government during the Spanish Colonial Period were the Intramuros Walls. This wall was identified as “On the Verge” of irreparable loss and destruction by the Global Heritage Fund.

Make sure to see these famous walls when you visit these spectacular places.


15 December, 2011

Tourist Attractions: 10 Notable Natural Arches around the World


Nature never ceases to amaze me. If we have a close look at the nature, we surely can learn a lot from it. All of us must have seen huge flyovers and bridges all over our country, but how about knowing some of the natural arches around the world. Natural arches, what are they? A natural geological rock formation that has an opening below is termed as a natural arch; many of these natural arches serve as a narrow bridge. Take a look at these 10 notable natural arches around the world.

  1. Azure Window, Gozo, Malta
Azure Window, Gozo Island
Azure Window is a famous natural arch in a Gozo island. This natural arch looks like a table. This famous landmark of Malta is situated near two other famous landmarks of Malta; the Inland Sea and Dwejra Bay. This is a very popular site for scuba diving. The height of this natural arch is 22.54 m. It is believed that this arch will very soon disappear as the disintegrated rocks are falling one after the other. If you are planning to visit Malta, do not forget to visit this soon-to-disappear natural wonder of the world. This natural arch will be renamed as Arch Pinnacle once the entire form disintegrates.

  1. El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (A natural arch made of granite rock)

Image via wikimedia
The arch is actually called as El Arco by the local people of Cabo San Lucas; this arch lies in a place where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. This is a 200 foot high granite rock; it is believed that this natural arch was formed due to strong ocean currents. This place is famous for sea lions. El Arco is a perfect tourist or travel destination if you are an adventure traveller who is always ready with a backpack.

  1. Durdle Door, Dorset, England
Durdle Door, A natural limestone arch
It is a privately owned natural limestone arch; it is open for public even though a privately owned property of the Welds. Why is it called Durdle? There was an old word in English called “thirl” meaning bore or drill and this is how Durdle Door got its name. This natural arch is found on the Jurassic coast near Lulworth. This natural limestone arch has been cut by the sea through the almost vertical Purbeck Caps and the top of the Portland Freestone. It is definitely one of the most impressive natural arches.

  1. Percé Rock, Quebec, Canada
Perce Rock or the Pierced Rock, Major attraction of Gaspesie region

Image courtesey: Wikimedia
Percé Rock is a French word meaning pierced rock. This natural arch is called by other names such as le rocher percé, Pierced Rock, and Split Rock. When you see this rock from a distance it will look like a ship under sail, wow. Percé Rock is one among the longest natural arches in the world and a major attraction of the Gaspesie region. The park where Percé Rock is situated is the second largest migratory bird sanctuary and one can witness lots of northern gannets here. This is one of the best places to watch blue whale, humpback whale, razorbills, and kittiwakes.

  1. Pont d’Arc, France
Pont d'Arc, France.
Pont means bridge in French; Pont d’Arc is a natural arch carved out by Ardéche River. This is situated near a small town called Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. If you are thinking of canoeing or kayaking in France, Pont d’Arc is the best place. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France. You can also find lots of caves near Pont d’Arc, of which one of the famous caves with cave paintings is Chauvet Cave.

  1. Pravčická brána, Czech Republic
Pravacicka brana, natural sandstone arch in Europe

Image courtesy: wikimedia
Pravčická brána is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Europe and one of the most beautiful rock formations in Bohemian Switzerland; it is a natural monument of Czech Republic. This is a very narrow natural arch. There are several divergent paths and stairs that lead to the observation platforms; from here one can enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding area.

  1. Shipton’s Arch, Xinjiang, China
Shipton's arch, tallest natural arch in the world.

Image source: wikimedia
Shipton’s arch is probably the tallest natural arch in the world. Shipton’s arch is also called as Tushuk Tash in the local language, which mean “Heavenly Gate” and is a conglomerate natural arch. Eric Shipton, a British mountaineer was the first person to report about this arch and hence called the Shipton’s arch. According to the National Geographic team, the height of this natural arch is 1200 feet, which is as high as the Empire State Building in the USA. This arch was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for some time, but later dropped it as they were not able to locate the exact location of the arch. It was in the year 2000, a team from National Geographic re-found this arch and made an excellent documentary about it.

  1. The Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom
The Green Bridge of Wales, Limestone arch, Pembrokshire.

Image courtesy: Wikimedia
The Green Bridge of Wales is a spectacular natural arch in the coast of Pembrokeshire. This natural arch was formed by the erosion of the sea or in other words, marine erosion. This is a limestone arch and is considered one of the biggest natural arches in the world. It is believed that due to coastal erosion, this natural arch may collapse in the long run. It has a rugged picturesque and the views are amazing. It is a place for many caves and natural formations.

  1. The Eye of Burroo Rock, United Kingdom
The Eye of Burroo Rock, largest natural arch, island of Burroo

Image courtesy: wikimedia
The Eye of Burroo Rock is the largest natural arch in the small island of Burroo. It is called the Eye of Burroo as one can notice a large hole in the Burroo when they are miles away; this large hole is what is termed as “The Eye.”

  1. Aloba Arch, Chad
Aloba Arch, longest natural arch outside the US, Ennedi Range

Image courtesy: Naturalarches
Aloba Arch is considered the longest natural arch outside the United States spanning an area of 250 feet. This natural arch is made of sandstone and is located in the Ennedi Range; this range is located within the Sahara Desert. This arch is 394 feet tall and is one among the tallest natural arches of the world.

These natural arches are definitely a must visit tourist attraction. Take a break from the regular routine and visit these breathtaking natural arches around the world.


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