My Science School

            The Angkor Wat is a Cambodian temple complex that forms the largest religious monument in the world.

            Covering an area of around 162 hectares, it was built in the early 12th century by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in Yasodharapura, the capital of the Khmer Empire.

            Originally, the complex was a Hindu temple dedicated to God Vishnu, but it gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century. The temple is now a symbol of Cambodia.

            Literally, ‘Angkor Wat’ means the ‘city of temples’ in Khmer language. The most striking feature of the temple is its architecture. It serves as the best example of the Khmer classical style. The work is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods. The central structure symbolizes the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls symbolize the surrounding ranges and oceans. The interiors of the temple are decorated in a grand manner depicting scenes and episodes from Hindu epics. 

The massive churches and cathedrals, prestigious museums and traditional windmills ore indeed trademarks of the Netherlands. But no discussion on the marvels of this place can be complete without tulips or Keukenhof or the bulb districts.

It is said that every spring, more than seven million flowers bloom at the Keukenhof, including a thousand varieties of tulips. Known as the Garden of Europe, the Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden that covers an area of 31.9 hectares. It is situated in the Lisse town of the Netherlands. With daffodils, croci, narcissi and hyacinths other than tulips, the Keukenhof is a showcase for the Dutch flower industry. The radiant combination of yellow, purple, red, orange, gold colours with heavenly scents, offer an incomparable spectacle for visitors.

However, the story of tulips did not begin here. In fact, these flowers are not Dutch at all. They arrived from Turkey in the 1590s, and became popular in no time. Ever since, tulips have been one of the biggest attractions of the Netherlands.

There is also something known as the Bollenstreek or bulb districts in the country. Here, the land is carpeted with fields of hyacinths, daffodils, dahlias and of course, tulips for miles together. 

            Venice is an Italian city and a major sea port situated across a group of 117 small islands. It is the capital of the Veneto region. The city is most famous for the beauty of its settings, architecture and artwork. It is also one of the oldest tourist and cultural centres in the world.

            The name ‘Venice’ has been derived from the ancient Veneti people who lived in the region during the 10th century BC. Historically, the city was the capital of the Republic of Venice which was a prominent maritime and financial power during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Period.

            Back then, the city is known to have witnessed many important artistic movements. It was particularly, a very important place in the history of music, and the birthplace of the famous Italian composer Antonio Lucio Vivaldi. In 1866, the Republic of Venice became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

            Today, the city of Venice is one of the most important tourist centres. St Mark’s Basilica, the Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal, and the Lido di Venezia are some of the major tourist spots.

          Athens is a historical city and the capital of Greece that is marked for its artistic and Intellectual heritage. There are many sights in and around the city that can leave a visitor spellbound. One of them is the Acropolis.

          It is an ancient citadel or fortress that is located on a rock formation above Athens. History records that the site was built during the second half of the 5th century BC as a home to Athena, the patron goddess of the city.

          It is special, for the archaeological remains of several marvellous buildings that once stood here. Some of the most important ones are the Parthenon, the chief shrine to Athena, the Propylaea which was the gateway to the sacred area, the Erechtheum, which was a shrine to the agricultural deities and the Temple of Athena Nike, an architectural symbol of harmony.

          The term ‘Acropolis’ comes from the Greek word meaning ‘the highest point’. It is to be noted that there are many acropolis in Greece, but the most significant one is the Athenian.

          Today, only remains of the fortress can be seen at the location. A considerable portion of the buildings have been destroyed over centuries. 

The capital city of the United Kingdom, London is one of the oldest in the world with a history spanning nearly two millennia. It is the largest metropolis in Britain today, as well as the economic, transportation, and cultural centre of the country.

Geographically, London is situated in the southeastern part of England, extending across the River Thames. According to historians, the city was founded by the Romans as ‘Londinium’.

There are numerous reasons why the city receives millions of visitors each year. The biggest attractions here include places like the royal Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Piccadilly Circus, the National Gallery, Madame Tussaud’s waxwork collection, the three great South Kensington museums, and the Tate galleries.

There are other sites in the metropolis that have been recognized as World Heritage Sites. They are the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St. Margaret’s Church, and the historic settlement of Greenwich. 

           The Santorini Island or Thera is an island on the southern Aegean Sea that lies about 200 kilometres southeast of Greece. It is part of an archipelago of the same name, and covers a total land area of around 90 square kilometres. The municipality of Santorini consists of the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia, and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana.

           It has been found that Santorini is geologically, the remaining eastern half of an exploded volcano. There is a central, rectangular lagoon that is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides. The main part of the island slopes downward to the sea.

           Experts hold that the site of the island has witnessed one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. Known as the Minoan eruption or the Thera eruption, it took place some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan Civilization.

           History goes that the name of the island ‘Santorini’ had arisen in the 13th century, and is a reference to Saint Irene. 

               Colosseum or the Flavian Amphitheatre is a huge amphitheater that was built in Rome between 70 and 72 BC. It was constructed during the rule of Vespasian, a Roman emperor of the Flavian dynasty. The magnificent structure is located just east of the Palatine Hill. 

 

 

          The Colosseum, said to be the biggest amphitheatre in the entire Roman Empire, could house around sixty thousand spectators. Structurally, it was an oval or round building that had rising levels of seats arranged around a central open space. This space called the arena was meant for staging entertainment, gladiator fights etc.

          However, in medieval times the Colosseum was damaged by lightning and earthquake. It was also largely vandalized, as a result of which its marble seats and decorative materials disappeared. The building was subsequently used as a place to house animals and slaves. The Serious efforts to preserve the majestic construction were made only in the 19th century.

               One of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, the Batu caves are a series of caves and cave temples in the Gombak district of Malaysia. It is a limestone hill that takes its name from the Sungai Batu or the Stone River flowing close to it. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Muruga.

               What makes Batu special is that it is one of the four shrines of Lord Muruga in the country. The others are Kallumalai Temple in lpoh, Tanneermalai Temple in Penang and the Sannasimalai Temple in Malacca.

               Historical evidences suggest that the caves are at least 400 million years old. Their entrances were known to have been used as shelter by the indigenous people.

               The Batu cave complex comprises of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The Temple cave is the biggest that features highly decorated shrines. To reach the site one has to climb 272 steep steps. The Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave are the other two.

 

            The Railay or the Rai Leh is known to the world for its serene beaches and majestic cliffs. It is a small peninsula that lies between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in Thailand.

          The limestone cliffs here are so high and extensive that they cut the area off the mainland access. Hence the only way to reach this beautiful destination is by boat. This peculiar aspect has, in turn, fascinated rock climbers and tourists from all over the world.

          Geographically, Railay is divided into four main areas - Phra Nang, West Railay, East Railay, and Ton Sai. Among these, the beaches of the East Railay are the point where boats from Krabi arrive.

          The West Railay is the primary destination for beach-goers. It has high limestone cliffs on either side, as well as long walking streets lined with restaurants and shops. This area is connected to the east side by several trails through the jungle. There are traditional long-tailed boats available here for transportation to other parts of the island. 

          Bagan is an ancient city that is now part of the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, which was the first to unify the regions that constitute the modern day Myanmar.

          At its best, there were more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries constructed in the Bagan plains. Out of these, remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive.

          Ever since, it was noted for religious structures with magnificent architecture. There are two kinds of Bagan temples - the stupa-style solid temple and the gu-style hollow temple. The Bupaya Pagoda, the Gawdawpalin Temple and the Lawkananda Pagoda are some of the best examples of Bagan contribution to temple designs.

          Another major attraction in the city is the Bagan Archaeological Museum that houses a number of rare Bagan period objects including the original Myazedi inscriptions in AD 1113. 

          Bora Bora is a striking volcanic island part of the Leeward group in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Surrounded by a lagoon and coral reefs, it lies in the central South Pacific Ocean. The earliest name of the island is known to have been ‘Pora pora mai to pora’, meaning ‘created by the gods’ in the local Tahitian dialect. It later became ‘Bora Bora’.

          Historically, the island was inhabited by Polynesian people sometime in the 4th century BC. It gained global attention only in the 18th century when the Dutch admiral Jacob Roggeveen spotted it in 1722. In the late 19th century, Bora Bora was annexed by France.

          In terms of its geography, the settlement of Vaitape lies on the western side of the main island. In the central region, there are two peaks rising from an extinct volcano. They are the Mount Pahia and the Mount Otemanu. Other than these, the island offers much more too visiting tourists.

 

          The Great Barrier Reef is the longest and the largest reef system in the world. It is a complex of coral reefs, shoals and small islands in the Pacific Ocean, located off the northeastern coast of Australia. Roughly covering an area of 350,000 square kilometres the reef is one of the largest structures ever built by living creatures. Tiny organisms called coral polyps work behind the composition of this wonderful marine system.

          Interestingly, there are many other forms of life supported by the Great Barrier Reef. This includes around 300 species of hard coral as well as anemones, sponges, worms, gastropods, lobsters, crayfish, prawns, crabs, and a great variety of fishes and birds. Historical evidences suggest that the reef has also been important for humans, especially the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They have been living in the region for thousands of years and the reef is part of their culture.

 

 

           The Sydney Harbour of Australia is a waterway known to the world for its striking scenery and environment. It is one of the favourite destinations of people who love swimming, sailing, yachting, kayaking and diving. With over hundred kilometres of shorelines, natural parks and historical sites surrounding, this natural harbour is a trademark of the city of Sydney.

           The renowned Sydney Harbour Bridge and the performing art centre of Sydney Opera House lie close to the harbour. There are other amazing islands as well nearby, including the Fort Denison, Shark Island, Clark Island, Rodd Island, Goat Island and Cockatoo Islands.

           Going by historical evidence, one can perceive that Sydney Harbour had a considerable role during the Second World War. It was related to the construction of the Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net in 1942 as a measure to protect the harbour from submarine attack. 

          Any inland area that lies far from large, populated centres is called an Outback in Australia. It usually refers to the semiarid inland areas of eastern Australia and the arid centre of the Western Plateau and its semi arid northern plains where water bodies are scattered and sometimes dry. Such places are important in terms of environment as well as tourism.

          Historically, even the driest remote regions have been inhabited by indigenous Australians for around 50,000 years. As a result, such areas have become part of the Australian heritage, history and folklore.

          Today, the Outback is regarded as the largest remaining, intact natural area on Earth. The MacDonnell Ranges, the town of Birdsville, the Katherine Gorge, Uluru and the Devil’s Marbles are some of the popular tourist attractions in the country’s Outback. Many animals like red kangaroos and dingoes that are well-adapted to the climatic conditions can be seen in the regions.

          Livestock grazing or pastoralism, using cattle and sheep form the largest industry across the Outback.