Santorini is an island located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's main land.It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera.
It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi) and a 2001 census population of 13,670.
The municipality of Thera includes an additional 12 local subdivisions on Santorini island: Akrotiri, Emporio, Episkopis Gonia, Exo Gonia, Imerovigli, Karterakos, Megalohori, Mesaria, Pyrgos Kallistis, Thera (the seat of the municipality), Vothon, and Vourvoulos.
It is the most active volcanic center in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera.
The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago.
Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements, on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon, which measures about 12 by 7 km (7.5 by 4.3 mi), is surrounded by 300 m (980 ft) high, steep cliffs on three sides. The main island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea.
The water in the center of the lagoon is nearly 400 m (1,300 ft) deep, thus making it a safe harbor for all kinds of shipping. The island's harbors all lie in the lagoon, and there are no ports on the perimeter of the island; the capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon.
The volcanic rocks present from the prior eruptions feature olivine and have a notably small presence of hornblende.
The State of the Vatican City is a walled enclave which is situated in Italy's capital, Rome.
It's the smallest country in the world by both population and area.
Its walls are 3.2 km long and they enclose a territory of about 0.44 square kilometers (110 acres). This makes Vatican City the smallest independent state in the world by area, and also the world's least populated.
Vatican City is the home of Popes and the Holy See.
The Vatican City was born upon a small portion of Rome. The name "Vatican" is very ancient. It's coming from the Latin Mons " Vaticanus ", which means Vatican Mount.
Upon the last population census Vatican City has about 900 citizens. Main attraction of this city is St-peters-square..which is shown below
Some of them live and/or work inside the Vatican's walls, others are Holy See's diplomats and work in embassies around the world. The whole citizenry consists of two groups: clergy and the Swiss Guard.
In 1984 Vatican City became UNESCO's World Heritage Site and it is the only one to consist of an entire state.
This small portion of land has very rich cultural significance.
Vatican Gardens spread upon more than half of its territory and are very famous for their beauty, fountains and sculptures.
The gardens cover approximately 23 hectares (57 acres) which is most of the Vatican Hill. Stone walls bound the area in the North, South and West.
Inside the Vatican City, are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world.
On the last Sunday of each month, the Vatican Museum is open to the public for free. This is extremely popular and it is common for people to wait in line for many hours..
I think you are also interested to visit this holy city...
The Colosseum is one of the most beautiful buildings of old Rome, but it had a bloodthirsty history. The Colosseum has experienced many earthquakes, but it still stands, not full anymore, in the centrum of Rome as a touristic site..
The largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators.
The Colosseum was built especially for spectacular events in 72 AD. It was built in 10 years.
The original Colosseum :
Shape:
The Colosseum has an oval shape. The name descends of the Latin word colosseus, what means: colossal. It is 49 m height and the outside walls have an outline of all most 537 m. Underground, there was a labyrinth of passages, dressing rooms, cages, cells and storage accommodations.
Events:
In the Colosseum regular events were hold . Gladiators fought each other on live and death, sometimes they had to fight agains animals. In the Colosseum, you could look at boxing-matches, archery-matches, chariot races and feminine fighters. There were also sea battles in which case the whole Colosseum was flooded. The last bloodthirsty event was in 523 A.D.
Arena :
The events took place in the arena. The floor was made of wood. There was sand on the that floor, so the blood could easiely be taken away. The word arena is descended of the Latin word for sand or beach.
Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London.
It is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock
tower in the world. and It celebrated its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009.
The clock tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of both London and England, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.
Tower :
The tower is founded on a 15-metre (49 ft) square raft, made of 3-metre (9.8 ft) thick concrete, at a depth of 4 metres (13 ft) below ground level.
The four clock dials are 55 metres (180 ft) above ground. the tower has no lift.
clock:
Dials:
The clock dials are big enough that the Clock Tower was once the largest four-faced clock in the world.
The dial of the Great Clock of Westminster. The hour hand is 2.7 metres (9 ft) long and the minute hand is 4.3 metres (14 ft) long.
The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin. The clock dials are set in an iron frame 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, supporting 312 pieces of opal glass, rather like a stained-glasswindow.
At the base of each clock dial in gilt letters is the Latin inscription:
" DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM "
Which means O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First?
Great bell :
The main bell, officially known as the Great Bell, is the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster. The bell is better known by the nickname Big Ben.
Since the tower was not yet finished, the bell was mounted in New Palace Yard. Cast in 1856, the first bell was transported to the tower on a trolley drawn by sixteen horses, with crowds cheering its progress.
Chimes:
Along with the Great Bell, the belfry houses four quarter bells which play the Westminster Quarters on the quarter hours. The four quarter bells are G♯, F♯, E, and B.
The Quarter Bells play a 20-chime sequence,
1–4 at quarter past,
5–12 at half past,
13–20 and 1–4 at quarter to, and
5–20 on the hour (which sounds 25 seconds before the main bell tolls the hour).
If you want to see this huge wonder arrange a trip to London.
