Wondermondo informs you about the most interesting, beautiful, mysterious locations on Earth.

Currently described 320 landmarks.




Featured

Iran: Persepolis

Persepolis, map
Persepolis, map.
Gatis Pāvils, basing on Google Earth (2012), DigitalGlobe 2012, CC-BY-SA-3.0

If one compares Persepolis to the marvels of modern architecture it becomes clear: not that much has been achieved over the last 2500 years. The overall quality of the planning, construction and craftmanship in Persepolis is comparable to the achievements of modern architecture / construction with all its hordes of educated experts, computers and global experience.




Did you know?


  • Kalambo Falls
    Kalambo Falls.
    Worldtraveller, Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
    People have lived next to 221 - 235 m tall Kalambo Falls (Zambia) for several hundred thousand years!
  • Some 1,300 - 1,500 years ago in Ravan Chhaya rock shelter (India, Orissa) in tempera technique was painted a royal procession. Most likely this gap between two giant boulders was a hunting retreat for royal family.
  • One of the most amazing archaeological monuments in Polynesia is Me'ae Iipona (Marquesas Islands). This is beautiful, ancient shrine with 18 stone statues.
  • Landscape in Lut Desert, Iran
    Plain in Lut Desert. This is not Gandom Beryan but has similarities, including lack of life.
    ninara, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
    The hottest land surface in the world is Gandom Beryan plateau in Lut Desert (Iran). Soil temperature here reaches up to 71 ° C. This is enough to fry an egg.
  • People have been in Nanumanga Fire Caves (Tuvalu) in the past - there are marks of fire on the walls of the cave. The only problem - these caves are 37 - 46 m below the sea level!
  • When the primeval forest on the remote Rapa Iti island (French Polynesia) was eliminated, a terrible feud between the clans started. In the middle of 15th century the mountaintop fortress Morongo Uta was built. Soon after 13 more fortresses were built on the small island.
  • The largest known sinkhole in the world is Xiaozhai tiankeng in China. It is up to 662 m deep and 626 m wide pit with vertical walls. On the bottom grows unique forest.
  • Norfolk Pines in puppy Point, Norfolk Island
    Norfolk Pines, Puppy Point, Norfolk Island.
    thinboyfatter, Flickr / CC BY 2.0
    There exists only a small patch of the unique Norfolk Island subtropical rainforest. Norfolk Island is the only place in the world, where the giant Norfolk pine (Araucaria heterophylla) and the tallest tree fern in the world - the 20 m tall Cyathea brownii are met in nature.

Map of the described landmarks

Now the map shows only the "Rank 1" monuments, but, as you will dive into the map, there will appear more! More comfortable would be this map!

Articles

Waterfalls of Guyana

10 major waterfalls in Guyana, map

Few countries in the world have that many gorgeous waterfalls as Guyana. Here are located more than 300 major waterfalls and rapids as well as countless smaller falls.

Most tourists see just two of these falls - the breathtaking Kaieteur and much smaller Orinduik Falls.

Kaieteur
Kaieteur.
sorenriise, Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Other Guyanese falls are well hidden from occasional traveller. Well - this is 21st century - but in Guyana the pristine forest still covers most of the country and countless waterfalls are not available to hasty tourists and quite a few most likely have not been visited by anyone at all.

See also the list of 70 Guyanese waterfalls!

April 7, 2012


Country

Sudan

Jebel Barkal pyramids, Sudan
Jebel Barkal pyramids, Sudan. Photo by Bertramz, Wikimedia Commons, GNU FDL

Even after the independence of Southern Sudan, Sudan is an enormous country with amazing landmarks. But, alas, this is rather little known country. Unfortunately several parts of the country for decades are suffering from the warfare and there is little known about them.

Although Sudan has diverse landmarks, the unique archaeological heritage is overshadowing anything else. Sudan has been a cradle for several great cultures, each leaving interesting landmarks.

July 11, 2011


Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 2012 Gatis Pāvils  Last update: 16 May 2012

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