Beautiful European-styled city in the North - Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments 540 Hermitage at the background through the staff building What and Why Founded by Peter I ( Russian : Пётр I, Pyotr I , né Пётр Романов, Pyotr Romanov ) in 1703, Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург, Sankt-Peterburg ) is definitely one of the most cosmopolitan and culturally significant cities of Russia (Россия, Rossiya ) . Upon completion of the city within ten

A mediaeval monastery with a well-preserved wall gallery of Carolingian art - Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair 269 Benedictine Convent of Saint John What and Why The Benedictine Convent of Saint John ( Romansh : Claustra Benedictina da Son Jon ) , named after Saint John the Baptist (Hebrew: יוחנן המטביל, Yvhnn Hmtbyl ) is an abbey established all the way in 780 BCE in the small village of Müstair of Switzerland ( Svizra ) . According to legends, Charlemagne (né Ch

' Above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou-Hangzhou ': for gardens, canals, food, operas, silk and scholastic activities - Classical Gardens of Suzhou 813; The Grand Canal 1443; Kun Qu opera 00004; Sericulture and silk craftsmanship of China 00197 Canal in Suzhou This post marks the 5th anniversary of my blog. What and Why The quote ' Above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou-Hangzhou ( Chinese : 上有天堂、下有苏杭 , Shangyou tiantang, Xiayou Su-hang ) ' aptly describes how bea

A world famous abbey with a spectacular library that chronicles European language and culture since the 7th century - Abbey of St Gall 268 Abbey of Saint Gall What and Why During the early 7th century, the Irish monk Saint Gall (Latin: Gallus ) and his disciple Saint Columbanus (Irish : Columbán ) came to the site and established a hermitage and stayed there until his death in the mid-7th century. Saint Gall was much revered in the area and after his death people venerated

White-stone architecture along the Golden Ring - White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal 633 Assumption Cathedral (from internet) What and Why Vladimir ( Russian : Владимир) , together with Suzdal (Суздаль) , was one of the major principalities of mediaeval times that succeeded Kievan Rus' (Old East Slavic: Роусь, Rusĭ ) that dates its foundation back to the 10th century. The city prospered when it became the capital of the joint principality of Vladimir-Suzdal (Владимирско-

The fortress of political might and fear continued - Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow 545 Kremlin What and Why Built as early as the mid-12th century, the Kremlin ( Russian : Кремль, Kreml' ) is now home to the president of Russia (Россия, Rossiya ) and the epicentre of post-cold-war Russian politics. The Kremlin has survived almost a millennium of upheavals, change-of-hands, vandalism and reconstruction, the fortress-complex symbolises the political forte Russian leadershi

One of the earliest cultural boulevards of Europe - Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences 1618; Mediterranean diet 00884 Plaza de Cibeles What and Why The Paseo del Prado is the main north-south axis of Madrid , and is characterised by a densely tree-lined boulevard. The boulevard is the main tourist landmark for the city residents with a few world-class museums along the way: the Prado Museum ( Spanish : Museo Nacional del Prado ) , the Thyssen-

Alms-giving during sunrise - Town of Luang Prabang 479; Khaen music of the Lao people 01296; Traditional craft of Naga motif weaving in Lao communities 01973 Alms-giving at Luang Prabang What and Why Located in the confluence of Mekong River (ແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ, Maenam Khong ) , Luang Prabang ( Lao : ຫລວງພະບາງ, Louangphabang ) is a remarkable city, so isolated from the outside world that it still possesses extremely well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritages. In

The old salt mine with extraordinary salt rock sculptures - Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines 32 Saint Kinga Chapel What and Why The Wieliczka Salt Mine ( Polish : Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka ) , excavated since the 13th century, produced table salt continuously until 2007 and was one of the world's oldest operating salt mines. The mine is located in Wieliczka , which is a city just south of Kraków . Table salt, in the form of sodium chloride with brine welling up to the s

Mediaeval church with frescoes of long-lasting legacy - Boyana Church 42; Bulgarian Chitalishte (Community Cultural Centre): practical experience in safeguarding the vitality of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 00969 Boyana Church What and Why The Boyana Church ( Bulgarian : Боянска Ц ърква, Boyanska Tsărkva ) is a mediaeval Orthodox church built in the 10th century located in the Boyana district, apparently the most well-off area of Sofia (София, Sofiya ) . The church is

Culturally rich Orthodox monastery near the Bulgarian border - Rila Monastery 216 Rila monastery What and Why The Rila monastery ( Bulgarian : Рилски манастир, Rilski manastir ) is one of the greatest monasteries built in Bulgaria (България, Bŭlgariya ) or possibly in the Balkans , and is regarded a s one of the most significant cultural, historical, and spiritual landmarks of the country . The Eastern Orthodox monastery is founded as early as the 10th century and is cont

Mediaeval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery in a conflict epicentre - Medieval Monuments in Kosovo 724 Visoki Dečani What and Why Visoki Dečani Monastery ( Albanian : Manastiri i Deçanit ) is one of the four mediaeval Serbian Orthodox Christian monasteries in the disputed state of Kosovo ( Kosova ) . The famous historic monastery is commissioned by the King of Serbia (Serbian: Србија, Srbij a ) Stefan Dečanski (Serbian: Стефан Дечански, né Стефан Немањић, Stefan Nema

Rock-hewn caves in an island honouring Shiva - Elephanta Caves 244 Elephanta caves - Cave 1 What and Why The Elephanta Caves ( Hindi : घारापुरी गुफाएँ, Gharapuri guphā'ēm̐ ) are a series of rock-hewn cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva (Sanskrit : शिव, Śiva ) . These caves are located a 16 km² island off Mumbai (मुम्बई) , as blogged in Mumbai (मुम्बई) | South . While most of the caves are Hindu, there are a number of Buddhist stupas and temples aroun

The largest continental ice-shelf - Los Glaciares National Park 145; Filete porteño in Buenos Aires, a traditional painting technique 01069 Perito Moreno What and Why Los Glaciares National Park ( Spanish : Parque Nacional Los Glaciares ) is a massive national park in Patagonia , Argentina that houses the gigantic ice-caps in continental land. The entire park is around 7,000 km2, which is more than six Hong Kong (Cantonese: 香港, Hoenggong ) packed together. These massive

Capital of art nouveau and pickpockets - Works of Antoni Gaudí 320; Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona 804; Human Towers 00364; Mediterranean diet 00884 Parc Guell What and Why Barcelona is now one of the most popular tourist cities, offering its visitors good art, football, food, culture, commerce and even science. It has developed itself as a significant global brand as a city and is considered one of the economic powerhouse in Spain ( Spanish

Icon of freedom of the new world - Statue of Liberty 307; The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright 1496 Statue of Liberty What and Why The Statue of Liberty or formally 'Liberty Enlightening the World', is the icon of the free world, full stop. The copper statue of Libertas (Latin for liberty), was a gift from France to America in 1886. The statue has seen become literally the signature of America. Why Libertas? In early American history, two female figures

Never say 'kekkō' until you've seen Nikkō - Shrines and Temples of Nikko 913; Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year 00869; Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan 01618 Nikko What and Why The first temple in Nikkō ( Japanese : 日光) was founded more than 1,200 years ago. In the early 17th century, the famous dying shōgun (将軍) Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川

Italy seaside city with a rich Greek culture - Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica 1200; Mediterranean diet 00884; Italian cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity 02093 Piazza Duomo What and Why Syracuse ( Italian : Siracusa ) was founded in the 8th century by Greek settlers, led by the coloniser Archias (Greek: Ἀρχίας) . The settlement of Syracuse was an exercise of urban planning, as a strong central leader, Archias laid out how properties and