Victoria Peak
At 552 meters above sea level, Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island. It’s also one of the most visited places for tourists, and it’s not hard to see why. Hong Kong’s 125-year-old gravity-defying Peak Tram takes you just 8 minutes from Central to access all of its stunning metropolitan vistas, lush forests and easy yet spectacular walks. I can do it. It’s predictable that the restaurant and he blossomed into a money-making circus complete with two shopping malls, but if you can get past that, there’s still some magic here. The top station of the Peak Tram spits you out at The Peak Tower. Climb up to the 5th floor to reach Sky Terrace 428, named for its 428 meters above sea level. This is the pinnacle of the world in Hong Kong, and his 360-degree panoramic view of Hong Kong’s forest of skyscrapers, the harbor, and Kowloon beyond (Hong Kong business Instagram If you can dodge Glamor and the official photographer). best frame view front). If you don’t mind the highest point, the Lions View Point Pavilion is worth checking out. This is a much more attractive viewpoint with a cute Chinese pagoda and a gate full of lion statues. Elderly locals sit and enjoy the view. There is a sign for a 2 minute walk from the upper tram terminus. About 500 meters northwest of Hill Station, up the steep Mount Austin Road, is the former Governor’s Villa, which was destroyed by the Japanese during World War II. However, the beautiful gardens remain and have been renovated with Victorian pavilions, sundials, benches and stone pillars. they are open to the public. It takes about 30 minutes to get here. Passing through the gardens, you’ll find a second vantage point overlooking the island and the sea. For longer hikes, including the 3.5km morning trail, get a map from the Hong Kong Visitor Center aboard the disused tram next to The Peak Tower, or download the Enjoy Hiking Hong Kong app.
West Lake
The West Lake, the classical Chinese definition of beauty, is quite enchanting. Pagoda-crowned hills rise above willow-lined waters, and boats float slowly through the idyllic countryside of laid-back charm. Boardwalks, immaculately placed benches, parks and gardens surrounding the lakeshore offer visitors a thousand and one vantage points to admire the pristine scenery. Originally a lagoon of the Qiantang River, the lake was only formed in the 8th century when the governor of Hangzhou dredged the marshes. As time went on, the lake’s splendor was gradually cultivated.Gardens were planted, pagodas were built, and dams and islands were constructed from dredged silt. The noted poet Su Dongpo himself took part in the development of the lake by building the Su Dam (Sudi, Sudi) while serving as provincial governor in the 11th century. This was not an original idea. The poet and governor Bai Juy built the Bai Dam (Báidī) some 200 years ago. Lined with willow, plum and peach trees, the traffic-free dam with its crescent bridge invites a relaxing excursion. On the north shore of Baidam lies the lake’s largest island, Gushan Island (啴山島), home to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and Zhongshan Park. The buildings and gardens on the island were once the site of Emperor Qianlong’s holiday palace and gardens in the 18th century. The island also has a charming seal engraving society. Closed for renovations during research, it is dedicated to the ancient art of carving a personal signature name seal (chop). The northwest corner of the lake is surrounded by the beautiful Quyuan Garden. The garden spans many islets and is known for its fragrant spring lotus flowers. Near the Xiling Bridge (Xīling Qiáo) is the tomb of Su Xiaoxiao, her 5th-century prostitute who died of grief while awaiting the return of her lover. Her spirit is said to haunt the area and you can hear the bells on her dress at night. A small island in the lake is the Little British Island, from which you can catch a glimpse of her three pools reflecting the moon, her three small towers on the south side of the island. Each has his five holes that are lit by candles on the Mid-Autumn Festival night. From Xiaoyingzhou Island, you can see the red carp pond where thousands of red carp swim. Impromptu opera singing, ballroom dancing, and other cultural activities are frequent around the lake. If the weather permits, don’t forget to head to the east bank for a photo of the sun setting over the West Lake. Although rarely needed, musical fountains come to life at regular intervals throughout the day and night near Lakeview Park. Congestion can be a serious problem here. Especially beware of public holidays when all Chinese vacationers seem to be strolling around the lake. Leave early in the morning to escape the crowds. It’s also the perfect time to catch a quiet Tai Chi session or two on the lakeshore. The best way to explore the lake is by bike or on foot.
Yungang Caves
One of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist cave art, these 5th-century caves are truly spectacular. With 51,000 ancient statues and celestial bodies, it looks smaller than everything else in Shanxi. Carved by the Turkic-speaking Tuoba, the Yungang Grottoes drew their designs from Indian, Persian and even Greek influences that swept the Silk Road. Work began in 460 AD and it took him 60 years to complete all 252 caves, the oldest collection of Buddhist sculptures in China. Pass through the visitor center and a replica temple on the lake before arriving at the cave. There may be some caves that are closed for restoration, but this is a rotating base. Despite weathering, many of the Yungang statues still retain their beautiful pigments.Especially the deep-cut caves are well protected from the elements, but water intrusion from above is always a danger. Many caves were once covered with wooden structures. The very impressive caves 5 to 13 are surrounded by recently built wooden temples, many of which have long been lost. Some of the caves contain intricately carved square stupas or central columns that you can walk around. Frescoes abound, with graceful depictions of animals, birds, and angels, some still vividly painted, and almost every cave with his 1000 Buddha motifs (small Buddhas sitting in niches). is included. Eight caves house giant Buddha statues. The largest is in Cave 5 and is a 17m tall seated golden-faced Buddha. Like many of the frescoes here, the frescoes in this cave are badly damaged and destroyed, but note the painted vaulted ceiling. Colorful Cave 6, Shakyamuni’s Cave, is also stunning, resembling the best Indiana Jones epic set with legions of Buddhist angels, bodhisattvas, and other celestial bodies. In the center of the cave, a square block stupa or pillar meets the ceiling and is flanked by two tiers of Buddha statues. Most foreign tourists don’t notice the bright red oil paint graffiti on the right side of the cave’s main door frame, which reads Dàtóng Bāzhong, Datong No. 8 Middle School.Cultural Revolution. The frescoes here are also badly scratched by the youngest visitor of the era of the riots, with the 50-year-old date “76.12.8” being roughly etched. Double-chambered Cave 9, Axoke Buddha Cave, is also a spectacular sight with a giant seated golden-faced Buddha. Caves 16 to 20 are the earliest caves in Yungang, carved under the supervision of the monk Dan Yao. Cave 16, the Standing Buddha Cave, has a huge standing Buddha whose central part has been severely eroded. The walls of the cave are pierced with small niches containing Buddha statues. Cave 17 houses a huge 15.6-meter-tall seated statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Examine the exceptional quality of the carvings in Cave 18. Some faces are fully rendered. Cave 19 contains a huge 16.8m tall statue of Sakyamuni. Cave 20 (460-470 AD), completely exposed to the elements, originally represented a trinity of Buddha images (Past, Present and Future Buddha). The giant seated statue in the middle is a representative icon of Yungang, and the Buddha statue on the left has somehow disappeared. A prayer mat is placed in front so that worshipers can pray. After the last cave, you’ll find your way to an elegant and informative museum (9:30am-4:30pm) detailing the Wei kingdom and the artworks within the caves. English subtitles are limited. However, most of the caves have proper Chinese/English subtitles. An English-speaking guide can be hired for ¥150. Their services include visits to museums. Please note that some caves allow photography and others do not. To get to the cave, take bus 603 (3 yen, 45 minutes) from Datong Station to the last stop. Buses run every 15 minutes. Taxi fares from Datong are about 40 yen one way. Along the way, you’ll pass the less attractive but interesting Datong Coal Mine.
Gyantse Kumbum
Commissioned by a local prince in 1427 and located next to Parcho Monastery, Gyantse Kumbum is the city’s main attraction. This 32-metre-high chorten features white tiers adorned with decorative stripes and a golden crown-like dome. But the interior is just as impressive, with elaborate paintings (kumbum meaning “100,000 photographs”) inside endless little chapels. The shooting fee is 10 yen (ticket fee not included, bring cash). Gyantse Kumbum has been described as the most important species in Tibet. In the Buddhist world, there are only two ruined, distant, taboo contemporaries.Jonan Khumbum, 60 km northeast of Lhatse, and Chong Liwoche, further afield west of Tsang. However, it is widely believed that Gyantse Kumbum’s style and size are unmatched. Once inside, follow a clockwise path marked by a red arrow, pass through his six floors where pilgrims mutter, and take in dozens of small chapels hidden in the walls along the way. Many of the chapel’s statues were damaged during the Cultural Revolution, but the murals are well weathered. They date to the 14th century and were clearly influenced by Newar forms, if not made by Newar (Nepal) artisans. Experts also see evidence of Chinese influence, and the fusion of these Newar and Chinese forms with Tibetan sensibilities has resulted in the emergence of a syncretic but distinctly Tibetan style of painting. On the first floor he has a two-storey main chapel with four he, facing the cardinal point. Four chapels are consecrated:Shakyamuni of the South (Shakyamuni Thukpa; two disciples, Medicine Buddha and Guru Rinpoche). Suhavati, the “Pure Land of the West” and home of the Red Opagume (Amitabha) of the West. North of Malmeze (Dipankara, Buddha in the past). And to the east is Tushita, another ‘pure land’ and home to the orange-faced Jumpa (Maitreya). In between are some excellent murals depicting minor tantras and guardian deities. Statues of his four guardian kings to the east mark the way to the upper floors. On the second floor, clockwise from the stairs, the first four chapels are dedicated to Jamperyan (known in Sanskrit as Manjushri), Chenlesig (Avalokiteshvara), Tsepame (Amitayus) and Dorma (Tara). increase. Most of the other chapels are dedicated to wrathful patron deities, such as Dorkar (White Tara; 12th chapel from the stairs), Chana Dorje (Vajrapani; 14th chapel) and Mikiyoba (Akshobuya; 15th chapel) It is Thunder). The chapel on this floor is visible only through the door window. The third floor is also occupied by a series of his two-storey chapels at base points representing the four Dhyani Buddhas.Red Opam (Amitabha) in the south. Orange he Rinchen Jungne (Ratnasambhava) to the west. The green Dongyo Drupa (Amogasiddi) is to the north. Blue Mikiyoba (Akshobhya) in the east. There are several other chapels dedicated to the fifth Dhyani Buddha, the White Namse (Vairokana). Again, most of the other chapels are filled with angry gods. Eleven chapels on the fourth floor are dedicated to teachers, interpreters, and translators of an obscure sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Exceptions are His Three Kings of Northern Tibet (his 8th chapel clockwise from the stairs) and Guru Rinpoche (10th chapel). The fifth floor, also known as the Bangpa, contains four chapels, with elaborate mandalas giving access to the Kumbung roof. Most people are fascinated by the stunning scenery, especially when looking south to the old town, with the white-walled Gyantse Dzong perched on a huge cliff in the background. A hidden staircase behind the statue on the east side leads to his sixth floor, which leads to a porch at eye level painted on the wall (this floor was closed for renovation in his 2018). was). The top step of Kumbum represents the tantric manifestation of Sakyamuni (Sakya Thukpa), but you will find that the way up is blocked.
Summer Palace
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing’s must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was a royal retreat for emperors escaping the stifling summer slumps of the former imperial capital, and more recently a playground for the Empress Dowager Cixi. A (short) morning or afternoon exploring the waterways, pavilions, bridges and temples is sufficient, but well worth a full day exploring. The domain was a royal garden for many years until it was greatly expanded and beautified by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century. He raised an army of workers to deepen and enlarge Lake Kunming (Kunming Hú), originally a reservoir dug by the Yuan dynasty, and overlooked the imperial naval excavators from the top of the hill. It is said Anglo-French troops destroyed the palace at the end of the Second Opium War in 1860. Empress Dowager Cixi began overhauling in 1888 and allocated funds for a modern navy. A marble boat on the northern shore of the lake was her only nautical concession, if not quite submerged. Enraged by the Boxer Rebellion, foreign forces attempted to burn the Summer Palace again in 1900, necessitating further restoration work. By 1949 the palace fell into disrepair again and needed a major overhaul. The glittering Kunming Lake occupies his three-quarters of the park, above which towers Changshou Mountain (Wanshou Mountain, Wanshou Mountain) with an eight-tiered Buddhist incense pagoda. This is the most elaborate and costly restoration project in Cixi’s large-scale redesign. Situated on a north-south axis, the pagoda towers behind the Cloud Exile Hall built by Emperor Qianlong for his mother’s 60th birthday. At the base of Longevity Hill, which hugs the northern shore of the lake, is the Long Corridor, a 2,300-foot (728 m) covered, decorative walkway. Thousands of works of art adorn each transom, pillar, and vaulted ceiling, depicting picturesque landscapes, popular myths, Buddhist scenes, and folklore from across China. At the western end of the Long Corridor is Cixi’s Marble Her Boat, a place of entertainment (and a common garden design motif), and at the eastern end is her living quarters, the Hall of Fame, Siheyuan. reflects the traditional layout of The courtyards of Beijing always have dusty furniture from the Qing dynasty. Continue east to Cixi’s three-story grand theater where she watched her beloved Peking Opera. At the nearby Hall of Mercy and Longevity, Empress Dowager Wu continued her official retirement by pulling government strings. Get a glimpse of the magnificent throne room inside. The outdoor rock garden is designed to mimic Suzhou’s famous lion forest. Also note the dragon and phoenix statues in the courtyard, symbols of the emperor and empress. Fenghuang is the star here, clearly showing that her female girlfriend Cixi is running the show. If you have time, circle the lake along the West Causeway. You can exit the palace through the West Gate and take the West Point Line back into the city or along the East Coast. Based in Hangzhou’s famous Su Dam, the willow- and mulberry-lined dam begins northwest of Marble Boat. The Yutai Bridge, which dates back to the reign of Emperor Qianlong, has a beautiful moon hump and crosses the point where the Yu River joins the lake. Behind Longevity Hill, Suzhou Street is built to mimic the waterways and architecture of Jiangsu’s famous canal city. Here, the emperor and his concubines pretended to be commoners and “shopped” for jewels in spare shops lining the seafront, with eunuchs taking the role of shopkeepers. Today, it’s ironically jam-packed with authentic souvenir shops.
Army of Terracotta Warriors
The Terracotta Army is not just Xi’an’s most important attraction.It is his one of the most famous archaeological discoveries in the world. This underground, life-sized army of thousands has quietly watched over the soul of China’s first unifier for more than 2000 years of his life. Qin Shi Huang feared the defeated spirits that awaited him in the afterlife, or hoped, as most archaeologists believe, that his death reign would continue as it had in his lifetime. However, the guardians of his tomb date back to the 3rd century BC. – Today we offer some of the greatest insights we have of the ancient Chinese world. The discovery of an army of warriors was entirely accidental. In 1974, while drilling a well, a farmer discovered an underground vault that eventually yielded thousands of terracotta warriors and horses in battle formation. Over the years, the place became very famous and many of its unusual features are known today. Especially the fact that no two soldiers have the same face. The on-site wraparound theater provides an overview of how the characters were formed. You can hire a guide (low season/high season 150/200 yen) or you can try audio his guide (40 yen + deposit 200 yen). You can then visit the sites in reverse order to build the most impressive pit worthy of the finale. Start with Pit 3, the smallest pit with 72 warriors and horses. It is believed to be the army headquarters, as many dignitaries have been unearthed here. Interestingly, the north room was used to make offerings before battles. Pit 2 is next, with about 1,300 warriors and horses, and a closer look at five soldiers.A kneeling archer, a standing archer, a cavalryman and his horse, a lieutenant general and a general. The level of detail is extraordinary.Everything from the expression, hairstyle, armor, and profile of the shoes is unique. Pit 1, the largest pit, is the most impressive. Housed in a building the size of an airplane hangar, it is said to house 6,000 warriors (only 2,000 are on display) and horses, all facing east and ready to fight. The vanguard of 3 rank archers (both crossbows and longbows) follows a main body of soldiers originally armed with spears, swords, dagger axes, and other long-shafted weapons. The infantry was accompanied by his 35 chariots, but these wooden chariots had long decayed. The two bronze chariots and horses unearthed 20 meters west of the Qin Shi Huang Tomb are as amazing as the soldiers. These are now on display in a vast modern museum called the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Cultural Relic Exhibition Hall (Qǐnshǐhuángdìlíng Chénliètīng), along with some of the original weapons and an up-close look at the lieutenant general. . . You can take pictures, but signs prohibit the use of flash (mostly ignored) or tripods. Among the more kitschy souvenirs, you can personalize your warrior statue with your own face (¥100) or have your picture taken next to a fake warrior (¥10). Gifts in the theater building In his shop, you can also buy all kinds of terracotta ornaments, from warrior paperweights to life-size statues. There is also a friendly store for jade, jewellery, etc. The Terracotta Army is easily accessible by public bus. Take air-conditioned bus 914 or 915 (8 yen, 1 hour) from Xi’an Railway Station. Buses depart every 4 minutes from 6am to 7pm. I will go to the end by bus. The bus also goes to Huaqing Hot Springs and Qin Shi Huang’s Tomb (belonging to the Terracotta Army). The parking lot is a 15-minute walk from the site, but electric buggies (5 yen) are also available. There is a good cafe in the theater building if you want to eat here. Take the exit back to the car and bus parking lot and take another route past various restaurants and fast food including McDonald’s. The bus will take you back to town from the parking lot.
Temple of Heaven Park
An oasis of orderly Confucian design, the 267-acre Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It was originally a huge stage for the emperor (literally “son of heaven”) to pray for a good harvest on the winter solstice and perform solemn ceremonies to seek God’s redemption and atonement. Since 1918, this private imperial estate has been open to the public who still gather daily to practice tai chi, spin the gymnastic bar and sing revolutionary songs profusely. Do not expect worshipers to pray. This is not a temple, but a place of esoteric, Confucian-inspired national technology. The emperor, the Son of Heaven, visited his Temple of Heaven twice a year, with the more important ceremonies taking place on the winter solstice. Royal entourages moved quietly from the Forbidden City to the Emperor of Heaven, while citizens were instructed to close all windows and stay indoors. It contained a long line of aristocrats, officials and musicians. The imperial palanquin was 12 m long and 3 m wide and employed 10 porters. Although there are four main entrances to the park (East and West gates are the most convenient for visitors; no transfer tickets can be purchased after 4pm), access to the Imperial Palace was through the Shoyokomon gate in the south. A circular altar led. On this open pedestal, ceremonies to heaven performed personally by the Emperor each winter solstice were performed according to solemn protocol. Arranged in three rows, the circular altar revolves around the emperor’s number 9. Odd numbers were considered sacred in imperial China. Nine (ninth) is his largest single-digit odd number and a homonym for longevity. The altar is arranged on his three tiers, and on the top tier are his nine stone rings arranged in multiples of nine. Stairs and railings are also multiples of 9. North of the round altar is the Palace of Heaven, surrounded by a low circular wall known as the echo wall. Despite its grandiose appearance, the vault of heaven was a storeroom in which spirit plates of the gods and other materials needed for ceremonies on the circular altar were kept. , the base is square. This pattern comes from the ancient Chinese belief that the heavens are round and the earth is square. The 65m diameter Echo Wall is named for its unique acoustic properties. A few meters from the wall, you’ll hear a soft word or two on the other side of the circle (but the chatter of other tourists may drown it out!). Starting from the Imperial Vaults of Heaven, the majestic 360-meter-long Red Stairway Bridge is the Imperial Road that leads to the magnificent center of the Temple of Heaven, a place of prayer for good harvests. A much-photographed icon, the three-winged Hall of Good Harvest is made entirely of wood without the use of nails, with a heavy roof supported by 28 wooden pillars. Built around 1420, it was destroyed by lightning in 1889. The following year, a faithful replica was constructed using Ming construction techniques, using timber imported from the United States, as there were no trees large enough for this work in China at the time. Rich in esoteric symbols, the central four largest pillars represent the seasons, the next ring’s twelve pillars represent the months, the outermost twelve pillars represent the day, each representing twelve hours of two hours. It is divided into “clocks”. A vivid dragon and phoenix relief depicting the emperor and empress writhe on the ceiling. The Animal Slaughterhouse, which is connected to the Prayer Hall for Good Harvest by an ornate long corridor, was the place where cattle, sheep, deer, and other animals were slaughtered and prepared before being sacrificed to the gods.Copper on display To see the cauldron and septic tank, you need to show your passport. On the west side of the park, the Music Station of the Gods is where drummers, flutists and bell-tollers gather before imperial ceremonies. It is now a museum, with exhibits focused on the imperial court’s ceremonial music, Zhongxiaolu, and a gallery dedicated to ancient Chinese musical instruments. The Lenteng Palace, adjacent to the west side of Heaven’s Gate, is where the Emperor crouched in preparation for the winter solstice ceremonies and refrained from all earthly pleasures for a day or two. It resembles a miniature Forbidden City, surrounded by a moat and with its own drum and bell tower. A passport is required for entry. Since 1918, Temple of Heaven has been opening its doors to Beijing’s ancient “hundreds” – literally ordinary people. Amid nearly 4,000 gnarled cypress trees, locals perform Tai Chi, Kung Fu his routines, dances, or impromptu choirs and orchestras, enthusiastically performing old revolutionary songs You can see that The driving range to the northeast of the park offers some of the best people-watching in Beijing. Here you might see his 70s on gymnastic bars and other sporting feats.
Mogao Grottoes
The Mogao Grottoes are considered one of the most important collections of Buddhist art in the world. At the height of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the site was home to his 18 monasteries, more than 1,400 monks and nuns, and countless artists, translators, and calligraphers. English-language tours, running at 9am, noon and 2.30pm, are included in the ¥258 ‘A’ ticket admission price, which gives you access to eight caves; the alternative ¥100 ‘B’ ticket is for Chinese-language tours, with access to four caves. Due to a significant increase in visitor numbers (including school tours), access procedures have been revised, requiring all visitors to the Mogao Grottoes to pass through a visitor center several kilometers from central Dunhuang.258 The Yen ‘A’ ticket includes transportation to the caves, access to 4 museums, and admission to 2 30-minute movies. Inside the cave, which is not normally open to visitors, at his IMAX theater in the visitor center. From the visitor center, ‘A’ and ‘B’ ticket purchasers are taken by special coach to the cave, 15 km away. The 100 yen B ticket is only for those with a good understanding of the Chinese commentary (includes transportation to Mogao Grottoes and access to 3 museums). After the tour, you are free to roam the site and return to the visitor center by bus of your choice, but none of the caves are accessible. The ¥50 “C” ticket only includes access to the movies inside the Visitor Center Cinema. “A” tickets are limited to 6000 per day. B tickets are limited to 12,000 per day. Buying a ticket is not easy. “A” tickets can be pre-purchased online at the cave’s official website (Chinese website only; at the time of writing, a Chinese phone number and Chinese ID card are required for purchase) or in Dunhuang (or , ) An inconveniently located reservation and ticket center in Mogao Grottoes, a separate reservation office in the eastern part of the city, with English-speaking staff. During peak season, tickets must be purchased at the Mogao Grottoes Reservation Ticket Center one day in advance. Of the 492 caves, 20 “open” caves rotate fairly regularly. Entry is strictly controlled and no one is allowed to enter. The ‘A’ ticket allows access to 8 caves, including the famous Hidden Library Cave (Cave 17), 2 Big Buddha statues in Cave 96, including the 35.5m tall giant Buddha (the iconic 7 Buddha statues behind) A tour of about 2 hours is offered. -story Pagoda) and another Buddha statue in Cave 148, a giant 26-meter-tall reclining Buddha, as well as precious manuscript fragments written in classical Uyghur and Manichean languages . The cheaper ‘B’ ticket gives you access to half of the cave and is useful if you have limited time (but remember that the ‘B’ ticket tour is in Chinese only). Photography is prohibited inside the cave. Sites remain closed in case of rain, snow, or sandstorms. History Wealthy merchants and important officials were the main donors responsible for the creation of the new caves. I thanked him. The traditional date attributed to the creation of the first cave is AD 366. The cave was unused for about 500 years after the fall of the Yuan Dynasty and was largely forgotten until it was ‘rediscovered’ by a series of foreign explorers in the early 20th century. Northern Wei, Western Wei & Northern Zhou Caves These are the earliest of the Mogao Grottoes and are distinctly Indian in style and iconography. All stupas have a central pillar representing the stupa (symbolically containing the Buddha’s ashes), which devotees surround during prayer. The colors come from the valuable minerals malachite (green), cinnabar (red) and lapis lazuli (blue) imported from Central Asia. The art of this period is characterized by attempts to express the spirituality of those who have transcended the material world through asceticism. Wei statues are graceful figures with slender, elaborate features and relatively large heads. Kita Zhou’s character has ghostly white eyes. Sui cave The Sui dynasty (AD 581–618) was short-lived and largely a transitional period between the Sui and Tang dynasties. This can be seen in the Sui caves of Mogao.The graceful Indian curves of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues are beginning to give way to the more austere styles of Chinese sculpture. The Sui Dynasty began when a general of Chinese or mixed descent seized the throne of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, uniting northern and southern China for the first time in 360 years. Tang cave The Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) was the height of the Mogao Dynasty. The techniques of painting and sculpture were highly sophisticated, and some important aesthetic developments took place, notably the sex change of Guanyin (from male to female) and the flying Apsara. Beautiful murals depicting the Western paradise of Buddhism offer a glimpse into court life, music, clothing and architecture in China’s Tang Dynasty. About 230 caves were carved during the religiously diverse Tang Dynasty. Among them are his two impressive caves with giant seated Buddha statues. The statue of Maitreya in Cave 96 (believed to represent Emperor Wu Ze, who used Buddhism to consolidate his power) was originally weather-beaten and stands at 35.5 m high, his third tallest in the world. A tall Buddha statue. The Buddha statue is carved from top to bottom with scaffolding, and its anchor holes are still visible. Post Tan Cave After the Tang Dynasty, the economy around Dunhuang declined, and the magnificence and vitality typical of Tang painting was gradually replaced by simpler drawing techniques and flatter figures.983-1227 The mysterious Western Xia Kingdom, which ruled over much of Gansu until 1920, began introducing Tibetan influences, making many additions to the Mogao Grottoes. Departure and Arrival The Mogao Grottoes are 25 kilometers (30 minutes) southeast of Dunhuang, but tours start and end at the visitor center about 5 kilometers from Mingshan Road near the train station. A green minibus (¥3 one-way) runs every 30 minutes from the front of the Silk Road Yiyuan Hotel (Liyuan Hotel) to the visitor center.
Forbidden City
Surrounded by 3.5 km of walls in the heart of Beijing, the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings and attracts 16 million visitors each year. Large enough to accommodate comfortably. This otherworldly palace was steeped in despicable rituals and shared more than 900 buildings with eunuchs, servants, and concubine entourages until the republic overthrew the last Qing emperor in 1911. It was the secluded home of his two dynasties of imperial rule. 2020 marks his 600th anniversary in the Forbidden City. The palace aims to celebrate the Forbidden City by ensuring that the most part of its history as a tourist attraction is open to visitors. The Forbidden City, Gùgōng Bówùguǎn, officially known as the Forbidden City, first opened in 1925, just one year after the deposed “last emperor” Puyi was expelled from the empire. That’s it. courtyard. Built by the Ming Yongle Emperor between 1406 and 1420, the construction of the Forbidden City was a huge undertaking, hiring battalions of workers and craftsmen. Pillars of precious southern wood were transported from the jungles of southwestern China to the capital, and blocks of quarried stone were transported to the palace through intricate ice roads in winter. The Forbidden City, once built, was governed by a silly code of rules, protocols and superstitions. His 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties ruled China from a closed world, often unexpectedly and haphazardly, until a revolution wiped them out a century ago. did. Despite its age, most of the buildings you see are his post-18th-century Qing Dynasty constructions and renovations. Fire was a constant danger, so huge brass water barrels were everywhere. Plan Your Visit The Forbidden City can be explored in a few hours, but a full day will be busy and enthusiasts will take several excursions. Most visitors focus their energies on the representative State He Room and Parade Ground, which occupy the central axis of the complex’s outer courtyard (southern half). But the real thrill is exploring the labyrinth of courtyards and halls on either side of a central axis on a more human scale, or parading over 10m-high walls to see the palace from above. Enter the Forbidden City In Imperial times, the penalties for uninvited entry were severe, but mere mortals couldn’t even get close. The Imperial City surrounded the Forbidden City with another series of massive walls and was separated by four heavily guarded gates, including the Gate of Heaven’s Peace, where a portrait of Mao Zedong hangs. , enter the Meridian Gate, a huge U-shaped entrance at the south end of the complex. It was once reserved for the emperor. Gongs and bells sounded the emperor’s entry and exit, while lesser mortals used small gates:Troops used the west gate, civilians the east gate, and servants the north gate. The emperor also reviewed his army from the Meridian Gate, judged prisoners, proclaimed the New Year’s calendar, and oversaw the flogging of troublesome ministers. Passing through the Meridian Gate, you enter a spacious courtyard, which resembles a Tatar arch and crosses the Golden He Stream (Jīn Shuǐ), which is crossed by five marble bridges. Head to the gate. The court could accommodate his 100,000 imperial audience. Mounting the Wall As of 2018, visitors can zoom in on the walls of the Forbidden City just inside and east of the Meridian Gate, then follow it east to the Corner Pagoda and north to the East Prosperity Gate. The route includes the historic building gallery with corner tower exhibition space and the magnificent East He Prosperity Gate. A total of about three quarters of the 3.4 km long wall can now be climbed. A great opportunity to get away from the crowds and take great photos. First Side Gallery Turn west in the vast courtyard to visit the Hall of Valor, where the emperor received his ministers, before passing through the Gate of Supreme Harmony to reach the Forbidden City’s main attraction. It houses changing exhibits. Just south is the furniture gallery in the area known as the Southern Storehouse, which first opened in 2018. East of Meridian Gate, the Museum of Literature was once the residence of the Crown Prince. It was rebuilt in 1683 after a fire. The exhibits are also changed throughout the year, but there are times when the museum is closed from November to March. Three Major Halls Depicting the Chinese characters for King (王; wáng), his three-story marble terrace houses his three Great Halls (三大殿; Sān Dàdiàn), the glorious heart of the Forbidden City. The Supreme Harmony Hall is the Forbidden City’s most important and largest structure, and was once the tallest building in the capital. It was used for national events such as the emperor’s birthday, coronation, and the appointment of military leaders. The Hall of Supreme Harmony contained the ornate Dragon Throne (Lóngyǐ), from which the emperor presided over quivering officials. The entire court had to touch the ground nine times before the emperor (a practice known as koutoeing). The back of the throne is carved with Xumishan, the Buddhist paradise that symbolizes the supremacy of the throne. Currently, it can only be seen from the outside, and you can actually see it using a rugby scrum. Behind the Yamatoden is the Chuowaden, which was used as a passageway for the emperor. Here he made last-minute arrangements, rehearsed speeches, and had a pastor. On display are his two palanquins from the Qing Dynasty, which were the emperor’s means of transportation in the Forbidden City. Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, used bicycles and modified parts of the palace grounds to make it easier to navigate. His third of the great halls is the Hall of Preservation of Harmony, used for feasts and later for imperial exams. The hall is devoid of buttresses, and behind it is a 250-ton marble imperial pavement carved with dragons and clouds. It was towed into town along an elaborate ice route. I had to wait until winter.
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor is America’s most famous and historically significant gateway and one of the country’s most inspiring museums. It pays homage to the undying courage of his more than 12 million immigrants who passed through this processing station after weeks of journeys in difficult conditions between 1892 and his 1924. More than 100 million living Americans are the descendants of these newcomers who hope to realize the American dream for themselves and their children. The Ellis Island National Immigration Museum is a poignant tribute to their experience. In the restored main building of the former immigrant complex, you’ll find stories from historians, immigrants themselves, and other sources, bringing to life a fascinating collection of personal belongings, official documents, photographs, and film footage. . Visitors interested in tracking ancestral details have access to searchable historical records. Ellis Island has appeared in many movies, including The Godfather.Part II and part of Brooklyn and the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The public can only access it by ferry. Buy your tickets online in advance to avoid long lines. History Ellis Island, named after one of its previous owners, Samuel Ellis, was formerly known as Little Oyster Island, although the island’s original Mohegan name was “Kioshk”. , means “Seagull Island”. Ellis Island was used by the military for much of his 19th century and was home to artillery batteries and naval ammunition depots. Prior to 1890, individual states controlled immigration to the United States, but around this time political instability, economic hardship, and increasing religious persecution in Europe led to one of the largest mass immigration events in human history. has occurred. The United States government decided to build a new immigration office on Ellis Island and opened its doors on January 1, 1892. A girl from Ireland named Annie Moore was the first immigrant processed there, accompanied by her two younger brothers. Over the next 62 years, more than 12 million immigrants came to the United States via Ellis Island. First and second class passengers arriving on steamships in New York Harbor were considered “wealthy” and therefore were not required to undergo the inspection process, but third or steering passengers, or for legal or health reasons. Passengers with problems were subject to inspection at Ellis Island and sent there for processing. The inspection took place in the registry office (today’s Great Hall) and lasted several hours. In addition to judicial control with the help of interpreters, doctors examined each person for physical illnesses and health problems. She was banned only 2% of the time. Reasons for refusal included concerns about infectious diseases and being unable to find legal employment. In 1897, a fire on Ellis Island destroyed the immigration office, destroying federal and state immigration records dating back to 1855. While the ship’s manifest is being burned, the customs list is kept with the US Customs Office and is available for inspection. After that, in 1900, a new refractory factory was established and started operation. Beginning in the early 1920s, Ellis Island’s use declined as regulations were tightened to limit the number of people entering the United States. U.S. embassies were set up around the world, and paperwork and medical examinations took place there. Until 1922, only war refugees, refugees in need of assistance, and those with paperwork problems were brought to Ellis Island for the inspection process. Since then, it has been used for various purposes, including as a concentration camp for enemy merchants during World War II, until it was officially closed in 1954. Things to see on Ellis Island The Ellis Island National Immigration Museum is located in the main building and includes exhibits, a theater, gift shop, cafe, and visitor facilities. Upon arrival, stop by the museum lobby to pick up your complimentary audio guide. An audio guide provides detailed information about the exhibits and is available in a children’s version. Check the information desk for a schedule of guided tours, programs and documentary films. The museum has three floors of exhibits documenting the immigrant experience on Ellis Island and the general history of immigration to the United States. If you’re short on time, head upstairs for two of the most intriguing exhibits. The first, Through America’s Gate, explores the step-by-step process newcomers face within a beautiful domed registry office. This includes marking suspected illnesses with chalk, a wince eye test and 29 questions. Second, the peak year of immigration:From 1880 to 1924, we examine the motivations behind immigrant travel and the challenges they faced as they embarked on their new lives in America. For a story of the building’s rise, fall, and revival, visit the Landmark Restoration exhibit on the third floor. His tableaux of shattered desks, chairs and other abandoned possessions are strangely haunting. If you don’t want to carry around an audio guide, you can always pick up one of the phones in each exhibit area to hear moving accounts of real people who passed through Ellis Island in the 1980s. Another option is a free 35-minute guided tour of the park by one of his rangers or volunteers. For the full experience, watch the 35-minute film Island of Hope, Island of Tears running all day at one of the two cinemas. And if you have ancestors who traveled via Ellis Island, you can browse the ship’s manifest and immigration records at the American Family Immigration History Center on the first floor and print and view them for a fee. The rest of Ellis Island’s buildings (1930s Ferry Building, hospital, morgue, infectious disease ward, offices, residences and maintenance facilities) can only be visited on guided tours that must be booked in advance. Tickets and other practical things Statue Cruises is the only ferry company authorized to provide tickets and transportation to Ellis Island. Ferry tickets can be purchased online here or by calling 1-877-LADY-TIX. Tickets can also be purchased at the Statue Cruises ticket office in Castle Clinton, Battery Park, New York City, or at the ferry departure point in Liberty
Pike Place Market
With a bevy of noises, smells, personalities, jokes and urban theater scattered freely around a spatially challenging waterfront, Pike Place Market is Seattle in a bottle. Operating since 1907 and still as vibrant today as it was on the first day, this great local experience showcases the true face of the city.All-inclusive, versatile, and proudly unique. Expanding market infrastructure in 2017 added retail space, weather-protected common areas, additional parking, and low-income senior housing. If you’re coming from downtown, walk down Pike Street toward the waterfront. You can’t miss the huge Public Market sign on the horizon. By the way, the sign and clock, installed in 1927, was one of the first outdoor neon installations on the West Coast. Stop at the top of Pike Street and First Avenue to witness the hustle and bustle. Walk the cobbled streets, past the perpetually stranded cars (don’t even think about getting off at Pike Place), stop before entering the market and shake the bronze nose of the market pig Rachel. market. Sculpted by Whidbey Island artist Georgia Gerber and named after a real pig, this life-size piggy bank brings in about $10,000 each year. Funds are sent back to market social services. There is an information booth nearby that sells market maps and information about Seattle. It also doubles as a ticket office, selling discounted tickets for various shows around the city. History of Pike Place Market Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operating market in the country. It was founded in 1907 to provide local farmers with a place to sell their fruits and vegetables, eliminating middlemen. Greengrocers were soon replaced by fishmongers, bakers, butchers, cheese vendors, grocers selling imported goods, and other Northwest agricultural purveyors. Architecturally, this market has not always been robust. There was always a jumble of sheds and stalls haphazardly designed for convenience and never intended as a tourist attraction. It came later. An enthusiastic farming community created a market heyday in the 1930s. Many of the first farmers were immigrants. In fact, the market celebrates with an annual theme that recognizes the contributions of various ethnic groups. Over the past few years, it has been represented by Japanese Americans, Italian Americans, and Sephardic Jewish Americans. In the 1960s, market sales were plagued by suburbanization, supermarket growth, and displacement from small local nurseries. Vast tracts of farmland have disappeared, replaced by ventures like Northgate Mall and Sea-Tac Airport. The internment of Japanese American farmers during World War II also took its toll. The entire area became a haven for the poor and was known as a center of disrepute. After the 1962 World’s Fair, plans were made to build high-rise office and apartment buildings in this prime downtown location, surrounding the market. Fortunately, public outcry sparked voter initiatives to save the market. The space has since been wiped down, rebuilt, and once again the unmistakable heartbeat of downtown. Around 10 million people stroll through the market each year. Thanks to the market’s own management, social services programs and low-income housing, commerce is mixed with the market and the market remains doomed. These initiatives prevent the area from becoming too upscale. The Market Law prohibits chain stores and franchises from setting up shop and ensures that all businesses are locally owned. One exception, of course, is Starbucks. Starbucks avoids the market location as it is the coffee giant’s oldest location, having moved here from its original location in 1976. 2015 saw the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pike Up Project, a 30,000-square-foot extension of Pike Place. Enabled by the demolition of the Alaskan Way viaduct, the MarketFront complex opened in 2017 with new shops, restaurants and stalls, connecting the market to the waterfront via terraces, stairs and green space. Main and North Arcades Rachel the Market Pig marks the main entrance to the main and north arcades, thin scaly structures that run along the edge of the hill. These are the busiest market buildings. With fresh produce artfully displayed and fresh fish, crab and other shellfish piled on ice, this is the true heart of the market. Here you can see fishmongers tossing salmon like basketball (many of these vendors package their fish for next-day delivery). You’ll also find cheese shops, butcher shops, stalls selling magazines and sweets from around the world, small stalls and everything you need to prepare your meals. The end of the North Arcade is dedicated to local artisans and artisans. Products sold here must be handmade. It is also blooming in flower shops. The Main Arcade was Frank Goodwin’s first market building built in 1907. Down Under As if the market’s ground level alone wasn’t enough of a labyrinth of labyrinths, below the main arcade are his three lower levels, called Down Under. There’s an amazing mix of pocket-sized stores here, from Indian spice stalls to magic supply stores to vintage magazine and map dealers. Economy market building South of the market entrance, the Economy Market Building was once a merchant’s stable and now houses the excellent Italian grocer DeLaurenti. It’s also home to one of the West Coast’s oldest pharmacies, Tenzing Momo, where you can buy herbal remedies, incense, oils and books. Tarot readings are available here at any time. Economy A look at his market floor shows that in the 1980s he had 46,000 tiles sold to the public for $35 each. Once you buy a tile, put your name on it and be proud that you saved the market. Notable tile owners include Seuss, inventor of Dr. Cat in the Hut and former US President Ronald Reagan. South arcade Pass DeLaurenti and you’ll come to the market’s newest wing, the South Arcade. Here you’ll find upmarket shops and the lively Pike Pub & Brewery. It’s not technically part of the historic market, but it has a spirit and a raucous energy. Corner and sanitary market building Across from Pike Place from the main arcade is the 1912 Corner & Sanitary Market Building. The building got its name because it was
Central Park
One of the world’s most famous green spaces, Central Park features 843 acres of rolling lawns, rock strewn ledges, elm-lined walkways, manicured European-style gardens, lakes and reservoirs. Quaint waterfront restaurants, not to mention amphitheaters and monuments to John Lennon, the famous statue from Alice in Wonderland. Highlights include 15 acres of sheep pasture where thousands of people lounge and play on warm days. Central Park Zoo; and trails like Rumble Forest, popular with bird watchers. Weather permitting, the Great Lawn hosts free outdoor concerts and top drama at the annual Shakespeare in the Park production held each summer at the outdoor Delacorte Theater. Other recommended stops include Shakespeare Gardens on the west side between 79th and he 80th Streets, with lush vegetation and stunning skyline views. The history of Central Park Like the city’s subway system, the considerable and majestic Central Park, a rectangle of open area withinside the center of Manhattan, is a incredible magnificence leveler – precisely because it become envisioned. Created withinside the 1860s and ’70s via way of means of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux at the marshy northern edge of the city, the vast park become designed as a amusement area for all New Yorkers irrespective of color, magnificence or creed. Central Park is in reality best the 5th biggest park in New York City, trailing at the back of different neighborhood greenspaces like Pelham Bay and Van Cortlandt parks withinside the Bronx, the Greenbelt on Staten Island, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. But over 800 acres is not anything to sneeze at in tony, dense higher Manhattan – even withinside the mid-nineteenth century while New York City become only a fraction of its gift size, a lot of the land needed to be received via way of means of eminent domain. Ironically, what is now Central Park was occupied by settlements like Seneca Village. It is home to immigrants and members of the free black community that the park was supposed to benefit from. Olmsted and Vaux were made from this raw bog material where the wealthy could see and be seen in horse-drawn carriages and fine clothing, and later the middle and lower classes would gather away from the pubs and use the gardens. Collect Graveyards instead of . Olmsted found inspiration during a trip to Birkenhead Park near Liverpool, England’s first taxpayer-funded public park. He later recounted it in his travel memoir, Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England. The trick, of course, is to recreate the natural American landscape where pig manure and urban debris once stood. As a result, over the years, huge sums of money, thousands of workers, and slow progress during the Civil War have resulted in a city that differs from its neighbors in both its democratic vision and its pastoral sprawl. A vast green space was born.It was also a triumph of technology. Determined to separate pedestrian and road traffic, Olmsted and Voe (who created Prospect his park in Brooklyn) cleverly designed a crossroad under the flyover to do so. It is also an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city.Lush lawns, cool forests, flower-filled gardens, glass-like waters, and winding wooded paths provide the serene nature that New Yorkers crave. The legacy of Central Park The fulfillment of Olmsted’s vision – and his first principal project – went directly to release his career (and have an impact on generations of panorama architecture) with commissions from Buffalo to San Francisco, from the manicured grounds of the Biltmore Estate to the trailing parks of Atlanta. It’s no surprise it is one of the maximum famous movie places in cinematic history, cropping up now no longer simply as a history however a person in films like Hair, When Harry Met Sally, Enchanted and The Muppets Take Manhattan. It’s additionally no surprise that Central Park speedy have become a nexus of New York architecture, fringed via way of means of homes that each advantage from proximity to the city’s returned backyard and attempt to stay as much as its larger-than-existence legacy. From penthouse residences of the Dakota Building in which Lauren Bacall, John Lennon and different luminaries lived to current additions just like the tall, thin Central Park Tower that climbs to 1,550 toes over its namesake, the skyline rimming Olmsted’s introduction is sort of as iconic as downtown treasures just like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, or the Brooklyn Bridge. Activities in Central Park Today, this “public park” is one of New York’s most popular attractions, attracting thousands of New Yorkers year-round. Parts of the park are bustling with joggers, rollerbladers, musicians and tourists on warm weekends, but are quiet on weekday afternoons, especially in lesser-visited spots on the 72+.) In the summer, try your hand at fishing, camping and other activities in Central Park, feel like a character in countless movies, straddle Central Park Lake and visit Cherry Hill and Rumble without ever leaving Manhattan. You can head to the Victorian Bow Bridge that connects the Nearby, the ornate Bethesda Fountains line the lake. The Rove Boathouse is a popular attraction, where you can rent a rowboat and enjoy lunch. Speaking of food, Central Park’s designers may have deliberately left few buildings in the landscape, but Tavern on the Green is a New York staple for good reason. Originally designed by Vaux himself in 1870 as a real sheep barn, the building was converted into a restaurant in 1934 by Robert Moses and eventually became an already competitive and legendary city food pioneer in his scene. got a reputation. As former New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl put it before smartphones in the 1990s: After closing for several years in 2009, Tavern on the Green he reopened in 2014. Even in winter, people flock to the parks, where snowstorms call for cross-country skiing, sledding, or strolling through a white wonderland, and every New Year’s Eve for a midnight jog. Ice skating, one of Central Park’s two ice
McDonald Observatory
What’s the hottest ticket in West Texas? Book your reservation for the three-weekly Star Party at the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. Perched atop Rock Mountain and Forks Mountain in the remote Davis Mountains, the observatory and its telescopes enjoy some of the darkest skies in the continental United States. For visitors, this means the stars, planets, constellations, and meteors can be seen in their full shimmering glory at night, without being obscured by artificial lights from cities and suburbs. At the party, employees point out and discuss famous stars and constellations. After the lecture, we will prepare a telescope for astronomical observation. The observatory is home to some of the world’s largest telescopes and is a popular day trip destination. Guided tours to the research telescope are offered several times a week. Filtered telescopes at the visitor center allow day visitors to safely observe the sun during solar viewing programs. Visitors not interested in tours and talks can simply purchase general admission tickets. This ticket includes a self-guided tour to the summit of Mount Rock and Mount Forks. Your general admission ticket also gives you access to the exhibition galleries and visitor center gift shop. The observatory is located 450 miles west of Austin and 520 miles southwest of Dallas. Closed to the public on Sundays and Mondays. Star Parties are usually held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Start times vary according to season. Star parties must also be booked at least two weeks in advance. History of McDonald Observatory The McDonald Observatory conducts research for the Astronomy Program at the University of Texas at Austin. The observatory and its research were made possible by banker and lawyer William Johnson McDonald. After his death in 1926, MacDonald bequeathed much of his estate to the university for the construction of the observatory. The Struve Telescope, opened in 1936, was the first telescope built here. It is named after the observatory’s first director, Dr. Named Otto Struve. With a 2.1-meter mirror, it was his second largest telescope in the world when it opened. The equipment has since been upgraded and is still in use today. His Harland J Smith telescope with 2.7-meter mirrors was completed in 1968 and is still in use today. The Hobby-Everly Telescope has his 11-meter mirror, making him one of the largest optical telescopes in the world. It was launched in 1997 and modernized in 2017. It studies light from stars and galaxies to help astronomers better understand their properties. It has also been used in pioneering studies of dark energy. The site also has a number of other small telescopes. The observatory is currently working with several US universities to develop his 25-meter seven-mirror telescope in Chile. It is called the Giant Magellan Telescope and is scheduled to begin operations in 2029. What You Need to Know About Star Parties The party, held on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, begins with a brief staff orientation in the outdoor amphitheater. On the 30-minute constellation tour that follows, you can sit back and soak up the myth and science behind your favorite constellations as you gaze up at the star-studded sky overhead. Stunning on a clear night, the Milky Way cuts a silky path through space. The evening concludes with his 90 minutes of stargazing at the telescope located at Rebecca Gale Telescope Park. Staff and volunteers will be available to answer your questions. A visitor does not see the stars through his one of the research telescopes, which provide scientists with data but no visual images. What to bring? Feel free to bring your binoculars. However, due to dark skies and the best viewing experience for all visitors, please do not bring white light flashlights. Bring a red flashlight and headlamp instead. Bright camera screens and flash photography are also not recommended. You can wear warm clothes in layers and bring a blanket. The Star Party is held outdoors at high altitude, with temperatures about 10 degrees cooler than at the foot of the mountain. Best time to visit When making a reservation, please be aware that the light of the full moon will make it difficult to see the stars and the Milky Way. For the best viewing conditions, attend the Star Party a few days before the crescent moon or a few days after the full moon. Autumn usually has the clearest skies, with July and August the wettest. Daily program General admission tickets grant general access to the visitor center and its exhibits. A self-guided tour of the grounds is also included. Standing tickets are not required to be reserved. Additional fees apply for guided tours and solar viewing programs. Due to limited space, reservations are recommended for these two additional activities. Your self-guided tour begins at Mount Rock. Here, a scenic lookout overlooks the Davis Mountains and various telescopes in the distance. The Struve Telescope and Harland J Smith Telescope and their domes are located at Mount Locke. The tour continues to the summit of Mount Forks. The large silver dome houses the Hobby-Eberly Telescope here. Its state-of-the-art instruments allow astronomers to observe hundreds of galaxies simultaneously, study galactic chemistry and search for stars. The telescope can be seen from George T. Abel’s gallery inside the dome. You have to drive to both Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes. The 90-minute guided tour includes stops at the Harlan J Smith Telescope at Mount Rock and the Hobby Eberly Telescope at Mount Forks. Your guide will explain the observatory’s history, telescope design, and current research projects. However, you don’t see the stars through a telescope. Visitors drive their vehicles to the dome. During the 45-minute Solar Observation Program, staff discuss the history and properties of the Sun. A filtered telescope with a camera will share an image of the sun’s surface on its screen. Programs typically run at 1:00 PM on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Dark Skies West Texas has some of the darkest skies in North America. In other words, the stargazing is
Empire State Building
The Chrysler Building may be more beautiful and the One World Trade Center taller, but the Empire State Building is still the queen bee of New York’s skyline. NYC’s biggest star of all time has enjoyed close-ups in nearly 100 films and countless skyline snaps of her. Along the way, New York is as quintessential as pastrami, rye and pickles. Scaled by King Kong, gathered lovers in movies like Sleepless in Seattle, and survived the 1945 plane crash. Just 90 years after construction began, it soon became an icon in the burgeoning city, lit in honor of frontline workers as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the district. It’s an unmistakable destination for Manhattan residents and visitors from all over the world, and for many it’s synonymous with the Big Apple itself. History of the Empire State Building The stats are amazing: 10 million bricks, 60,000 tons of steel, 6,400 windows, and 328,000 square feet of marble. Construction on the original site of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel took a record 410 days, required 7 million hours of work, and cost him just $41 million. That may sound like a lot, but it was well below our $50 million budget (as well as the increase during the Great Depression). The Empire State Building was designed by the prolific architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. Legend has it that the idea for the skyscraper began with a meeting between William Lamb and construction co-founder John Jacob his Raskob, where Raskob dropped his pencil. A 102-story skyscraper would not have been possible with electric elevator technology. Can you imagine having to climb all the stairs? Prefabricated I-beams, supports, and other Pittsburgh-made components were also critical to ensuring quality and speed of construction. Steelworkers assembled the parts on site. Sometimes sky-high, it’s a place captured in iconic photographs of riveting machines on high iron. Most of the workers were Mohawks who came to New York from the Kanawake Reservation near Montreal to do business. His affinity for heights earned him the nickname “Skywalker”, a tradition that continues to this day. The Art Deco limestone tower officially opened on May 1, 1931. Shortly after the Great Depression ended a heated race to build ever taller skyscrapers (including Empire State’s early rival Chrysler Building) along with Empire State’s Supremacy Building. Generations later, Deborah Kerr’s words to Cary Grant about “The Unforgettable Affair” still ring true.“It’s the closest thing to heaven we have in New York.” How tall is the Empire State Building? The Empire State Building is 1454 feet tall from top to bottom. It’s no longer the tallest building in the New York skyline, but the view remains stunning. Unless you’re Anne Darrow (the unfortunate woman captured by King Kong), you’re bound to feel radiant on your way to the top of the Empire State Building. There are two observation decks. The outdoor deck on the 86th floor offers an outdoor experience with telescopes (previously coin-operated, now free) to see the metropolis in action up close. Further up, the enclosed 102nd floor at the top of the tower is his second tallest observatory in New York City, second only to the One World Trade Center observatory. Not to mention, the views of his five boroughs of the city (and his four neighboring states, weather permitting) through the floor-to-ceiling windows are simply spectacular. On clear days you can see up to 80 miles. The views from both decks are especially spectacular at sunset when the city puts on its night robes in the afterglow. Plan Your Visit As one of NYC’s most popular attractions, lines can be long, but a new entrance redesign has eased some of the bottlenecks. Arrive early (e.g. 8am) or late to avoid delays. Tickets can also be purchased in advance online ($2 value). The first stop is the story of his second-floor Icon Museum, completely redesigned in 2019, featuring multimedia exhibits related to the building’s history and its place in the U.S. cultural imagination. A path through the displays leads to the Observatory elevator. As you can imagine, the views from both decks are especially spectacular at sunset. To experience a little Arthur-themed magic, head to the 86th floor Thursday through Saturday from 10pm to 1am. A sea of twinkling lights with a live saxophone soundtrack (please inquire). Since 1976, the building’s top 30 floors have been illuminated in a variety of colors that reflect the colors of the season, holidays, or local sports teams and charities. Famous combinations include orange, white and green for St. Patrick’s Day. Hanukkah blue and white. Red, white and green for Christmas. Rainbow colors for Gay Pride weekend in June. See the website for a complete overview of color schemes and schedules. The tour app is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean. Getting There The Empire State Building is accessible by various public transportation routes. Take the 6 subway to 33rd Street or the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, or W train to 34th Street Herald Square. You can also take the M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M34, or M55 bus routes to the Empire State. Did you know? A locked, unmarked door on the 102nd floor observatory leads to his one of New York’s most outrageous sky projects.A narrow terrace for docking the Zeppelin. At the forefront of the dream was former New York Governor Alfred E. Smith. He rose from an unsuccessful presidential candidate to head the Empire State Building project in 1928. When architect William Van Allen unveiled the secret tower of the rival Chrysler Building, Smith announced that he would install an even taller mooring mast for a transatlantic airship on top of the Empire State Building. I raised my expectations. The plan looked good on paper, but there were two (big) oversights. The airship would have to be anchored at both ends (not just the nose, as planned), and passengers (traveled by Zeppelin gondolas) would not be allowed to exit the vehicle through
Metropolitan Museum of Art
What started with a few paintings brought from Europe in the 19th century or donated by philanthropic gangs of bandits, is now a vast collection of 2 million works of art representing 5,000 years of history grew to It also makes him one of New York City’s most popular corners. Leonard, who starred in Gossip Her Girl, Her Cohen and Jorge, Her Luis, Met (as she is affectionately known), as noted in her Borges poetry, is the COVID-19 Pandemic. She was terribly lonely as she closed the door when her New York City shook. Her 17-acre exhibit space at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is filled with treasures that have captivated visitors since the 1870s. From ancient Sassanian textiles to Henry VIII’s armor, from the oldest surviving piano to Vermeer’s quilt in Gies Bend, Alabama, to the classic portrait of Emmanuel Gottlieb Leutze, to Washington across the Delaware, the Dutch You can see everything from the remarkable works of the masters. From embroidered kimonos to works by contemporary designers such as Marc Jacobs and Comme des Garçons, not to mention popular fashion-themed exhibits. Highlights of the Met When the Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded 151 years before him, it was not intended as a symbol of empire like the British Museum or a symbol of revolution like the Louvre. Instead, it was designed to educate and build a team-oriented immigrant city and highlight the unique global culture of 19th-century New York City. Whether or not this proclaimed purpose was achieved by contemporary post-colonial standards is a matter of debate in recent years, and one that many museums around the world look forward to. Still, the Met is an evolving classic. As the 2021 PBS documentary Inside the Met points out, the year that was supposed to be a blockbuster commemoration of the museum’s 150th anniversary will include the use of digital space by the Met. It was a reassessment of our approach to inclusiveness and accessibility. Reopening on March 13, 2021, the Metropolitan Museum of Art presents its global collection in new contexts and invites renewed discussion of some of the oldest works by contemporary artists. Certainly too many to list completely, but here are some of the best highlights. The Egyptian Collection The ancient Egyptian collection on the ground floor is unmatched. Packed with 26,000 objects of his from the 6th century. Don’t miss the Temple of Dendur, built around 10 BC. Built in 1978 as a gift from Egypt to the United States to preserve priceless antiquities such as the temples of the Aswan High Dam project. Weapons and Armor The Arms and Armor Department became part of the Met in 1912 thanks to private donors, but the Edwardian era gave way to world wars, prompting many families to sell their collections and becoming part of British culture. As has changed, the collection has become very large. But it’s not just European examples of armor on display. The thousand items available to the public include 16th- and his 18th-century Japanese samurai armor, Turkish swords forged during the reign of the mighty King Suleiman, and Tibetan artifacts. Islamic arts and crafts A special collection of Islamic art showcases deeply influential motifs found in a variety of works of art, including carpets, cast metal objects, illustrated books, tiled prayer niches, and even coffins. . The collection consists of unique works of the Islamic world, from Iranian mosaics to intricate gold vessels made in Goa, blending Islamic arabesques with Portuguese colonial influences. Amulet gallstones). Travel fans can’t miss the astrolabe of Yemen’s prince Oumar ibn Yusuf ibn Umar ibn Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzafari. Near Eastern art The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 15 stunning rooms are dedicated to a vast collection of Middle Eastern art and artifacts. Objects range from Assyrian stone carvings to cuneiform tablets to ancient Iranian pottery made almost 4000 years before our era. There are small incense burners, drinking vessels, and large-scale installations such as the iconic winged bull with a human head (technically called lamassu) from the Assyrian city of Nimrud. European painting The Metropolitan Museum of Art began with a handful of Roman sarcophagi and 174 paintings purchased in Europe to enhance the museum’s collection. The second floor houses numerous masterpieces from the 13th century to his 20th century. There are Duccio di his Madonna of Buoninseña painted around 1290 AD, the famous portrait of Juande his Pareja painted by Velázquez in 1650, and Gustav his Klimt’s Mada of 1912 his Prima Vesi. There are also his OG members of the Met collection, such as the Meeting of Alexander the Great and Gaspard de Cryer’s Diogenes, sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by co-founder John Taylor Johnson. Others include the Madonna and Child, purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art before the COVID-19 sales freeze, and Queen Henrietta Maria of England in her 1636 Van Her Dyke, which Jane Wrightsman bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in her 2019 Includes newcomers such as portraits. One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of characters, stories, and techniques to absorb. Asian art Some of the oldest works of art on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art are in the Asian Art Gallery, which includes 35,000 of his objects dating back 5,000 years. They are also one of his oldest non-European works of art in the Met’s collection, and have become part of the museum thanks to early patrons. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian and Tibetan paintings, woodcuts, textiles, ceramics, ornaments, lacquer, calligraphy and metalwork await you. There are Ming vases, Edo period kimonos embroidered with scenes from Genji history, and Buddhist scriptures painted in gold and silver. by a Korean master artist; a gold crown from India; The American Wing The American Wing capabilities ornamental and great artwork from for the duration of the long, numerous records of the United States, with 20,000 works with the aid of using artists of Indigenous, Latin American, African American, and Euro-American descent. From intricately carved and inlaid