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Post by LaFille on Aug 12, 2006 4:50:02 GMT
Sydney Opera House House, Sydney Sydney, Australia Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on October 20, 1973, and the televised opening included fireworks and a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. This completely abstract landmark building, which does not reflect what we generally imagine an opera house to look like, architecturally put the continent of Australia on the world map. The ability to create abstract art only developed after the invention of photography in the late 19th century, when painters first began to experiment with an abstract, cubist interpretation of reality.
Sydney Opera House is one of the most distinctive and famous 20th-century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. Situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, with parkland to its south and close to the huge Sydney Harbour Bridge, the building and its surroundings have come to be an icon of Australia. To some, the sail-shaped, sectioned shells seem to show the many sailboats usually seen in the harbor. Thousands of tourists, mostly with little or no interest in opera itself, visit the impressive building every week just to experience it.
The opera house covers 1.8 hectares of land. It is 183 meters (600 ft) tall and about 120 meters (388 ft) wide at its widest point. It is supported on 580 concrete piers sunk up to 25 meters below sea level. Its power supply would meet the needs of a town of 25,000 people, and the power is distributed by 645 kilometers of electrical cable. The roofs are made of 1,056,000 self-cleaning, glazed white granite tiles from Sweden.
Sydney Opera House has some 1,000 rooms, including five theaters, five rehearsal studios, two main halls, four restaurants, six bars and several souvenir shops. Its interior is made of pink granite and wood. The five performance rooms in the opera house are: the Concert Hall, with 2,679 seats and the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world, with over 10,000 pipes; the Opera Theatre, with 1,547 seats; the Drama Theatre, with 544 seats; the Playhouse, which has 398 seats; and the Studio Theatre, with 364 seats.
In addition to many touring theater, ballet and musical productions, Sydney Opera House is the home of Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Sydney Opera House reflects Abstraction & Creativity! Great virtual tour at Sydney Opera House official website.
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Post by LaFille on Aug 12, 2006 4:52:06 GMT
The Taj Mahal, Agra, India The Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. This huge mausoleum mosque was built by Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, in memory of his beloved wife, a Persian princess born as Arjuman Bano Begum but known as Mumtaz Mahal. She was a significant influence in his life and in his policies, but died at age thirty-nine while giving birth to their fourteenth child in 1631. The ruler went into deep mourning. Her last wish to her husband was "to build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before." So Shah Jahan set about building this fairytale-like marvel of white marble, surrounded by formally laid-out walled gardens, The emperor, later buried in the Taj, was overthrown by his son and imprisoned in the nearby Great Red Fort for eight years, from which, it is said, he could see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The origin of the name "Taj Mahal" is not clear. Court histories from Shah Jehan's reign only call it the rauza (tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal. It is generally believed that "Taj Mahal" (usually translated as either "Crown Palace" or "Crown of the Palace") is an abbreviated version of her name. The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648, with some 20,000 workmen employed on it daily, who lived in a specially built small town next to it called “Mumtazabad” for the dead empress, now known as Taj Ganj. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia with the help of 1,000 elephants. The central dome is 57 meters, or 187 feet, high in the middle. A total of 28 beautiful stones were used: red sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli and sapphire from Sri Lanka, coal and cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna. The luminescent white marble was brought from far-off Makrana, Rajasthan. Nearly every surface of the entire complex has been decorated, and the exterior decorations are among the finest to be found in Mughal architecture of any period.
Unlike other Mughal tombs, the Taj Mahal gardens are all in front of the tomb and do not play any part in the background. Instead, the background is the sky. Since the tomb is set against a plain across a river, this background of eternal sky works its magic of colors that, through their reflection, subtly reflect on the white marble surface of the Taj Mahal, always changing its color and complexion. The composition of the forms and lines of the Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical. The colossal height of the tomb, along with its pyramidal appearance, fill it with grace and make it seem to float or soar.
The Taj Mahal is a great symbol of Love & Passion! Big, detailed photo gallery here.
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Post by LaFille on Aug 12, 2006 4:55:15 GMT
Timbuktu, Mali Founded in the 12th century, Timbuktu was one of the wealthiest places in the world, at the crossroads of four important caravan paths supplying the far-spread and powerful Arab world. One of world’s the first universities was founded here—the celebrated Islamic Sankore, where 20,000 students studied. Today, it remains a powerful myth and thus resembles an Ancient Wonder: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
The name Timbuktu, “Buktu’s well,” may come from a Tuareg woman named Buktu who dug a well where the city grew. Tales of Timbuktu's wealth prompted European exploration of the west coast of Africa. “Timbuktu” is often used to describe a place very far away or that may not even exist. In reality, it is a city in Mali on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, about eight miles from the Niger River.
By the 14th century, Timbuktu had became a major trade center and a hub of Islamic scholarship and culture. When the emperor Mansa Musa went on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he changed European and Arab perceptions about western Africa. Stopping in Cairo, Musa gave away so much gold that the local money market crashed. He built the Great Mosque and hired the Granada architect Abu Ishaq as Sahil to design the Sankore mosque, around which Sankore University grew.
By the 1450s, some 100,000 people lived here—a quarter of whom were scholars, many having studied in Egypt or Mecca. The city reached its peak between 1403 and 1591, when North African merchants traded salt, cloth and horses for gold and slaves. Leo Africanus, a Muslim from Granada, wrote about his visit in 1526, fueling European interest in the "city of gold." In 1591, Morocco captured Timbuktu and soon arrested its scholars for being disloyal, killing some and exiling others. Even more devastating were the attacks by Bambara, Fulani, and Tuareg warriors, which the occupying Moroccan troops could not stop.
In 1788, a group of Englishmen formed the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa, primarily to discover the source of the Niger and reach Timbuktu. Most famous of the failures was Mungo Park, who was robbed, tortured, and then drowned. In 1824, the Geographical Society of Paris offered a reward to the first European to visit Timbuktu and return alive. The Scottish explorer Gordon Laing succeeded in 1826, but was murdered two days after leaving the city. Timbuktu was captured in 1894 by the French, who partly restored the city. In 1960, it became part of the independent Republic of Mali.
Timbuktu stands for Intellect & Mysticism! Pictures and information at the Timbuktu Heritage Foundation website.
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Post by Galadriel on Aug 15, 2006 21:42:43 GMT
Of course, my favo wonder is Stonehenge, no doubt about that! ;D Nice topic Fille! Too bad you can't see the last pics of the buildings.
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Post by LaFille on Aug 16, 2006 3:32:32 GMT
Heh, I'm on my way. But I'm slow, so they only come gradually. ;D I'll have them all pics and links posted though. Stonehenge; I knew, I knew, I knew!! ;D
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Post by Shan on Aug 17, 2006 0:17:11 GMT
Hey, Ky, I think any of us could have guessed your favorite. That one is pretty obivious. ;D
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Post by Shan on Aug 17, 2006 0:22:06 GMT
Fille, great topic.
I don't know if I find any of them as impressive as the some of the ancient wonders though.
I do like the Coloseum in Rome and the statues on Easter Island.
I am anxious to see the pics for the rest of them though, because there are several that I have heard of but never seen pictures of.
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Post by LaFille on Aug 17, 2006 4:41:18 GMT
I added 8 other pics & references. The thing with doing that is that I could be hanged in front of my screen sneaking in these resources for hours quite without noticing it. ;D Your turn now... Some of the choices are weird to me; I would really have loved to find the list of the initial 77 candidates, but I didn't find it yet. Me, among my favorite stand out especially Petra (big impression on me, that one), Machu Picchu and Angkor. (Erm, do we see a pattern here? ;D) I find some of them as impressive if not more than some ancient wonders, for my part. But it's hard to compare since we judge them according to different values, both when comparing the ancient and potentially new ones and in choosing among the 21 here; the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Christ the Redeemer and the Statue of Liberty are huge symbols, much more known than maybe, say, Angkor, (at least in Occident) but this one stands out way more than them in terms of 'grandeur' & unicity. It's also hard because of the different periods in history from which they come from; how to compare the Opera House with the pyramids at Gizah. I find them all great, in the many different ways that give them their status. To choose the greatests is hard, but it's interesting and makes us discover a bit more of the world and time. It's nice that there is the World Heritage list from the UNESCO, besides; they're all there and there's no number limit. ;D
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Post by Shan on Aug 17, 2006 23:34:52 GMT
I don't know about you fille, but I just don't see the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Christ the Redeemer and the Statue of Liberty as falling into the category as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Sure they are well known but are they truely that great, great enough to be classified as one of the 7 Wonders of the World?
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Post by Shan on Aug 17, 2006 23:55:49 GMT
Hmmmmm, I think I see the patter you are talking about. Those are 3 of my favorites also. I see them falling into the 7 Wonders of the World category alot more than the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, etc. To me they are truly wonders of the world, where the others are just well known to the world. Great work Fille. I am really glad you decided to do this. I know it has been a tremengous undertaking, but I have enjoyed what you have done immensely. Your hard work is greatly appreciate.
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Post by LaFille on Aug 18, 2006 4:26:02 GMT
Done and done, yay for me! ;D All pics and links are there, now. Thanks, Shan. I'm glad you like it. I'm with you on the Eiffel tower, Statue of Liberty, Christ Redeemer and so. For my part, maybe it's because they're too young, that I don't see the prowesses/grandeur (except maybe in the case of the Opera House) as much, or that I don't think they're made to last as long as others do... And besides, the older, more exotic ones stimulate dreams more. Who knows, maybe in the new new 7 wonders in a couple of millenias they'll score better. ;D My choices... I'd go for Petra, Machu Picchu, Angkor, the Taj Mahal (first time I was seeing pics of the interior and so... it's awesome) for sure... but for the 3 others, I'd be torn between the pyramids, Stonehenge, Neuschwanstein Castle, the Alhambra, Easter Island... the Hagia Sofia, Kiyomizudera, and Acropolis are hard to ditch as well... ;D
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Post by LaFille on Aug 19, 2006 1:32:36 GMT
Shan found the 77 initial candidates; yay for Shan, thanks! Here is the list! (.pdf file)
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Post by Shan on Aug 19, 2006 2:46:19 GMT
My picks at the moment for the New 7 Wonders of the World are: Petra, Jordan --- Machu Picchu, Peru --- The Colosseum, Rome, Italy --- The Pyramids at Giza, Egypt --- Angkor, Cambodia --- Easter Island, Chile --- The Acropolis of Athens, Greece These may change as I think more about them. The Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty and Christ Redeemer Statue are definitely out. I saw some in the list of 77 that deserve to be in the final 21 alot more. (at least to me they did )
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Post by Gray Lensman on Aug 19, 2006 2:55:37 GMT
Really hard call for me. There are quite a few really good candidates here. The two that come out most strongly to me are the Pyramids and the Great Wall. After that, I'd probably lean to Machu Picchu, the Acropolis, Easter Island, Stonehenge, and Petra. That said, I also like the Colosseum and Hagia Sophia, and I have rather a soft spot for the Alhambra and Neuschwanstein Castle. Tough one for me overall, though. Kind of makes you appreciate the craftsmanship of many of the early cultures when you look at the list.
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Post by winlok on Aug 19, 2006 2:57:05 GMT
My picks at the moment for the New 7 Wonders of the World are: Petra, Jordan --- Machu Picchu, Peru --- The Colosseum, Rome, Italy --- The Pyramids at Giza, Egypt --- Angkor, Cambodia --- Easter Island, Chile --- The Acropolis of Athens, Greece These may change as I think more about them. The Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty and Christ Redeemer Statue are definitely out. I saw some in the list of 77 that deserve to be in the final 21 alot more. (at least to me they did ) Normally I would agree Shan that a lot of those structures are popular, so shouldn't be included. However the sheer magnatude and majesty of those structures has my vote I'm afraid.
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Post by Shan on Aug 19, 2006 3:17:27 GMT
ah, come on wins. not the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. They don't qualify for Wonders of the World. Sure they are popular tourist attractions but Wonders of the World. No way.
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Post by Shan on Aug 19, 2006 3:21:41 GMT
there are others that i would like to add to my list also. there are some very hard choices there, so if anybody sees me change on in my list, don't be shocked. i reserve the right to change my mind maybe even 2 or 3 time or more. ;D
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Post by Gray Lensman on Aug 19, 2006 3:28:47 GMT
It is a lady's prerogative, Shan. ;D
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Post by Galadriel on Aug 20, 2006 0:57:13 GMT
The topic looks great Fille! I love the pictures and how come Stonehenge is so obvious for you guys?? ;D
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Post by LaFille on Aug 21, 2006 1:34:19 GMT
Hehe, Gal, put that on our, erm, exceptional intuition... ? ;D But apart from Stonehenge, what are your picks? Curious. Shan and Steve have patterns too! And Shan, you won't be alone to change your mind a few times. Win, I'm sure you're not the only one that would keep these in your vote. They are great icons of culture and these people, so I guess votes can be based on that criteria as well. For my part, I really went on the values of the elements in themselves rather than the importance of the people that built it, their portrayal, but that's just me. I think that's also why I didn't place the Colosseum in my first choices, for example. I don't know, it doesn't look as impressive, to me. The mysteries around the Easter Island put aside, I think it wouldn't remain in my choices, though. The Taj Mahal is not necessarily great by its dimensions or physical prowesses beside the others, but I really choose it for its beauty. Same goes for Neuschwanstein Castle and the Alhambra. I had forgotten the Great Wall of China, though; this one is in my top picks too.
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