Seven Lessers Of the World

The Seven Wonders of the World have always managed to garner much fascination all around the world. Great pieces of architecture like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Coliseum of Rome or the Taj Mahal of India have captured the minds of thousandths of visitors with their beauty and history making them some of the most popular sites on Earth. This article is about other architectural marvels that may be lesser known but equally compelling and magnifiscent in their own right. Here are seven exquisite sites that figure in our list of some of the most beautiful marvels of Human Creations.

Meteora Suspended Rock Monasteries, Greece

Meteora is a group of monasteries on the summits of a vertical rock formation in Thessaly, Greece. They are located north of the little town of Kalambaka and to the east of the Pindus Mountains in the valley of the Pineiós River. Meteora means ‘suspended in the air’. Although there were originally 24 monasteries at one time in the area, only six now remain. And the remaining monasteries were built in the 14th -15th centuries on natural sandstone rock pillars. The Meteora is now a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its location obviously meant it as a defensive buildings, since access was made as difficult as much as possible in the beginning. Only through the use of either long ladders lashed together, or large nets for hauling supplies, could access to the monasteries be obtained.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka

Silgiriya is situtated in the district of Matale of Sri Lanka. Built during the reign of King Kasyapa I it is a rock fortress. It a very popular tourist destination is known for its splendid view and breathtaking beauty. It also features prominently in the list of the World heritage sites. According to legends, Kasapya I overthrew his father Dhatusena by killing him. Kasapya meanwhile feared revenge from his own half-brother Mogallana and built an invisible fortress.But finally ended up taking his own life during a battle in 491 when his soldiers abandoned him. Some of the stand outs are the mirror coated walls, water gardens and the beautiful frescoes found on the rock walls. A truly remarkable place. Different graffiti on walls of Sigiriya fortress were drawn during 7th and 11th century AD.

Valley of Flowers, India

The Valley of Flower located in Chamoli Garhwal in the state of Uttaranchal, close to Nanda Devi National Park. It is about 595 Kms from Delhi and the altitude of the place varies from 3,200 m to 6,675 m. The valley is bounded by peaks from all sides and an area of 8,950 hectares and it was only in July 2005 that the valley was added to the list of World Heritage sites by UNESCO. Valley of flowers initially was well protected and hidden from the world, with only the locals frequenting it. It was discovered by a botanist and mountaineer Frank Smith in 1931 was deeply enchanted with the exotic beauty of the place. He wrote a book and named it the ‘Valley of Flowers’. The best time to visit this place is during the months of July and August after the snow has melted. That's when the weather is pleasant and the flowers are also in their full bloom.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines

The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines. Located north of Manila in Luzon Province of the Northern Philippines through the mountains and rice terraces is a small town called Banaue. The still-productive rice terraces of Banaue rises from the valley floor to heights of up to 3,000 feet, a feat of incredible engineering so substantial that many people call it the eighth wonder of the world. The terraces cover 10,360 square kms of the mountainside. They are watered by an ancient irrigation system located from the rainforests above the mountains. Locals to this day still tend to the rice and vegetables on the terraces.

Tower of Hercules, Spain

The Tower of Hercules or Torre de Hercules, is an ancient Roman lighthouse located on a peninsula about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) outside the city of A Coruña, Galicia, in present-day northwestern Spain. The lighthouse is close to 1900 years old, standing 185 feet (57 meters) in height, overlooking the North Atlantic coast of Spain. It is the oldest active Roman lighthouse in the world. According to Gaelic legend King Breogán, the founding father of the Galician Celtic nation, constructed here a massive tower of such a grand height that his sons could see a distant green shore from its top. The glimpse of that distant green land lured them to sail north to Ireland. A colossal statue of Breogán has been erected near the Tower.

Torun, Poland

Torun is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. It also happens to be the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. Torun is one of the most beautiful cities of Poland and has been propagating its traditional economy and openness to the world for nearly 800 years. The gothic buildings of Torun's Old Town was declared a World Heritage Site from UNESCO in 1997. Untouched by the World Wars, Touron has been able to preserve its beauty and charm over the many years and should be a must visit for all serious travelers. Its spectacular Gothic architectures, impressive collections of redbrick churches, residences and fortifications justify the town’s promotional slogan ‘Gotyk na dotyk’ (Touch Gothic).

Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are a series of 29 Buddhist cave temples in Ajanta, India, some of which date as far back as 2nd century BC. They combine both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions. Ajanta Caves contain paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art and universal pictorial art. By 480 AD the caves were abandoned and for the next 1300 years the caves remained unvisited with dense growth of jungle around it. In 1819 a British army officer on a jeep was on the trail of a tiger and came across almost the hidden entrance to the caves. Exploring the first cave, Captain Smith wrote his name in pencil on one of the walls. Still faintly visible, it records his name and the date, April 1819.