Japan - Tokyo - Tokyo Imperial Palace

Seimonbashi (West Gate Bridge) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan.

Sent by Daizo from Tokyo, Japan.

The Imperial Palace (皇居, Kōkyo; lit. 'Imperial Residence') is the main residence of the emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the Fukiage Palace (吹上御所, Fukiage gosho) where the emperor has his living quarters, the main palace (宮殿, Kyūden) where various ceremonies and receptions take place, some residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and administrative offices.

The 1.15-square-kilometer (0.44 sq mi) palace grounds and gardens are built on the site of the old Edo Castle.

After the capitulation of the shogunate and the Meiji Restoration, the inhabitants, including the Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, were required to vacate the premises of the Edo Castle. Leaving the Kyoto Imperial Palace on November 26, 1868, the Emperor arrived at the Edo Castle, made it to his new residence and renamed it to Tōkei Castle (東京城, Tōkei-jō). At this time, Tōkyō had also been called Tōkei. He left for Kyōto again, and after coming back on May 9, 1869, it was renamed to Imperial Castle (皇城, Kōjō) (read more).

China - Jiangsu Province - Suzhou City Wall

Suzhou City Wall.

Sent by Gengxu from Dalian, China.

The Suzhou City Wall was the city wall that once surrounded Suzhou, a major city in southeastern Jiangsu Province in eastern China.

The state of Wu is recorded fortifying its capital of Wu (modern Suzhou) in 514 BC. The original city wall had only one entrance, the Pan Gate. Most of the current fortifications date to around 1662, when they were rebuilt under the early Qing dynasty to repair damage from the conquest of the Ming. Most of the wall was demolished in 1958.

Before its demolition, the city wall was 15,204 m (49,882 ft) long. Today, only 2,072 m (6,798 ft) remain (read more).

Italy - Veneto - Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene

Conegliano.

Aerial view.

Sent by Alessia from Conegliano, Italy.

The Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene in northeast Italy is an area characterised by distinctive hogback morphological system which provides a distinctive mountain character with scenic vistas, and an organically evolved and continuing landscape comprised of vineyards, forests, small villages and agriculture. For centuries, the harsh terrain has both shaped and been adapted by distinctive land use practices. They include the land and soil conservation techniques that comprise the viticultural practices using Glera grapes to produce the highest quality Prosecco wine. Since the 17th century, the use of the ciglioni – the patterned use of grassy terraces used to cultivate areas with steep slopes – has created a distinctive chequerboard pattern with rows parallel and vertical to the slopes. In the 19th century, the specific training of the vines known as bellussera, was developed by local farmers, contributing to the aesthetic characteristics of the landscape. The mosaic appearance of the landscape is a result of historical and ongoing environmental and land use practices. The plots dedicated to vineyards, established on ciglioni, coexist with forest patches, small woodlands, hedges, and rows of trees that serve as corridors connecting different habitats. In the hogbacks, small villages are scattered along the narrow valleys or perched on the crests.

The Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene is a viticulture landscape resulting from the interaction of nature and people over several centuries. The adaptation and transformation of the challenging terrain of the hogback geomorphology has required the development of specific land use practices, including: vineyard management by hand on steep slopes; the grassy terraces known as ciglioni, which follow the contours of the land, stabilising the soils and vineyards; and the bellussera training system which was developed in the area about 1880. As a result, the vineyards contribute to a distinctive ‘chequerboard’ appearance with perpendicular rows of high vines, interspersed with rural settlements, forests and small woods. Despite many changes, the history of sharecropping in this area is also reflected in the landscape patterns (read more).

Germany - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Koloss von Prora

Rügen Island - Koloss von Prora (Colossus of Prora).

Sent by Theodore from Oldenburg, Germany.

The Colossus of Prora, commonly known as simply "Prora", is a building complex in the municipality of Binz on the island of Rügen, Germany. It was built by Nazi Germany between 1936 and 1939 as part of the Strength Through Joy (Kraft durch Freude or KdF) project. It consisted of eight identical buildings and was 4.5 km  (2

+3⁄4 mi) in length parallel to the beach, with the surviving structures stretching 3.0 km (1+7⁄8 mi).

Although the buildings were planned as a holiday resort, construction was not completed, and they were not used for this purpose. Prora, as it was known, was however used largely by the Nazi Party for propaganda, with the supposed strength and power displayed in the construction effort of the complex likened by the party to that of themselves. After World War II, the complex found various military uses, first by the Soviet Army, then by the East German Volksarmee, and then by the German Bundeswehr. Today, it houses a large youth hostel, a hotel, and holiday apartments.

Prora lies on an extensive bay between the Sassnitz and Binz regions, known as the Prorer Wiek, on the narrow heath (the Prora) which separates the lagoon of the Kleiner Jasmunder Bodden from the Baltic Sea. The buildings extended over a length of 4.5 kilometres (2+3⁄4 mi) and are roughly 150 metres (160 yd) from the beach. The coast offers a long flat sand beach which stretches from Binz to the ferry port. This beach was thus an ideal location for the establishment of a seaside resort (read more).

Germany - North Rhine-Westphalia - Düsseldorf - Media Harbour

The Gehry Buildings in the Media Harbour and the Rheinturm (Rhine Tower) in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Sent by Jürgen from Düsseldorf, Germany.

Neuer Zollhof or Der Neue Zollhof (The New Zollhof, named after a former customs facility), located at Neuer Zollhof 2-6, Unterbilk, is a prominent landmark of Düsseldorf-Hafen, part of the redeveloped port of Düsseldorf, Germany.

The building complex consisting of three separate buildings, was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank O. Gehry and completed in 1998. Floorplans and facades of all three buildings curve and lean, reason for them being likened to leaning towers. The tallest building is 14 stories high and just under 50 m tall. Each building has a different facade cladding - the outer two in white plaster and red brick respectively; the central building's stainless steel facade reflects material and shapes of its two neighbour buildings.

The buildings have a total gross floor area of 29,000 square metres. A previous architectural design competition for the site was won by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid during the early 1990s, however never commissioned.

The buildings are also popular with tourists who visit the region (read more).

Germany - Saxony-Anhalt - Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg

Images of a statue of Martin Luther and various buildings in Wittenberg, which is also known as "Lutherstadt" (Luther City).

Sent by Klaus from Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

The Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg, located in the State of Saxony-Anhalt in the centre of Germany, are associated with the lives of Martin Luther and his fellow-reformer Philipp Melanchthon. They include Melanchthon's house in Wittenberg, the houses in Eisleben where Luther was born (1483) and died (1546), his room in Wittenberg, the local church, and the castle church where, Luther posted his famous '95 Theses' on 31 October 1517, launching the Reformation and a new era in the religious and political history of the Western world.

As authentic settings of decisive events in the Reformation and the life of Martin Luther, the memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg have an outstanding significance for the political, cultural, and spiritual life of the Western world that extends far beyond German borders.

Criterion (iv): The Luther Memorials in Wittenberg and Eisleben are artistic monuments of high quality, with their furnishings conveying a vivid picture of a historic era of world and ecclesiastical importance.

Criterion (vi): The Luther Memorials in Wittenberg and Eisleben are of Outstanding Universal Value bearing unique testimony to the Protestant Reformation, one of the most significant events in the religious and political history of the world, and constitute exceptional examples of 19th-century historicism (read more).

USA - Wyoming - Yellowstone National Park (4) - Grand Prismatic Spring

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is a nearly 3,500-sq-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. Mostly in Wyoming, the park spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho, too. Yellowstone features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs, and gushing geysers. Pictured here is the World Famous Grand Prismatic Spring which is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world.

Sent by Lily from California, USA.

The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world, after Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand and Boiling Lake in Dominica. It is located in the Midway Geyser Basin.

Grand Prismatic Spring was noted by geologists working in the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871, and named by them for its striking coloration. Its colors match most of those seen in the rainbow dispersion of white light by an optical prism: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

The first records of the spring are from early European explorers and surveyors. In 1839, a group of four trappers from the American Fur Company crossed the Midway Geyser Basin and made note of a "boiling lake", most likely the Grand Prismatic Spring, with a diameter of 300 feet (90 m). In 1870 the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition visited the spring, noting a 50-foot (15 m) geyser nearby (later named Excelsior).

The bright, vivid colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats of thermophilic bacteria around the edges of the mineral-rich water. The mats produce colors ranging from green to red; the amount of color in the microbial mats depends on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids and on the temperature gradient in the runoff. In the summer, the mats tend to be orange and red, whereas in the winter the mats are usually dark green (read more).

Japan - Ōita Prefecture - Yufuin

Yufuin at daybreak.

Sent by Sakiko from Hyogo, Japan.

Yufuin (湯布院町, Yufuin-chō) was a town located in Ōita District, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. Yufuin is now a district (町) within the city of Yufu. Its elevation is approximately 400 meters above ground.

As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,342 and density of 88.77 persons per km². The total area was 127.77 km².

On October 1, 2005, Yufuin, along with the towns of Hasama and Shonai (all from Ōita District), was merged to create the city of Yufu. This controversial decision resulted in the recall of the mayor and a snap election in which he regained office.

Located in a green valley beneath the spectacular Mount Yufu (由布岳, Yufudake), a short walk from the town centre is a mix of paddy fields, housing and upmarket ryokan, with a few temples. Mount Yufu, or Yufu-dake, can be hiked in about 90 minutes. Although still connected to its rural roots, Yufuin is a tourist town and a popular destination for coach tours, especially among Korean, Chinese, Thai, and Taiwanese tourists. There is the picturesque Lake Kinrin and rivers flow down and across the valley. Some hotels have outdoor baths called rotenburo with a view of Mount Yufu (read more).

The Bahamas - The Flamingo of Bahamas

The Flamingos Of The Bahamas.

Sent by Melony from The Bahamas.

One of the Caribbean’s greatest conservation success stories began in the early 1950s, when ornithologist Robert Porter Allen, Audubon’s first director of research, arrived in the Bahamas’ southernmost islands to discover only a scant hundred or so flamingos—one of the last breeding colonies of American Flamingo. Thanks to the efforts of Allen and others, the Bahamian government preserved roughly half of Great Inagua as a national park, and the island’s flamingo population now tops 80,000—outnumbering human residents by more than 80 to 1 (read more).

Malaysia - Negeri Sembilan - State Museum

Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

State Museum.

Sent by myself during my three-day visit in Negeri Sembilan.

Negeri Sembilan State Museum is located at the Crafts & Cultural Handicraft Complex and is located along Jalan Sungai Ujong, Seremban. If you are in this state capital and is keen to learn more about the history of this state as well as appreciate the many artifects here, plan to spend an hour or so here.

Students of Malaysia history will appreciate this museum as the building itself was built using the Minangkabau architecture.

The building known as Teratak Pepatih Building was previously used as a location for the National Al-Quran Recitation Competition. Due to its Minangkabau architecture, it was renovated and officially declared as the new location of the state museum on 14 July 1986 (read more). 

Malaysia - Negeri Sembilan - Cape Rachado Lighthouse

Cape Rachado Lighthouse (Rumah Api Tanjung Tuan)

It is believed to be the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia. Named by the Portuguese, meaning Broken Cape, the lighthouse in an exclave of the state of Melaka, adjecent to the town of Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

The lighthouse was first built by the Portuguese in 15th century and later rebuilt by the Dutch. The present lighthouse was constructed in 1863, during Malacca's status as a British-ruled Straits Settlement, and remain active.

Sent by myself during my three-day visit in Negeri Sembilan. 

The Cape Rachado Lighthouse (Malay: Rumah Api Tanjung Tuan) is a lighthouse located at Cape Rachado (Malay: Tanjung Tuan), in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. The lighthouse is believed to be the oldest in the country, its history allegedly dating back to Portuguese rule of Malacca during the 16th century, although the present structure is a 19th-century construction.

The early history of the lighthouse remains largely unverified, with unofficial accounts by locals tracing the lighthouse's history back to a period following the conquest of Malacca by Portugal in 1511. The Portuguese government in Malacca vested interest in the construction of a lighthouse to guide its ships through the narrow Straits of Malacca, completing the first iteration of the structure on Cape Rachado (a name given by the Portuguese, meaning "Broken Cape") in the 16th century. Possession of the lighthouse was handed over to the Dutch VOC, alongside Malacca in entirety in 1641, and a second version of the building was claimed to have been built in 1817, during temporary rule by the British under William Farquhar, seven years before Malacca's total changeover to the British in 1824.

The present lighthouse was constructed in 1863, during Malacca's status as a British-ruled Straits Settlement, and remains active as of 2008. In 1990, a concrete tower was built by to the original lighthouse to house a MEASAT radar (read more).

Malaysia - Negeri Sembilan - Army Museum

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

Army Museum (Muzium Tentera Darat).

Sent by myself during my three-day visit in Negeri Sembilan.

Approximately a 20-minute drive from Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson, The Army Museum, which is also known as Muzium Tentera Darat or Army Museum PD by area residents, is located in the district of Sirusa. Being the one and only military museum in Malaysia, the Army Museum in Port Dickson is a major attraction for locals and tourists alike.

The Army Museum Port Dickson is also considered one of the most modern museums in the country and it won the Merit Award in the category of ‘Best Tourist Attraction on National Identity (Heritage) 2005/2006’ by Tourism Malaysia.

Approximately 12.6 kilometres away from Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson, the Army Museum Port Dickson is managed by Malaysian Royal Armed Forces. It houses the nation’s military achievements, memorabilia, uniforms and weapons throughout decades of history (read more).

China - Jiangsu - Nanjing Fuzimiao

The Confucius Temple.

Sent by superqq87 from China.

Nanjing Fuzimiao (Chinese: 南京夫子庙) or Fuzimiao (Chinese: 夫子庙; lit. 'Confucian Temple'), is a Confucius Temple and former site of imperial examination hall located in southern Nanjing City on banks of the Qinhuai River. It is now a popular tourist attraction with pedestrian shopping streets around the restored temple buildings.

Nanjing Confucius Temple is located in Qinhuai District, Nanjing City, on the north bank of the Qinhuai River Gongyuan Street, Jiangnan Gongyuan west, located in the Confucius temple Qinhuai scenery belt core area, namely Nanjing Confucius Temple, Nanjing Confucian Temple, Wenxuanwang Temple, for the place of worship and sacrifice of Confucius, It is the first national highest institution of learning in China, one of the four major temples of literature in China, the hub of ancient Chinese culture, the place where Nanking history and humanities gather and is not only the cultural and educational centre of Nanjing in the Ming and Qing dynasties but also the cultural and educational architectural complex that ranks first in the southeastern provinces.

In first year of Jianwu reign of the Jin dynasty (CE 317), Nanking Imperial University was founded, initially on northern bank of Qinhuai River, and in the third year of Xiankang (CE 337) the campus extended to southern bank. Temple of Confucius was firstly constructed in the national school in the ninth year of Taiyuan (CE 384). The place was later destroyed. It was destroyed by fire during the Jianyan years of the Southern Song dynasty. In the first year of Jingyou during the Song dynasty (CE 1034), Confucius Temple was newly constructed on former site of imperial university, and was called Fuzimiao area along with Nanking Fuxue. The place became Imperial University again in 1365 in the early year of the Ming dynasty, and sixteen years later recovered to be the campus of Fuxue. During the Qing dynasty, there were two Xianxue (county schools of Shangyuan and Jiangning) in Fuzimiao area. In the end of Qing a primary school jointly sponsored by counties of Nanjing (Jiangning Fu) was established there. The current buildings date from the 19th century, in the Qing dynasty, with additions made since then. The temple lost all financial support by the state as a result of the revolution of 1911. During the late 1920s to 1931 and again in 1932 it was used as army barracks for troops the KMT regime and left in a dilapidated state. Some halls were used as picture gallery. In 1985 Fuzimiao area was restored (read more).

Mexico - Sayulita

SAYULITA STREET VIEW

This street is a sample of the pictoresque and relaxed style of Sayulita.

Sent by Natalia from Fortín de las Flores, Mexico.

Sayulita is a small town in Mexico along the Pacific Ocean at the southern end of the state of Nayarit and north of Banderas Bay. It has a population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants.

According to information collected by the historian of Sayula, Jalisco, the name Sayulita was given by Mr. Don Lauro González Guerra to honour his hometown, Sayula. The word Sayulita is a diminutive of Sayula, which in Nahuatl comes from Tzaulan, meaning "place where flies abound," which in turn derives from zayolin, the Nahuatl word for fly.

Early inhabitants of Sayulita were drawn to the area to work on coconut palm ranches, where coconut oil was extracted from the palm species Attalea cohune. During the coconut oil boom, many people died of lung diseases caused by inhaling the dust that the coconuts gave off when split. The hacienda grew, and in addition to oil production, it soon became an important livestock emporium. In 1936, the livestock were sold and the land donated to the port workers with the intention to continue producing, leading to the formation of the Sayulita ejido (read more).

Malawi - Lilongwe

The prominent building with the red roof is the Old Town Mall, which is located in the Old City part of Lilongwe.

Sent by Emmanuel from Lilongwe, Malawi.

Lilongwe (UK: /lɪˈlɒŋweɪ/, US: /-wi, lɪˈlɔːŋweɪ/,) is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has a population of 989,318 as of the 2018 Census, up from a population of 674,448 in 2008. In 2020, that figure was 1,122,000. The city is located in the central region of Malawi, in the district of the same name, near the borders with Mozambique and Zambia, and it is an important economic and transportation hub for central Malawi. It is named after the Lilongwe River.

Lilongwe was first set up as a boma by the local leader Njewa around 1902, and later became an administrative centre in 1904. In the 1920s, its location at the junction of several major roadways increased its importance as an agricultural market centre for the fertile Central Region Plateau.

As a trading post, Lilongwe was officially recognized as a town in 1947. After gaining independence, it increasingly developed into an important trading centre in Malawi's central region.

In 1965, Malawi's first president, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, selected it as an economic growth point for northern and central Malawi.

Lilongwe became the capital of Malawi in 1975, replacing the previous capital, Zomba. The last government offices were relocated to Lilongwe in 2005.

Development projects of the 1970s and 1980s included the construction of Lilongwe International Airport, which serves the city; rail connections to Salima to the east and the Zambian border to the west; industrial areas in the northern part of the city; and an agricultural program for the fertile tobacco lands of the Central Region Plateau Lilongwe's population continues to experience rapid growth.

The city's population is increasing rapidly, with an annual growth rate of 4.3% (read more).

Japan - Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

Historic village of Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, during a winter snowfall. The houses shown are a type of traditional farmhouse known as gassho-zukuri.

Sent by Eiichi from Tokyo, Japan.

The Gassho-style houses found in the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are rare examples of their kind in Japan. Located in a river valley surrounded by the rugged high-mountain Chubu region of central Japan, these three villages were remote and isolated, and access to the area was difficult for a long period of time. The inscribed property comprises the villages of “Ogimachi” in the Shirakawa-go region, and “Ainokura” and “Suganuma” in the Gokayama region, all situated along the Sho River in Gifu and Toyama Prefectures. In response to the geographical and social background, a specific housing type evolved: rare examples of Gassho-style houses, a unique farmhouse style that makes use of highly rational structural systems evolved to adapt to the natural environment and site-specific social and economic circumstances in particular the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses have steeply-pitched thatched roofs and have been preserved in groups, many with their original outbuildings which permit the associated landscapes to remain intact. 

The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are outstanding examples of traditional human settlements that are perfectly adapted to their environment and their social and economic raison d’être (read more).

Philippines - Iloilo - Miag-ao Church

ILOILO, Miag-ao, Philippines

Miag-ao Church officially known as Santo Tomas de Villanueva is a prime example of Philippine rococo style. Church resembling fotress dates back to 1787 and is included in the UNESCO's wold heritage list as Baroque Churches of the Philippines (in 1993).

Sent by Justine from Central Luzon, Philippines.

Santo Tomás de Villanueva Parish Church, commonly known as Miagao Church, is a Roman Catholic church located in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Jaro. The church was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993, together with San Agustin Church in Manila; Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; and San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte under the collective title Baroque Churches of the Philippines, a collection of four Baroque Spanish-era churches.

Miagao was formerly a visita (a locality served by a visiting priest) of Oton until 1580, Tigbauan until 1592, San Joaquín until 1703 and Guimbal until 1731. It became an independent parish of the Augustinians in 1731 under the advocacy of Saint Thomas of Villanova. With the establishment of the parish, a church and convent was built on land near the sea called Ubos. Father Fernando Camporredondo served as the town's first parish priest in 1734. When the town experienced frequent Moro invasion in 1741 and 1754, the town moved to a more secure place. From there, a new church was constructed in 1787 through forced labor under the supervision of Fray Francisco Gonzales, parish priest and Spanish gobernadorcillo Domingo Libo-on. It was built on the highest point of the town to guard from invaders called Tacas. After ten years, the church was completed in 1797. It was designed with thick walls to serve as protection from invaders. It was severely damaged during the Spanish revolution in 1898 but was later rebuilt, fire in 1910, the second World War and earthquake in 1948. The present church is the third structure built since its establishment in 1731. To preserve the church, it underwent restoration in 1960. This was completed in 1962. The church was declared a national shrine by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree No. 260 on August 1, 1973 (read more).