The Eiffel Tower (The most famous tower on the Earth)

The Eiffel Tower, an immense stucture of exposed latticework supports made of iron, was erected for the Paris Exposition of 1889. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII of England) officiated at the ceremonial opening. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, one was unanimously chosen, a radical creation from the French structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (b. Dec. 15, 1832, d. Dec. 28, 1923), who was assisted in the design by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and architect Stephen Sauvestre.

 
However, the controversial tower elicited some strong reactions, and a petition of 300 names — including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opéra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger — was presented to the city government, protesting its construction. The petition read, “We, the writers, painters, sculptors, architects and lovers of the beauty of Paris, do protest with all our vigour and all our indignation, in the name of French taste and endangered French art and history, against the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower.”
Nature lovers thought that it would interfere with the flight of birds over Paris. But the Eiffel Tower was admired by Rousseau, Utrillo, Chagall, and Delaunay. It was almost torn down in 1909 at the expiration of its 20-year lease, but was saved because of its antenna — used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made use of its stature. In the 1960s, it was the subject of a wonderful study by semiologist Roland Barthes.


Built to celebrate the science and engineering achievements of its age, soaring 300m / 984 ft. (320.75m / 1,052 ft. including antenna) and weighing 7000 tons, the structure consists of two visibly distinct parts: a base composed of a platform resting on four separate supports (called pylons or bents) and, above this, a slender tower created as the bents taper upward, rising above a second platform to merge in a unified column.
This unprecedented work, the tallest structure in the world until the Empire State Building was built about 40 years later, had several antecedents. Among them were the iron-supported railway viaducts designed by Eiffel, an arch bridge over the Douro River in Portugal with a span of 160 m (525 ft), and a design for a circular, iron-frame tower proposed by the American engineers Clarke and Reeves for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Eiffel knew and publicly acknowledged this influence; he was no stranger to the United States, having designed the wrought-iron pylon inside Frederic Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty in 1885. Later in the same year, he had also begun work on the cupola of the Nice observatory.
Eiffel was the leading European authority on the aerodynamics of high frames (he wrote “The Resistance of the Air” in 1913). In the construction of the Eiffel Tower, the curve of the base pylons was precisely calculated so that the bending and shearing forces of the wind were progressively transformed into forces of compression, which the bents could withstand more effectively. Such was Eiffel’s engineering wizardry that even in the strongest winds his tower never sways more than 4-1/2 inches. The superskyscrapers erected since 1960, such as the World Trade Center, were constructed in much the same way.
However difficult its birth may have been, the Tour Eiffel is now completely accepted by French citizens, and is internationally recognized as one of the symbols of Paris itself.

Facilities and Views

 

In the basements of the eastern and western pillars, one can visit the gargantuan 1899 machinery which powers the elevators, an astonishing spectacle reminiscent of a Jules Verne novel. From the Tower’s three platforms — especially the topmost — the view of Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best; don’t forget to bring your camera, and experiment with the f-stop settings to capture a dazzling sunset on the Seine. If you can’t be there in person, then check out a Live Aerial View of Paris with TF1′s webcam online: from the top of the Eiffel Tower, you can see Paris in real time, 24 hours a day, whatever the weather conditions in the French capital. To get the most out of this view of Paris, we suggest you surf their web site between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM GMT (1:00 AM and 3:00 PM Eastern Time in the U.S.), when the City of Light is at its best.
First level: 57.63 meters (189 feet). Observatory from which to study the movements of the Eiffel Tower’s summit. Kiosk presentation about the mythic painting of the Eiffel Tower. Space CINEIFFEL: offers an exceptional
panorama of sights from the Tower. Souvenir shops (yes, every tourist MUST have a miniature replica). Restaurant “Altitude 95″ . Post office, with special stamps “Paris Eiffel Tower “. Panoramic gallery displaying the Monuments of Paris.

-300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).
-2.5 million rivets.
-40 tons of paint. 1671 steps to the top.
- Maximum sway at top caused by wind: 12 cm (4.75 inches).
-Maximum sway at top caused by metal dilation: 18 cm (7 inches).
-Total height in 1889: 300.51 meters (985 feet, 11 inches).
-Total height with television antenna: 320.755 meters (1052 feet, 4 inches).
-Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature. Size of base area: 10,281.96 square meters (2.54 acres). -Weight of foundations: 277,602 kg (306 tons).
-Weight of iron: 7.34 million kg (8092.2 tons).
-Weight of elevator systems: 946,000 kg (1042.8 tons).
-Total weight: 8.56 million kg (9441 tons).
- Pressure on foundation: 4.1 to 4.5 kg per square centimeter, depending on pier (58.26 to 64 lbs. per square inch).Dates of construction: January 26, 1887 to March 31, 1889.
-Cost of construction: 7.8 million francs ($1.5 million).
-Total number of visitors during 1889 Exposition: 1,968,287. Total receipts during 1889 Exposition: 5,919,884 francs ($1.14 million).
-Total number of visitors during 2002: 6,157,042.During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has witnessed a few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and two Englishmen parachuting off it in 1984. In 1923, the journalist Pierre Labric (who was later to become mayor of

 

Montmartre) rode a bicycle down from the first level; some accounts say he rode down the stairs, others suggest the exterior of one of the tower’s four legs which slope outward.
Politics have also played a role in its life. During World War II, the Germans hung a sign on it that read: “Deutschland Siegt Auf Allen Fronten” (“Germany is victorious on all fronts”). In 1958, a few months before Fidel Castro’s rise to power, Cuban revolutionaries hung their red-and-black flag from the first level, and, in 1979, an American from Greenpeace hung one that read: “Save the Seals”. In 1989, the Tower celebrated its centennial with music and fireworks (the show lasted 89 minutes).

Colosseum of Rome (the Most Dramatic Historic Monuments on Earth)

The Colosseum – the greatest amphitheatre of the antiquity – was built in Rome, Italy, about 1920 years ago. It is considered an architectural and engineering wonder, and remains as a standing proof of both the grandeur and the cruelty of the Roman world.
The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is a giant amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome. Originally capable of seating 50,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It was built on a site just east of the Roman Forum, with construction starting between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian. The amphitheatre, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian’s reign.

The Colosseum remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century — well after the traditional date of the fall of Rome in 476. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.
 Although it is now in a severely ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is one of the finest surviving examples of Roman architecture. It is one of modern Rome’s most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Catholic Church, whose Pope leads a torchlit procession to the amphitheatre each Good Friday.The Colosseum measures 48 metres (157 ft / 165 Roman feet) high, 189 metres (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 metres (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide. Unlike earlier amphitheatres, it was an entirely free-standing structure, constructed on flat ground rather than being built into an existing hillside or natural depression. Its outer wall originally measured 545 metres (1,788 ft / 1,835 Roman feet) and is estimated to have required over 100,000 cubic meters (3,531,466 ft) of travertine stone held together by 300 tons of iron clamps.
The surviving part of the outer wall’s monumental facade comprises three stories of superimposed arcades surmounted by a podium on which stands a tall attic, both of which are pierced by windows interspersed at regular intervals. The arcades are framed by half-columns of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. Each of the arches in the second- and third-floor arcades framed statues, probably honoring divinities and other figures from Classical mythology.
The Colosseum’s huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated quickly. Its architects adopted solutions very similar to those used in modern stadiums to deal with the same problem. The amphitheatre was ringed by eighty entrances at ground level, 76 of which were used by ordinary spectators. Each entrance and exit was numbered, as was each staircase. The northern main entrance was reserved for the Roman Emperor and his aides, whilst the other three axial entrances were most likely used by the elite.
The arena itself was 83 metres by 48 metres (272 ft by 157 ft / 280 by 163 Roman feet).It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning “underground”). Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like. It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen.
Hollywood movies reinforced some widespread false impressions about the Colosseum of Rome. Historians doubt that the wholesale martyring of Christians occurred there. And, the image of lions eating the Christians before cheering crowds is likely fantasy. Films have also bolstered the myth that thumbs down meant to kill the person in the arena. It was just the opposite in Roman times. Thumbs up signaled “kill him” and thumbs down, “spare him.”

The Colosseum – Entry €11 (€9 if you’re under 25). Expect a long queue and an even longer wait. You can skip the queue if you decide to take a tour, but if you don’t want a tour, you can STILL skip the queue. If you walk across the street to the Roman Forum, you can buy a day-long pass for €10,better still, a 7-day pass for €20 or a standard Colosseum + Palatine ticket at €11. This pass gets you in to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Baths of Caracalla, and the catacombs. If you don’t want to cram it all into one day, get the pass. Plus, it is nice to buy a slice of pizza and eat in the gardens of Palatine Hill. There are lots of people offering tours in English just outside the entrance to the Colosseum. Inside you can take a tour (English, Spanish, or German) every 30 minutes or so for an additional fee of €3.5 per person. The tours are given by knowledgeable archeologists, but they don’t take you to any areas you couldn’t visit on your own.

Africa’s Serengeti Migration (known as the greatest animal show on earth)

Africa’s Serengeti Migration is known as the greatest animal show on earth. Wild animals on the move blanket the African landscape as far as the eye can see. Over a million wildebeest and about 200,000 zebras flow south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the short rains every October and November, and then swirl west and north after the long rains in April, May and June. So strong is the ancient instinct to move that no drought, gorge or crocodile infested river can hold them back.

When the water and grazing disappear in one area due to a seasonal drought the wildebeest need move along to where the seasonal rains are falling to survive by finding new grazing and water. The wildebeest have to cross a number of rivers in their perilous but amazing 300 mile journey like the Grumeti and the Mara in the north and this is where a lot of them don’t make it falling prey to crocodiles and drowning. Only the very fittest survive. They are also preyed on by lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena as they have no choice but to move through the territories occupied by these predators in their quest for fresh grass. The predators have a food bonanza when the migration passes through their territory.

The Best Time To Experience the Serengeti Migration
 It’s important to remember that there are no guarantees when it comes to the timing of the migration. It’s all dependant on the rain and the seasons start at different times every year which means the herds might not be where historically they should be.
You can make a rough estimate based on the past and hope that things run accordingly. Historically the times to see the migration in the Serengeti are…
January: The massive herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are to be found on the plains of the southern Serengeti.
February: The wildebeest begin foaling and they do this at roughly the same time with all the predators in close attendance. Many people only want to see the migration and don’t realise that this is a comparable wildlife spectacle. One of the best times to see the predators.
March-April: Heavy rains are approaching and the grazing is starting to get worse. The herd begins to move northwards along the western corridor of the Serengeti.
May-June: The herd moves towards the Grumeti controlled area where there is still good grazing and they begin to cross the Grumeti river where crocodiles lie in wait for their annual feast and you find the scenes occurring that has made the wildebeest migration famous in so many wildlife documentaries.
July-August: The herd is drawn ever northwards towards the Masai Mara in their quest for better grazing. They have one more dangerous river to cross, the Mara, before they receive their reward in the sweet grazing plains of Kenya.

Galapagos Islands (the journey of your lifetime)

A trip to the Galapagos Islands will be the journey of your lifetime. Located 1,000 km from the Ecuadorian mainland, the archipelago consist of 13 major islands, of which 5 are inhabited. This geographical isolation enabled Galapagos Island creatures to slowly change into new versions of themselves, ones that are found nowhere else on earth. Famous examples include the marine iguana and giant tortoise. The islands were the catalyst for the evolution theory developed by Charles Darwin in the early 1800s. The archipelago has been known by many different names, including the “Enchanted Islands” because of the way in which the strong and swift currents made navigation difficult. The first crude navigation chart of the islands was done by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684, and in those charts he named the islands after some of his fellow pirates or after the English noblemen who helped the pirates’ cause. The term “Galápagos” refers to the Spanish name given to the Giant Land Tortoises known to inhabit the islands.

* Baltra (South Seymour)
* Bartolomé
* Darwin (Culpepper)
* Española (Hood)
* Fernandina (Narborough)
* Floreana (Charles or Santa María)
* Genovesa Island (Tower)
* Isabela (Albemarle)
* Marchena (Bindloe)
* North Seymour
* Pinta (Abingdon)
* Pinzón (Duncan)
* Rábida (Jervis)
* San Cristóbal (Chatham)
* Santa Cruz (Indefatigable)
* Santa Fe (Barrington)
* Santiago (San Salvador, James)
* South Plaza
* Wolf (Wenman)
The Island’s interesting volcanic geology, as well as its rich flora and fauna have been admired and studied by numerous travelers, scientist, and nature-lovers. Scientist are still faced with a mystery how such a large diversity of species could develop in a remote location like the Galapagos Islands. On the Islands, a multitude of animals, by most people only known from the Discovery Channel, are romping about: the main reason for tourists and nature lovers to pay the Galapagos Islands a visit.

Everyone who has visited the islands has his own personal list. This is survey about Galapagos Islands travelers for their opinions on which wildlife creatures thrilled them the most. The consensus results:
1 Marine iguana
2 Giant tortoise
3 Blue footed booby
4 Land iguana
5 Penguin
6 Sea lion
7 Sally lightfoot crab
8 Waved albatross
9 Flamingo
10 Frigate bird
The Galapagos islands are ideal for adventure activities, whether your favourite adventure activities be snorkelling, kayaking, hiking or other adventures the Galapagos has activities for everyone.