General history of architecture. General history of architecture Ancient civilizations of America

You need to know architecture to shine with your knowledge!

In the history of art, the dynamics of development of any type and genre are more often divided into time periods, because in one era many countries and societies with their own distinctive and original cultures appear, develop and die.

The Ancient World includes everything that existed from the 15th to the 1st centuries BC. These are Egypt, the Ancient East (Mesopotamia, Assyria, Persia, Phenicia), India, China and Japan, Ancient civilizations of America (Toltecs, Incas, Aztecs, Mayans), Aegean (Creto-Mycenaean) and Etruscan cultures. Chronologically, both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome can be attributed to this period. But the development of these cultures is separated into a separate historical stage - Antiquity. There will be a separate post about this period if you want.

1. Ancient East
Mesopotamia, Assyria, Persia, Phenicia. Being in a state of almost continuous war, including with each other, located in almost identical climatic and natural conditions, these countries have created very similar and closely intertwined cultures. Their architecture was mainly fortress-like, with heavy fortified gates, massive walls, arches and columns. The main building material was mud brick, which also served as one of the reasons for the formation of the characteristic monumental style of architecture. A stylistic feature of the construction of cities is the desire to avoid direct perspective, the use of the “broken axis” principle when creating cities with an extensive network of streets.

2. Ancient Egypt
For more than three thousand years, Egyptian architecture has been dominated by a once and for all established tradition. Modification occurs only within the framework of one style, the change in the dominant type of structures corresponds to changes in the social and political spheres of the country: in the era of the Old Kingdom these were rock (cave) tombs, in the era of the Middle Kingdom - pyramids, in the era of the New Kingdom - temples.
The pyramids represent the spirit of Egyptian culture, the belief in the afterlife and the power of the pharaoh, as well as the Egyptians' ideas about the universe.
The features of the temples are large halls, a huge number of prayer rooms and unsurpassed beauty of paintings on all surfaces, including the external walls and the ceiling, which is a symbol of the sky and is therefore painted blue and painted with golden stars. In addition, an indispensable attribute of the temple is an obelisk and a sacred lake.
Durability, monumentality and decorativeness distinguish the architecture Ancient Egypt from other examples of architecture of that time.

3.Ancient India
Indian architecture is unusually harmoniously connected with nature. The most ancient Indian temples were built right in caves. I have already made a post about one such temple, in Ellora. In later times, the location for religious buildings was carefully chosen.
The means of artistic expression amaze with their diversity and colorfulness, reminiscent of the flourishing nature of the country. The idea of ​​the unity of life in all its manifestations permeates philosophical teachings, aesthetics, and art. Sculptures made of stone with great skill, often reaching gigantic proportions, cover the walls of temples, attracting attention. Religious symbolism and the reflection of the life of that time in all its manifestations are manifested in every work of architecture, and sculpture and relief occupy the first place in Indian art.

4. Ancient China and Japan
The architectural structures of Ancient China differ significantly from the architectural monuments of the rest of the world, both in appearance and design. One of the differences is that ancient Chinese structures are dominated by wooden structures, while other architectural monuments are dominated by brick and stone. The main support of any structure is a frame made of wooden beams; internal and external walls and partitions vary as desired. Another distinctive feature of ancient Chinese architecture is the ensemble-group principle - they built not one building, but a whole complex of structures, be it a palace, a monastery or a dwelling. Scale was achieved in China by the construction of large building ensembles created from several light, skyward buildings.

Ancient Japan
The main reference point in architecture was China, but Japanese architects always turned overseas designs into special works. Japanese architecture was mainly wooden. A variety of residential buildings, palaces and temples were erected. A characteristic feature of Japanese architecture can be considered the connection of the building with the surrounding landscape - the water surface, vegetation and relief.

5. Ancient civilizations of America (Toltecs, Aztecs, Mayans and Incas)
The most interesting and important monuments of ancient American culture testify to the high culture of the peoples who created it. In general, they have the same character and represent a picture of the same art, but it is impossible not to distinguish between them two different degrees of development. The earlier ones include the monuments in Oaxaca, Guatemala and Yucatan, and the later, or Aztec, monuments preserved in Mexico, but it is impossible to make a more precise distinction between them by nationality and centuries.
The buildings are mostly the remains of temples or fortifications. Their construction is distinguished by massive walls, columns and pylons, but at the same time noble taste and bears the stamp of art, which has already achieved a certain development. Some of the temples were built on the upper platforms of huge stepped pyramids, the outside lined with stone blocks decorated with horizontal belts with relief geometric patterns. The overall composition is complemented by sculptural elements, specific ornaments not found anywhere else, and hieroglyphs.

6. Aegean (Creto-Mycenaean) architecture.
The culture of the Aegean world is the island of Crete with the cities of Knossos, Phaistos, Triada; dozens of smaller islands, Mycenae, Tiryns, the shores of the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor (Troy). It is the link between the early cultures of the East and antiquity and becomes the first mature European civilization in ancient history. Cretan culture was greatly influenced by the states of Asia Minor, and especially Egypt. In turn, the culture of Crete influenced Egypt during the New Kingdom, and even more significantly - on the formation of culture Ancient Greece. On Crete, cities were founded with paved roads, paved streets, bridges and water pipes, and luxurious palaces of rulers were erected. All the buildings of the palaces, some of them two-story, were located on the sides of a large courtyard surrounded by a stone wall. The most famous is the Palace of Knossos with a huge labyrinth in which the Minotaur lived, about whom ancient Greek myths speak.

In different historical periods, different building materials and different designs were used, corresponding to the technical development of their time. Naturally, new designs influenced architectural forms. For example, in Ancient Egypt the main building material was stone and architects used only one type of structure - post-and-beam. To cover a large space with heavy stone beams two meters high, many supports had to be placed under them at a distance of only 3-4 m from each other. The room turned out to be cramped, like a stone forest.

We know a lot about the nature of the Egyptian dwellings thanks to images, clay models and archaeological research. In the second millennium BC. e. The residential building had a regular rectangular plan with long corridors, a number of small rooms and halls with internal columns. The most advanced types of housing are found in Thebes and Akhetaten during the New Kingdom. Residential buildings are square or rectangular in plan. Next to the low one-story houses, several-story houses with an internal staircase are built. The living spaces are oriented to the north, towards the refreshing winds and very often open onto the garden.

The Egyptians are also building huge engineering structures. This is, first of all, a wide network of canals and reservoirs, thanks to which a zone of flowering gardens arose on a relatively small strip of land along the Nile. Egyptian builders also built the first canal connecting the Red Sea with the Nile, and thereby with the Mediterranean Sea.

Temple structures were erected both on the surface of the earth and in steep cliffs, where cave temples with rich architectural interior decoration were cut down. The symmetry of the composition of buildings is a kind of law for the architectural creativity of the Egyptians. It was emphasized by both the exaggerated scale and the organization of the approach to the structure along its axis. The main facades of the temples had sloping walls, which apparently is an echo of earlier adobe buildings. Behind the façade pylon a peristyle opened up - a square courtyard framed by massive, closely spaced columns. Access to the courtyard was open to everyone. Then came the hypostyle - a columned hall, illuminated from above through gaps between the levels of overlap of various parts of the hall. Adjoining it were other rooms, smaller in area and height, which were considered sanctuaries; The further they were located from the entrance, the more and more limited circle of priests they were accessible to. The entire longitudinal composition is symmetrical about the main axis. The sequential alternation of different spaces, the thickening of darkness, the enormity of the columns were supposed to emphasize the power of the gods and have a strong emotional impact on those entering.

The largest and most significant religious complexes include the large temple of Amun in Thebes (currently the villages of Karnak and Luxor), in Edfu and on the island of Philae.
Temple of Amon-Ra. Luxor

Alley of Sphinxes. Luxor

The ancient Egyptians believed that after death a person would have an afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of a person (ka) after death continues to live only if the body (ba) remains intact. That’s why it was so important to preserve the mummy. For ordinary people, simple tombs are built, for the nobility - mastabas, and for pharaohs, even during their lifetime - huge pyramids with small, hard-to-reach chambers where a sarcophagus with a mummy and everything that was needed for “eternal” life was placed.

For "ba" a dwelling is needed - a tomb. She is inviolable: anyone who harms her will face the curse of the deceased and the punishment of the gods. So that the deceased would not need anything in the afterlife, the walls of the tomb were covered with numerous reliefs and paintings. Their task is to replace for “ka” what surrounded a person on earth.

The largest (with an area of ​​52,900 sq. m) and the oldest pyramid of Cheops is 1.5 times higher than, for example, the Cathedral of St. Vita in Prague. It was built from many stone blocks weighing up to 2.5 tons. In total, more than 2.5 million cubic meters were required for its construction. m of stone. The tomb of Cheops was built by the architect Hemiun in the 27th century. BC e. near Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. In an effort to express the idea of ​​​​the exclusivity of the pharaoh, the inviolability of his power, belonging to the rank of gods, the unconditional and absolute rulers of man, Hemiun chose a place for the building so that it would be visible from everywhere. One hundred thousand people built it over 20 years: they broke out blocks of stone, hewed them, and dragged them to the construction site with the help of ropes.

Pyramid of Giza

Dolmens, menhirs, cromlechs - the ancient wisdom of our ancestors, mysterious buildings made of stones scattered throughout the world, which have kept the secrets of their origin and purpose for several millennia.

These megaliths are found in Russia (Gelendzhik, Sochi, Tuapse, Sayan, Baikal region, Khakassia, etc.), Ukraine (Crimea, Transcarpathia), Abkhazia (Sukhumi), England (Stonehenge), France (Brittany - Carnac), Italy (Bischelie, Lecce), Ireland, Spain, India, Iraq, Syria, Korea, Japan, North America, North Africa (Algeria).

Official science determines the age of megaliths from 3 to 5 thousand years (Copper, Bronze Age), but a number of researchers believe that some stone structures are more than 10 thousand years old and belong to the Neolithic culture.

Who built the “villages” of dolmens, the “alleys” of menhirs, the “astronomical observatories” of cromlechs? Atlanta? Priests? Are people giants? Cyclops?

Geologists have identified a strange pattern: when combining maps of the distribution of megaliths with geological maps, most of the structures ended up on geological fault lines.

Dolmens are a large stone slab laid horizontally on stone supports, or a closed stone box with a round (most often), triangular or square hole. In some dolmens, stone mushroom-shaped plugs-sleeves that close the holes have been preserved (the weight of some is up to 200 kg).

One of the versions of the construction of dolmens is the method of concrete modeling from a sandy-clay cementing mass, which was squeezed out from the depths to the surface in places of geological breaks (thrusts).

Menhirs are huge stone pillars dug vertically into the ground, ranging from 3 to 20 meters high (the largest weighs 300 tons). Menhirs were installed both individually and in groups: oval, rectangular, multi-kilometer lines and alleys (from several dozen to a thousand stones). Some menhirs have ornaments and bas-reliefs.

Cromlechs are several oblong stones (menhirs) placed vertically in the ground, forming one or more concentric circles. Sometimes in the center of such structures there is another object: a rock, a menhir, a dolmen.

Legends say that the sage and wizard of Celtic myths, Merlin, used levitation to deliver stones weighing up to 50 tons from Ireland for the construction of Stonehenge.

The grandiose monuments indicate that the ancient builders had knowledge of architecture, astronomy, mathematics and geology.

A clear geometric plan can be traced in the arrangement of the stone “alleys” of the menhirs; some stone rows, stretching for kilometers from west to east, gradually move closer to each other according to a complex mathematical law described by a parabolic function. Many megaliths have traces of mechanical processing: recesses and grooves indicating an ultra-precise fit of the slabs, perfectly round holes. The individual dolmen slabs are connected by grooves with millimeter precision.

How and why were dolmens, menhirs, cromlechs built? What tools were used to process stones thousands of years ago? Who erected these grandiose structures? How did builders manage to deliver multi-ton stones tens and hundreds of kilometers away and install them? The answers to these questions still remain a mystery.

There are many versions - from myths to scientific hypotheses.

The most interesting of them:

* Cromlechs are megalithic observatories of ancient civilizations. Perhaps solar and lunar eclipses, winter and summer solstices were determined by the position of megaliths? Researchers have found that Stonehenge and other megaliths generate high-frequency vibrations and electromagnetic waves. Their activity increases at sunrise and sunset, and also intensifies on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes.

* Cromlechs are religious buildings of the Druids - Celtic priests, places of worship of the spirits of nature.
* Dolmens are “houses” for offering gifts to the gods and spirits of ancestors.

* Dolmens are burial places of tribal elders.

* Dolmens are sanctuaries, places of worship of the Sun.

* Dolmens are receptacles for the spirits of great ancestors.

* Dolmens are the place of “imprisonment” of priests - oracles.

* Dolmens are acoustic devices - means of transmitting information. Measurements have shown that for a dolmen - a monolith, the resonating frequency is 2.8 Hz.

* Menhirs are temples near which sacrifices were made.

* Menhirs - astronomical clocks of the Stone Age. The stones of Carnac (Brittany) are arranged in such a way that they show the position of the Sun at certain times of the year.

* Dolmens are meditation chambers-resonators in places of power. Perhaps dolmens served as chambers for ancient peoples to achieve a state of samadhi?

* Indian menhirs with images of people in masks of animals and birds - symbols of religious cults.

* Indian menhirs with two heads (human and animal) are symbols of the ancient Toltec teaching about the nagual and tonal.

Perhaps our ancestors used dolmens to practice the art of stalking - “recapitulating personal history” - one of the paths leading to the main goal of the Toltecs - freedom?
Megalithic structures are a kind of “stone books” of the ancients, in which data about the Earth, the Solar system and the Universe are encrypted. Perhaps in ancient times people were able to use intuitive knowledge about the special generating structures of megaliths, which in our time are studied by the science of eniology - a forgotten science of antiquity, the science of the processes of energy-information exchange in the Universe.

I believe that the “binding” of humanity to the material world “erased” people’s genetic memory of communication with nature, of the ability to “hear” the voice of a stone. The Earth is trying to return us to our roots, reminding us of endless natural disasters. Will we hear the voice of the stone and the voice of the Earth?

Source http://www.zhitanska.com/

China is one of the largest countries in Asia; its civilization has existed since the 4th millennium BC. e. and belongs to the most developed in the era of antiquity and the Middle Ages. Over several thousand years of existence, Chinese culture has produced wonderful works of art and many useful inventions.

Already in the third millennium BC. e. China had a fairly developed culture. This was the mythological stage in the development of philosophical thought. The main ideas were about heaven, which gives life, and about the earthly principle, as well as the cult of ancestors, spirits of heaven and earth, which intricately combined the features of animals, birds and people.

In the VI century. BC e., waging wars of conquest, the Chinese penetrate far beyond the borders of their empire, influence the culture of other peoples, and at the same time experience their influence. An example of this is the penetration of Buddhism from India, which attracted people of that time by its appeal to the inner spiritual world of man, the thought of the inner kinship of all living things. Along with it, new types of religious buildings appear.

In China, the first pagodas were built, which were towers made of brick or stone, having several tiers with protruding roofs, and rock monasteries, similar to Indian ones, consisting of hundreds of large and small grottoes in the thickness of the rock. The visitor walked along shaky floorings and looked inside the grottoes, from where Buddha statues looked at him. Some giants, reaching 15-17 meters in height, can still be seen due to the collapse of the front walls of the grottoes.

Just as in India, in China, under the influence of bamboo structures, some architectural forms took on a unique character, for example, the corners of the roof were raised, and the roof itself was slightly bent.

At the beginning of our chronology, new large cities arise, and the construction of palaces, which were entire complexes of buildings with pavilions, gates and pools in the middle of architecturally elaborate parks, again became an important task. The Chinese are characterized by a special love for nature, manifested in a sensitive attitude towards it and the perception of it as an important part of the living environment.

An outstanding technical structure was the Great Wall of China, the construction of which began in the 4th century. BC e. and was carried on for several generations. Throughout Chinese history, there have been three main walls, each 10,000 li (5,000 km) long. The wall was intended as a fortification against the raids of the warlike nomadic Mongols from the north, and also, in all likelihood, as proof of the power and greatness of the emperor. It has withstood the influence of wind and bad weather for many centuries.

The Great Wall of China is a symbol of China. At the entrance to the restored part of the Wall you can see an inscription made by order of Mao Zedong - “If you have not visited the Great Wall of China, you are not a real Chinese.”

In the numerous and varied cultural monuments of China, ancient Chinese architecture occupies a very important place. Outstanding examples of ancient Chinese architecture, such as the Gugong Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Yiheyuan Park in Beijing, the ancient city of Lijiang in Yunnan Province, ancient residential premises in the southern part of Anhui Province and others have already been included in the "Catalogue of the World cultural heritage.

Gugun Imperial Palace

Temple of Heaven

Yiheyuan Park

The types of ancient Chinese buildings are very diverse: these are palaces, temples, garden buildings, graves, and dwellings. In their appearance, these structures are either solemn and magnificent, or elegant, sophisticated and dynamic. Nevertheless, they have a characteristic feature that somehow brings them closer to each other - these are those construction ideas and aesthetic aspirations that are unique to the Chinese nation.

In ancient China, the most typical house design was considered to be frame-and-post, using wood for this purpose. Wooden pillars were installed on the adobe platform, on which longitudinal transverse beams were attached, and on them was a roof covered with tiles.

In our country they say that “the wall of a house may collapse, but the house will not collapse.” This is explained by the fact that the weight of the house is supported by the pillars, not the wall. This is the crux of the matter. This frame system not only allowed Chinese architects to freely design the walls of the house, but also helped prevent the house from being destroyed during earthquakes. For example, in the northern Shanxi province of China there is a Buddhist temple more than 60 meters high, the frame of which was made of wood. This pagoda is more than 900 years old, but it has been very well preserved to this day.

Another feature of Chinese ancient architecture is the effect that gives a holistic composition, that is, a certain ensemble of many houses is created. In China, it is not customary to build separate buildings: be it palace buildings or private premises, they are always overgrown with additional buildings.

The main building is surrounded by courtyard buildings, which are evenly separated from it and symmetrical.

However, structures in an architectural ensemble are not necessarily placed symmetrically. For example, buildings in the mountainous regions of China or the premises of a garden and park complex sometimes deliberately allow violations of the symmetrical form in order to create a richer variety of building compositions. The pursuit of such a variety of forms during the construction of houses led not only to the creation of a single building style in Chinese ancient architecture, but also at the same time demonstrated its diversity.

The ancient architectural structures of China also have another striking character: they are subject to artistic development, giving them a specific decorative quality. For example, the roofs of houses were not flat, but always concave. And in order to give the building a certain mood, builders usually carved various pictures of animals and herbs on the beams and cornices. Similar patterns were applied to engraved and wooden pillars of rooms, windows and doors.

In addition, ancient Chinese architecture is characterized by the use of paints. Typically, the roofs of the palace were covered with yellow glazed tiles, the cornices were painted blue-green, the walls, pillars and courtyards were painted red, the rooms were lined with white and dark marble platforms that sparkled under the blue sky. The combination of yellow, red and green colors with white and black in decorating houses not only emphasizes the majesty of the buildings, but also pleases the eye.

Compared to palaces, living quarters in southern China are very modest. The houses are covered with dark gray tiled roofs, their walls are covered with white flowers, and their wooden frames are dark coffee-colored. Bamboo and bananas grow around the houses. Similar premises still exist in the country's southern provinces of Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian and others.

Compiled from materials and agreement with CRI - China Radio International

The Temple of Heaven, which has survived to this day, is the place where the emperors of the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) dynasties performed the ritual of sacrifices to Heaven and prayed for the annual harvest. The temple was built in 1420 on the southern outskirts of Beijing. The main buildings of the Temple of Heaven have a circular plan and lie on an axis oriented from south to north. Service buildings have a rectangular plan. This confirms the version of the existence in ancient China of cosmogonic ideas that the Sky is round and the Earth is square.

The Temple of Heaven occupies the territory total area 2.73 million m², which is 4 times the area of ​​the Forbidden City. There are not many buildings in the architectural ensemble of the temple; trees are planted on most of the territory of the temple. The Temple of Heaven is surrounded by two walls - external and internal. The entire territory of the temple is surrounded by an external wall, and the temple buildings are surrounded by an internal wall. The length of the outer wall from south to north is 1650 m, from east to west - 1725 m; the length of the inner wall from south to north reaches 1243 m, from east to west - 1046 m. ​​The main structures of the architectural ensemble of the Temple of Heaven are located on the south-north axis. At the extreme southern point there is the marble “Altar of Heaven” - “Huangqiutan”, at the extreme northern point there is the “Altar of Harvest Prayers” - “Qigutan”. "Altar of Heaven" is the main building of the architectural ensemble of the Temple of Heaven. Here the emperors performed the ritual of sacrifices to Heaven. The center of the altar is a round, three-tier marble terrace 5 m high. According to the ritual, sacrifices to Heaven were made under open air. In the center of the terrace there is a stone disk with a diameter of less than 1 m, which is called the “heart of Heaven”. If you say something while standing right on this disk, you can clearly hear the echo of each word. The meaning was that when the emperor conducted his dialogue with Heaven, his prayer was echoed by all his subjects. A solemn silence always reigns around the “Altar of Heaven.” The ceremony of sacrifices to Heaven was held annually before sunrise on the winter solstice (December 21-22). When the emperor ascended the steps of the altar, lanterns hanging on high poles were lit in front of the altar, clouds of incense that could reach heavenly heights rose above the incense burners, and sacrificial food was prepared in 12 cauldrons placed in the southeastern part of the altar. The ceremony was accompanied by music, which created an atmosphere of mystery.

To the north of the “Altar of Heaven” is the “Hall of the Heavenly Vault” - “Huangqunyu”, intended for storing memorial tablets of the spirits of Heaven and luminaries and the ancestors of the emperor. The "Vault of Heaven" is surrounded by a "Wall of Returning Sounds". If you turn your face to the wall and say something quietly, then these words will be clearly audible at any point on the opposite side of the wall. The floor of the “Hall of the Heavenly Vault” is decorated with a symbolic pattern: in the center there is a round stone, around it there are 9 rings lined with fan-shaped stones. The first ring is formed by 8 stones, each subsequent ring is increased by a multiple of 8, for a total of -360 stones. The number "8" symbolizes the "Wind Rose" - north, south, east, west, northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest.
Immediately outside the northern gate of the “Hall of the Heavenly Vault,” a brick-paved road begins that connects the “Altar of Heaven” with the “Altar of Harvest Prayers.” The road, 360 m long and 29.4 m wide, is called “Danbiqiao” - “Bridge of Scarlet Steps”. Going from south to north, the road rises slightly, which symbolizes the long and distant path to Heaven. The "Bridge of Scarlet Steps" is divided into three parallel stripes: the middle "Sacred Road", intended for the spirits of Heaven; the eastern "Imperial Road", which only the emperor could walk on; the western "Princely Road", intended for princes and nobles; The absence of roads for ordinary people speaks about the strict class hierarchy. When you step across the “Bridge of Scarlet Steps”, guarded on both sides by a guard of evergreen pines and cypresses, it seems that you are falling into the arms of Heaven. This is precisely the goal set by the designers of the ensemble.
Having walked to the end of the “Bridge of Scarlet Steps”, you find yourself at the “Altar of Harvest Prayers”, where the emperor annually prayed for a rich harvest. Here is the most beautiful building of the Temple of Heaven ensemble - the "Hall of Harvest Prayers" - "Qingyandian". It rises on a 38-meter three-tiered marble terrace and is crowned with a three-tiered roof covered with blue glazed tiles, distinguished by the elegance of its ornamentation and the perfection of its architectural design.

In addition, the ensemble of the Temple of Heaven includes several buildings for official purposes, including the "Palace of Fasting" ("Zhai Gong"), in which the emperor fasted before the ritual, the "Pavilion for the Slaughter of Sacrificial Animals" ("Xisheng So") and the "House of Sacred Music "("Shenyue shu"), where they taught temple music. During the construction of the Temple of Heaven, the architects were given the task of creating a temple complex intended both for the ritual of sacrifices to Heaven and prayers for the annual harvest. According to ancient cosmogonic ideas, the Sky was considered a circle and the Earth a square, therefore, during the construction of the Temple of Heaven, the shape was widely played with - round or square. This is evidenced, firstly, by the architectural design of the wall: the upward-facing northern part of the wall has a round shape, and the downward-facing southern part of the wall of the Temple of Heaven is square, since Heaven is at the top and the Earth is at the bottom. Secondly, the three main buildings of the Temple - the "Altar of Heaven", the "Hall of the Heavenly Vault" and the "Hall of Harvest Prayers" - have a circle in plan, and the walls enclosing them are square.
According to ancient natural philosophy, it was believed that everything and everyone in nature is formed from “yang” (masculine) and “yin” (feminine). The sky, emperor and odd numbers refer to "yang". Among odd numbers, “9” occupies the highest position, since in ancient times they believed in the existence of 9 Heavens and that the heavenly gods lived in the 9th Heaven. The symbolism of the number "9" was widely used in the construction of the Temple of Heaven. For example, the center of the upper tier of the “Altar of Heaven” is a round stone surrounded by 9 rings of fan-shaped stones. The first inner ring has 9 stones, the second - 18, the last outer - 81. Each tier of the altar is connected to the other by 9 steps.

Numerical symbolism was also widely used during the construction of the “Hall of Harvest Prayers”, only unlike the “Altar of Heaven” there are even numbers here, which is associated with the annual agricultural and time cycles. 28 massive support pillars made of phoebe wood support the structure of the building, placed in 3 rows. The 12 pillars of the outer row symbolize the 12 time periods of the day; The 12 pillars of the middle row represent 12 months, and together these 24 pillars symbolize the 24 seasons of the annual agricultural cycle. 4 load-bearing support pillars of the inner row symbolize the 4 seasons.
The color scheme of the architectural ensemble of the Temple of Heaven is also symbolic. The yellow color symbolizes the Earth, blue - the Sky, therefore all shades of blue are widely represented in the decoration of the Temple of Heaven. The roofs of the “Hall of the Heavenly Vault” and the “Hall of Harvest Prayers” are decorated with blue glazed tiles.
More than 60 thousand cypress trees were planted on the territory of the temple ensemble, more than 4000 of them have a 100-year history. Arrays of evergreen pines and cypresses, snow-white terraces, carved stone railings, azure sky and blue roofs create a solemn and sacred atmosphere worthy of a ritual of sacrifice to Heaven.
In UNESCO's recognition of the significance of this historical and cultural monument, the following three points are especially emphasized. Firstly, the Temple of Heaven is an outstanding work of architecture and landscape art, a visual and vivid embodiment of the most important cosmogonic ideas that influenced the development of one of the greatest civilizations in the world. Secondly, the symbolism of the spatial layout and architectural design of the buildings of the Temple of Heaven ensemble for many centuries had a profound influence on the principles and character of the architecture of the entire region Far East. Thirdly, the Temple of Heaven, due to its unique design features and spatial layout, served as a symbol of the “legitimacy” of the feudal dynastic rule that dominated China for more than two millennia.

As you know, the list of the most famous ancient attractions of ancient culture includes only seven wonders. But we plucked up courage and included three more buildings in it that, in our opinion, are worthy of your attention. So.

Ajanta or Ajanta Caves is a Buddhist temple and monastery complex located near the village of the same name, 100 km northeast of the city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra state, India. It was discovered in 1839. It is a horseshoe-shaped cliff, in which, starting from the 2nd century BC. e. to the 5th century AD e. 30 (according to other sources 29) caves with columns, Buddha statues and world-famous wall paintings reflecting the life of India of that era were carved. This painting, illustrating Buddhist legends and myths, is not only a work of art, but also a valuable historical source of knowledge about those times.

Newgrange

Newgrange is an ancient structure made of huge blocks of stone, one of the largest and oldest corridor tombs, built by man approximately between 3000 BC. e. - 2500 BC e. (older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and probably Stonehenge). Located 40.2 km north of the city of Dublin, approximately one kilometer north of the River Boyne, County Meath, Ireland. The height of the mound is 13.5 meters, diameter is 85 meters. Ancient people built it from 200,000 tons of stone, wood and earth. It is a large round mound inside, which contains a 19-meter stone corridor leading to the burial chamber. Included in the list of the most mysterious attractions in the world.

Derinkuyu

Derinkuyu - ancient multi-level underground city, located near the city of the same name in the province of Nevsehir, Türkiye. It was built in the II-I millennium BC. e. Discovered in 1963. The underground city reaches a depth of 60 meters and in ancient times could shelter up to 20 thousand people along with food and livestock. Here people hid for centuries from raids by nomads, religious persecution and other dangers. Although the Derinkuyu underground city was intended as a temporary shelter, its scale is impressive. It includes numerous wine cellars, stables, cellars, warehouses, refectories, chapels, numerous ventilation ducts, and a complex network of tunnels and corridors.

7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Alexandria Lighthouse- a lighthouse built according to the design of the architect Sostratus of Knidus approximately in 279-280. BC e. on the island of Pharos, near Alexandria in Egypt, so that ships could safely pass the reefs on their way to Alexandria Bay. According to estimates, its light was visible at a distance of 51 km (according to other sources, up to 83 km). It is assumed that the Alexandria Lighthouse was about 115–120 meters high and at that time was the tallest building in the world. In the 14th century, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake, and in its place, by order of the then Sultan of Egypt Qaitbay (1416/1418–1496), the Qait Bay fortress was erected, which today is maritime museum.

The Colossus of Rhodes is a bronze statue of the ancient Greek sun god Helios built between 292 BC. e. - 280 BC e. in the harbor of the port city of Rhodes on the island of the same name in the Aegean Sea in Greece. It was built according to the design of the architect Chares, a student of Lysippos, in honor of the victory of the inhabitants of Rhodes over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I One-Eye, who, together with his son and an army of 40,000 people, unsuccessfully besieged the city in 305 BC. The height of the statue is about 30 meters. It stood on a 10-meter pedestal and weighed, according to various estimates, from 30 to 70 tons. Compared to other wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes “lived” a short life. About 50 years after its creation, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake and melted down.

In fifth place on the list is the “Mausoleum at Halicarnassus” - a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC. e. in Halicarnassus (modern city of Bodrum, Turkey) for the king of Caria Mausolus and his sister-wife Artemisia III. Famous craftsmen were involved in the construction and decoration of the tomb, including the famous sculptors Skopas, Briaxides, Timotheos and Leochares. The tomb of Mausolus was a majestic and unusually shaped building, built of brick and lined with white marble inside and out. The 45-meter-high mausoleum in Halicarnassus stood for approximately 19 centuries, but collapsed in the 13th century due to a strong earthquake.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia is an ancient Greek statue of Zeus that was located in the center of the temple of the same name at Olympia on the Peloponnese Peninsula. It was erected in the 5th century BC by the ancient Greek sculptor and architect Phidias. The statue of the god reached 12–13 meters in height and was made of wood (according to some sources, cedar, according to others, ebony). On this wooden base, with the help of bronze and iron nails and special hooks, parts made of ivory, gold and precious stones were attached. The circumstances surrounding the possible destruction of the statue are unknown. According to information from the Byzantine historian George Kedrin, it was transported to Constantinople, where it burned down during a fire in 476.

Temple of Artemis of Ephesus - greek temple, located in the city of Ephesus, Asia Minor (near modern city Selcuk, Türkiye). It was dedicated to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. Temple built in the middle of the 6th century BC. e, was a rectangular building 105 meters long and 51 meters wide, consisting of marble and wood, and surrounded on all sides by a double row of 127 columns, the height of which was 18 meters. Throughout its existence, it was rebuilt three times until July 21, 356 BC. e. was not set on fire by Herostratus, a resident of Ephesus who dreamed of becoming famous at any cost.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, more correctly called the Hanging Gardens of Amytis, is the only one of the seven wonders of the world whose location has not been definitively established. It is assumed that hanging gardens were built around 575 BC. e. V ancient city Babylon (near the modern city of Hilla, in Iraq), by King Nebuchadnezzar II, for his wife Amytis, who missed the forests of her homeland. They are a pyramid consisting of four tiers-platforms supported by columns up to 25 m high. On these tiers a thick carpet lay fertile soil, where seeds of various herbs, flowers, shrubs, and trees native to Media were planted. The pyramid resembled an ever-blooming green hill. However, after in 331 BC. e. The troops of Alexander the Great captured Babylon, and the great commander himself died, the city gradually fell into decay. The gardens were abandoned and eventually destroyed.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest among Egyptian pyramids, the only one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" to survive to this day, and one of the most famous tombs in the world. The pyramid is located on the west bank of the Nile in Egypt on the Giza plateau, in close proximity to the famous “Great Sphinx”. The lion's share of Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built around 2560 BC. e. and is a tomb Egyptian pharaoh IV dynasty of Khufu (Cheops). It is believed that it was designed by the architect Hemion, the nephew of Cheops. Initially, the pyramid had a height of 146.5 m, but as a result of erosion, today its height is 138.75 m. The total weight of the pyramid is estimated at about 6.25 million tons, the area is ≈ 85,000 m².

Share on social media networks

Submitting your good work to the knowledge base is easy. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/

in the history of architecture

ARCHITECTURE OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

2. Egyptian architecture

3. Architecture of Mesopotamia

4. Acropolis

Application

1. Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age architecture

The origin of architecture dates back to the era of the primitive communal system in the late Paleolithic era (about 10 thousand years BC), when the first artificially built dwellings and settlements arose.

The simplest techniques for organizing space based on a rectangle and a circle were mastered, and the development of structural systems with supports-walls or racks, conical, gable or flat beam coverings began.

Natural materials were used (wood, stone), and raw brick was made. All this was mastered by man before writing appeared. Primitive people preferred to use natural shelters - caves.

The construction of artificial caves in rocks became possible only with the advent of metal tools.

To prevent ceiling collapses when excavating weak and layered rocks, caves were given a pointed shape.

This outline, more or less regular, is given to a large number of artificial caves. With the transition to a sedentary lifestyle, the first buildings appear.

During the Paleolithic era, people developed new skills, and their homes improved accordingly.

The reason for improvement was also climate change, which required more sustainable housing and tools.

In the first half of 3 thousand BC. e. matriarchy begins, in the second half of 2 thousand BC. e. patriarchy comes and with it monumental architecture appears, megalithic architecture/menhir - 1 stone, dolmen - 2, covered with a third, cromlech - formation, a row of stones. For example, Stonehenge, 17th century BC. e.

2. Egyptian architecture

The creation of a powerful centralized state under the rule of the pharaoh, who is considered the son of the god Ra, also dictated the main type of architectural structure - the tomb, which by external means conveys the idea of ​​​​his divinity. Egypt reached its highest growth under the rulers of the 3rd and 4th dynasties. The largest royal tombs-pyramids are being created, the structures of which were worked on for decades not only by slaves, but also by peasants. This historical period is often called the “time of the pyramids.”

One of the earliest monuments of monumental stone architecture is the ensemble of funerary structures of the III dynasty pharaoh Djoser. It was erected under the direction of the Egyptian architect Imhotep. Abandoning the traditional mastaba form, Imhotep settled on a pyramid with a rectangular base, consisting of six steps. Step pyramids were also built by other pharaohs of the III dynasty (pyramids in Medum and Dahshur), one of them has diamond-shaped contours.

The idea of ​​a pyramid tomb found its perfect expression in the tombs built in Giza for the pharaohs of the IV dynasty - Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin. The largest of them was created by the architect Hemiun for Pharaoh Cheops. At each pyramid, a temple was built, the entrance to which was located on the banks of the Nile and was connected to the temple by a long covered corridor. Around the pyramids there were mastabas in rows. The pyramid of Mikerin remained unfinished and was completed by the son of the pharaoh not from stone blocks, but from brick.

Towards the end of the Old Kingdom period, a new type of building appeared - the solar temple. It was built on a hill and surrounded by a wall. In the center of a spacious courtyard with chapels, they placed a colossal stone obelisk with a gilded copper top and a huge altar at the foot. The most famous is the temple of Niusirra in Abydos.

In the era of the Middle Kingdom, the idea of ​​equality after death arose, which was immediately reflected in the technical side of the cult of the dead. It has become very simplified. Scale-type tombs have become unnecessary luxury.

To ensure eternal life, one stele was enough - a stone slab on which magical texts and everything that the deceased needed in the afterlife were written. However, the pharaohs continued to build tombs in the form of pyramids, but their sizes were significantly reduced, the material for construction was not two-ton blocks, but raw brick, and the method of masonry also changed. The basis consisted of eight capital stone walls, radiating radii from the center of the pyramid to its corners and the middle of each side. Eight other walls extended from these walls at an angle of 45 degrees, and the gaps between them were filled with fragments of stone, sand, and brick.

The top of the pyramid was lined with limestone slabs, connected to each other with wooden fasteners.

Just as in the Old Kingdom, the upper mortuary temple was adjacent to the eastern side of the pyramid, from which there was a covered passage to the temple in the valley. Currently, these pyramids are piles of ruins. Along with the pyramids, a new type of funerary structure appeared, combining the traditional pyramid shape and a rock tomb. The most significant of these monuments was the tomb of King Mentuhotep II at Deir el-Bahri. Its foundation was a natural rock. A significant structure from the Middle Kingdom era is the funeral complex of Pharaoh Amenemhat III in Hawara. The pyramid is made of brick and lined with limestone, the burial chamber is carved from a single block of polished yellow quartzite. The mortuary temple at the pyramid became especially famous. This temple went down in cultural history as a labyrinth. The construction of temples was carried out in three main directions: ground, rock and half-rock were erected temple complexes.

The above-ground temples were an elongated rectangle surrounded by a high massive wall, to the gate of which a wide road led from the Nile, decorated on both sides with statues of sphinxes. The entrance to the temple was decorated with a pylon. The entrance led into an open, colonnaded courtyard ending in a portico built slightly above the level of the courtyard. In the center of the courtyard there was a sacrificial stone. Behind the portico there was a hypostyle, and behind it, in the depths of the temple, there was a chapel, consisting of several rooms.

Both temples of Amon in Thebes - Karnak and Luxor - belong to this type of temple. The rock temple complexes are shaped like an inverted “T”. The facade of the temple was carved out of the outer part of the rock, all other rooms went deeper. An example of a temple of this type is the Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel. The ensemble consists of two buildings: Great Temple and Maly. The big one was dedicated to the pharaoh and three gods: Amon, Ra, and Ptah. The small one was erected in honor of the goddess Hathor, whose image coincided with the image of Ramses II’s wife Nefertari.

An example of semi-rock mortuary temple may serve as the temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri. It was a combination of three cubes placed on top of each other. The design of the facades was based on alternating the horizontals of the terraces with the verticals of the colonnades.

In the lower tier there was a portico, occupying the entire length of the eastern wall and divided in the middle by a ramp. A staircase led to the second terrace, visually being a continuation of the ramp.

3. Architecture of Mesopotamia

In ancient Mesopotamia, due to the lack of local stone and wood, the main building material was raw brick, from which both mass housing and monumental structures were erected. Burnt brick has also been known since ancient times, but it was rarely used, mainly as a facing material. Bitumen (mountain tar) was widely used as a binder and waterproofing material. Local wood (palm) and imported wood (cedar, pine) were highly valued and were mainly used for ceilings, door and window parts, and for decoration. The shortage of wood and the absence of high-strength stones largely determined the widespread development of vaulted structures, which apparently appeared in Mesopotamia earlier than in other countries. Since ancient times, “false” vaults have been built, but already in the 3rd millennium BC. e. (royal tombs of Ur), along with false ones, there are spacer vaults.

Burnt brick was used mainly in the construction of palaces, temples and especially important defense structures. The combination of a brick base and stone cladding in the construction of walls is one of the most important features of Assyro-Babylonian building art. In Assyria and New Babylon, Mesopotamian arched-vaulted structures continue to develop.

The vaults covered relatively small spans. Wooden beam flooring remained the main type of flooring for residential premises. Noticeable progress in the development of building structures was observed in Ancient Iran in the use of post-beam systems, but especially in vault construction.

4. Acropolis architecture structural construction

The sacred road leads to the Propylaea, which has 5 passages and in ancient times was flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. In the left, protruding wing, the Pinakothek was located, and in the right there was a storage room for manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and watchmen. To the right of the Propylaea stands a small, light and graceful Ionic temple dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory, architect Kallikrates). After the participants of the procession passed the Propylaea, a panorama of the central part of the complex opened in front of them. In the foreground stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias.

Behind it, the Erechtheion was visible in the distance. The temple has an asymmetrical Plan, unique in Greek architecture, its three porticos are located at different levels: on the western side - the Portico leading to the Temple of Athena Polyada (City), on the northern side - the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple - the famous Portico of the Caryatids . The Erechtheion contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (temple of Athena the Virgin, architect Ictinus with the participation of Kallicrates), which is a Doric peripterus. The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters.

In the temple itself there was a statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) by Phidias. The pediments contained sculptural groups depicting the most significant events in the cult of Athena. The metope reliefs along the perimeter of the building depicted scenes of mythological battles. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted.

The open area of ​​the Acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. The temple and theater of Dionysus (VI century BC - rebuilt in 326), the Odeon of Pericles (an indoor round building for musical competitions) (2nd half of the 5th century BC) adjoined the northwestern slope of the Acropolis. ), Theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), Sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoa (Porticus) of Eumenes.

Application

Rice. - Acropolis of Athens:

Posted on Allbest.ru

Similar documents

Review of megalithic structures Ancient World. Menhirs and their probable purpose. Cromlech at Stonehenge. Scientists' assumptions about the appearance of dolmens in the Western Caucasus. Their architecture, construction features. Ritual features in their design.

abstract, added 01/11/2015


Funeral structures of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and nobles of the Old Kingdom era. The heyday of ancient Egyptian architecture. The Great Gallery and the Queen's Chambers. Internal structure of the Medum pyramid. Stages of construction of the pyramid of Cheops, Khafre, Mikerin.

abstract, added 01/16/2014


Sacred, religious and holy buildings. Styles of temple architecture. Eastern school of religious architecture. Architecture of Ancient China. Religions that left their mark on Chinese architecture. The main historical stages in the development of Chinese religious architecture.

abstract, added 05/25/2012


Brief excursion into history. Architecture of Kyiv, ancient Novgorod, Vladimir, Moscow. The architectural structures of early Christian Rus' were predominantly wooden. This was explained by pre-Christian building traditions and the material was the cheapest.

abstract, added 06/09/2005


Architecture of the Middle Ages, Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Modern times. Study of the construction secrets of ancient architects. Theory of proportions by A. Thiersch. Mathematical and rounded values ​​of Corbusier's Modulor system number series in the metric system.

abstract, added 12/12/2013


Stages of development of Roman architecture. Improving arch construction techniques, active construction of aqueducts and bridges. Widespread use of concrete, new types of buildings. The type of monumental structure is a triumphal arch. Roman engineering skills.

presentation, added 04/06/2012


The concept of the forum in Ancient Rome as a square and market, which were the center of the cultural life of the city. Construction of a basilica on the forums. Components of the architectural ensemble of the forum (temples, merchants' shops, markets). The forums of Ancient Rome are architectural monuments.

abstract, added 10/17/2014


The development of hospitality, accommodation facilities in the Roman Empire, features of architectural structures and interior decoration of Ancient Rome. Technology of Roman wall painting. The Romans' understanding of their cultural mission. Fall of the Roman Empire.

test, added 07/31/2009


Construction of structures made of natural stone. Structures of Etruscan and early Roman architecture. The flourishing of Romanesque architecture in Italy in the 12th century. Development of realistic Gothic tendencies. Renaissance architecture. Baroque style and classicism.

abstract, added 03/11/2011


Features of the Mayan architectural style. Description of the structure of cities and the specifics of the culture of the Old Kingdom (classical period), late classical and May-Toltec periods. Expression of ancient Mayan history through works of art, architecture.

While people involved in construction and design celebrate their professional holiday - World Architecture Day, we will present the most interesting and unusual works of modern architects and their predecessors.

Habitat 67 Quarters, Montreal

The unique residential complex was built in 1967 for the Expo exhibition. The 354 houses connected to each other are not located in a random order, but so that all apartments receive maximum sunlight. The style of this object - brutalism, by the way, became popular in the USSR.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser projects

It is very difficult to choose just one work by this iconic architect, because they are all amazing in their own way. His “fairytale” style does not fall under any of the classical concepts - the great Austrian designed “good” and even “kind” houses. Here, for example, is an ordinary residential building, which everyone simply calls the Hundertwasser house. It is not surprising that the author of such architecture always wore different socks.

Ideal Palace, France

The unremarkable town of Hautrives was made famous by the local postman at the beginning of the 20th century. Ferdinand Cheval spent 33 years building his own palace from scrap materials - stones that he collected during work. Ferdinand had absolutely no understanding of the canons of architecture and used all the styles that he could see. Therefore, in the “Ideal Palace,” as the author himself called it, there are elements from the Ancient to Gaudi.

Lotus Temple, India

In 1986, one of the most unusual in the world was built in New Delhi. The giant marble lotus leaves look like they are about to bloom. They even created almost natural conditions for the flower - the temple, like a real lotus, rises out of the water. Although it is a religious building, there are no icons, frescoes or paintings inside: these attributes are not important in the Baha'i teachings.

Cologne Cathedral, Germany

A canonical example of Gothic, known far beyond the “architectural circles”. Of course, we will not describe the numerous details of the huge building. Let's limit ourselves to one fact: in 1880, when the next stage of construction was completed, the cathedral became the tallest building on the planet for four years - 157 meters. But even today, surrounded by low-rise buildings in the center of Cologne, the cathedral still looks impressive.

Burj Khalifa, UAE

In recent decades, the title of the tallest building in the world has literally been a challenge banner: now Taipei, now Kuala Lumpur. Of course, the Emirates could not pass up such a competition and decided to set their own record. Along the way, “” won in more than ten nominations, for example, as the owner of the fastest elevator and the highest nightclub (on the 144th floor).)

Temple of the Dancing God, India

The famous Indian temple of Brihadeshvara, which recently celebrated its millennium, is dedicated to Shiva. In total, there are 250 statues of this god inside the temple, and they all depict different poses of magical dance. Previously, the temple was also a fortress, therefore, in addition to elegant statues, there are also serious defensive structures. The ditches and walls guard the legendary riches that pilgrims have brought to Shiva for centuries.

Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing

The Olympic Games are an excellent chance for architects to make their dreams come true: the authorities do not skimp on bold and expensive projects. From the 2008 Olympics they got a stadium for 80,000 people with a completely unusual shape. Although it is not even the shape that is remarkable, but the construction of giant iron beams - the airy translucent structure can withstand an eight-magnitude earthquake.

Chrysler Building, New York

One of the best examples of Art Deco and the tallest skyscraper in the mid-20th century was built by order of the Chrysler automobile company. It became the tallest thanks to the irreconcilable rivalry of two architects: the author of this building, at the last moment before the completion of construction, agreed on the installation of a 40-meter spire, thereby overtaking the new Trump Building. And the unusual arches on the facades of the upper floors imitate car rims.

Capsule house, Japan

The combination of Japanese minimalism and love for new technologies gave the world a unique project - a capsule residential building. All modules (apartments and offices) in this building are completely replaceable and are attached to the metal base with just four bolts. Despite the visual flimsiness of such a system, there have been no accidents since its construction in 1974.

Ring houses, China

Unusual round fortress houses appeared a long time ago, but they stopped building only in the 1960s. Before this, housing was built on the principle of a closed system in many areas. The lack of land and the ability to defend together pushed people to settle in communes in several such houses. And the microclimate inside protected from heat and cold.

Southernmost Orthodox Church

This building is not distinguished by its design or size, but solely by the location where it is located. Not far from the Russian Antarctic station Bellingshausen, the wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was consecrated in 2004. And the logs for the church probably traveled the longest route in the history of construction materials logistics: Altai Mountains-Kaliningrad-Antarctica.

The most secret office building, USA

The most inaccessible in the world office building at the same time the biggest. This is the famous Pentagon - the building of the Ministry of Defense. The huge pentagonal building has 28 km of corridors, and the area of ​​all five floors is 604,000 sq.m. This giant was built in the 1940s, so a small incident arose: there are twice as many toilets in the building as necessary - separately for blacks, separately for whites. True, by the end of construction the old order was canceled and they didn’t even have time to hang signs.

Pool in the sky, Singapore

The three towers of the Marina Bay Sands hotel support a truly unique architectural structure - a huge platform shaped like a ship. On the “deck” there is a living garden and a giant swimming pool. By the way, the entire hotel design is officially approved by Feng Shui experts.

City on the Rock, Sri Lanka

The real fortress city was built by ancient architects on the steep 300-meter cliff of Sigiriya. King Kasapa I ordered his residence to be built at such a height for protection, but he did not forget about comfort. Covered terraces, benches for relaxation, trees and even an artificial pond made Sigiriya a luxury retreat. In addition to the official historical monuments, there is also an interesting tradition, so beloved by our compatriots: starting from the 7th century, guests of the palace left inscriptions on the rocks like “Vasya was here, 879,” only in verse.