FORTY-SEVEN RONIN _ 0573

IMG_4622 The revenge of the forty-seven Ronin took place in Japan at the start of the 18th century. One noted Japanese scholar described the tale, the best known example of the samurai code of honor, bushidō, as the country’s “national legend.” The story tells of a group of samurai who were left leaderless (becoming ronin) after their daimyo (feudal lord) Asano Naganori was compelled to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official named Kira Yoshinaka, whose title was Kōzuke no suke. The ronin avenged their master’s honor by killing Kira, after waiting and planning for a year. In turn, the ronin were themselves obliged to commit seppuku for committing the crime of murder. This true story was popularized in Japanese culture as emblematic of the loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor that people should preserve in their daily lives. The popularity of the tale grew during the Meiji era of Japanese history, in which Japan underwent rapid modernization, and the legend became entrenched within discourses of national heritage and identity. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   IMG_4623

From Nara, Japan
Travel from June 25 to June 30
Thanks Noriko !

MEDIEVAL CASTLE IN TURIN, TORINO, ITALY _ 0508

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The Medieval Castle in the Valentino Park. This complex, with its many-towered castle, drawbridge, porticoed houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops was built for the 1884 International Exhibition of Turin. It is a faithful replica of a 15th Century Piedmontese Village. Nothing was invented but all was organically put together as the tesseras of a mosaic.
http://www.comune.torino.it

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From Milan, Italy
Travel from May 5 to May 13
Thanks Zana !

WIEN HUNDERTWASSER-HAUS (WIEN) _ 0494

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The Hundertwasser House, built in 1985, is an unusual public apartment block, designed by Austrian artist Friedrich Hundertwasser.
Within the block there are 50 apartments each different from each other. The apartment block is multicoloured; has irregular windows; onion dome cupolas; uneven ceramic line; floors uneven; terraces with over 200 trees and bushes
http://www.topsightseeing.com

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From Germany
Travel from April 30 to May 9
Thanks Sebastian !

HISTORIC SANCTUARY OF MACHU PICCHU _ 0490

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Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.
http://whc.unesco.org/

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From Lima, Peru
Travel from April 16 to May 13
Thanks Marcos !

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No.52 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)

TODAIJI TEMPLE _ 0484

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Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall, houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu. The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara”, together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely.

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The beginning of building a temple where the Tōdai-ji complex sits today can be dated to 728, when Emperor Shōmu established Kinshōsen-ji as an appeasement for Prince Motoi, his first son with his Fujiwara clanconsort Kōmyōshi. Prince Motoi died a year after his birth. 

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It prospered as a place much like a school where Buddhist teachings were conveyed extensively and monks were educated.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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From Nara, Japan
Travel from April 30 to May 7

Thanks Noriko ! 

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No.51 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)

 

ITSUKUSHIMA SHINTO SHRINE _ 0481

IMG_4000 The island of Itsukushima, in the Seto inland sea, has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times. The first shrine buildings here were probably erected in the 6th century. The present shrine dates from the 12th century and the harmoniously arranged buildings reveal great artistic and technical skill. The shrine plays on the contrasts in colour and form between mountains and sea and illustrates the Japanese concept of scenic beauty, which combines nature and human creativity. http://whc.unesco.org/ IMG_4001

From Nara, Japan
Travel from April 30 to May 7

Thanks Noriko ! 

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No.50 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)

CASA BATLLÓ (GAUDI) _ 0477

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Casa Batlló is a renowned building located in the heart of Barcelona and is one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. Casa Batlló is a remodel of a previously built house. It was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí and has been refurbished several times after that. Casa Batlló evokes the creativity and playfulness of Gaudí’s work through the incrassate facades and creative floors. Gaudí’s assistants Domènec Sugrañes i Gras, Josep Canaleta and Joan Rubió also contributed to the renovation project.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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From Spain
Travel from April 10 to May 6
Thanks Montserrat !

OLINDA STREET _ 0435

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Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, the town’s history is linked to the sugar-cane industry. Rebuilt after being looted by the Dutch, its basic urban fabric dates from the 18th century. The harmonious balance between the buildings, gardens, 20 Baroque churches, convents and numerous small passos (chapels) all contribute to Olinda’s particular charm.
http://whc.unesco.org

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From Piaui, Brazil
Travel from Mar 7 to April 15
Thanks Rafael !

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No.44 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)

BALTIT FORT _ 0421

Baltit Fort or Balti Fort is an ancient fort in the Hunza valley in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

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In the past, the survival of the feudal regime of Hunza was ensured by the impressive Baltit fort, which overlooks Karimabad. The foundations of the fort date back to 700 years ago, with rebuilds and alterations over the centuries. In the 16th century the local prince married a princess from Baltistan who brought master Balti craftsmen to renovate the building as part of her dowry. The architectural style is a clear indication of buddhist Tibetan influence in Baltistan at the time.
The Mirs of Hunza abandoned the fort in 1945, and moved to a new palace down the hill. The fort started to decay which caused concern that it might possibly fall into ruin. Following a survey by the Royal Geographical Society of London a restoration programme was initiated and supported by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Historic Cities Support Programme. The programme was completed in 1996 and the fort is now a museum run by the Baltit Heritage Trust.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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From Pakistan
Travel from Mar 25 to April 3
Thanks Fatema !

ACIENT CITY OF POLONNARUWA _ 0420

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Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumental ruins of the fabulous garden-city created by Parakramabahu I in the 12th century.
http://whc.unesco.org/

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From Sri Lanka
Travel from Mar 3 to April 8
Thanks Jayathillake !

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No.41 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)

NAPLES (italy) _ 0405

Naples is the capital of the Italian region Campania and the third-largest municipality in Italy, after Rome and Milan. As of 2012, around 960,000 people live within the city’s administrative limits. The Naples urban area has a population of between 3 million and 3.7 million, and is the 9th-most populous urban area in the European Union. Around 4 million people live in the Naples metropolitan area, one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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From Naples, Italy
Travel from Mar 18 to Mar 27
Thanks Roberto !

MONOLITO (tiwanaku) _ 0398

The most imposing monument at Tiwanaku is the temple of Akapana. It is a pyramid originally with seven superimposed platforms with stone retaining walls rising to a height of over 18m. Only the lowest of these and part of one of the intermediate walls survive intact. Investigations have shown that it was originally clad in blue stone and surmounted by a temple, as was customary in Mesoamerican pyramids. It is surrounded by very well-preserved drainage canals. The walls of the small semi-subterranean temple (Templete) are made up of 48 pillars in red sandstone. There are many carved stone heads set into the walls, doubtless symbolizing an earlier practice of exposing the severed heads of defeated enemies in the temple.
http://whc.unesco.org/

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From  La Paz, Bolivia
Travel from Mar 8 to Apirl 3
Thanks Nunez !

No.39 ( My Unesco World Heritage Site)