Tag Archives: Construction

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

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Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

These facts are as grand as the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

  • The ‘Temple of Artemis at Ephesus’ is also known as the ‘Temple of Artemis’ and the ‘Temple of Artemis at Ephesos’, and it has also been referred to as the ‘Temple of Diana’.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was a temple built by the Ancient Greeks to honour and worship Artemis, the goddess of fertility, the hunt and moon.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus has a long history, and it is believed that in 700 BC a temple was erected on the site, and later, in approximately 550 BC, Chersiphron, an architect from Cretan, and his son Metagenes, designed and rebuilt a temple on the site, with the financial help of King Croesus (King Kroisos as he is also known) of Lydia.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was situated in the ancient city of Ephesus, which can be found near Selçuk, a town in modern Turkey.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was destroyed and rebuilt at least three times, notably damaged by a flood and by fire, and was finally torched by the Goths in 268 AD and was probably not fully rebuilt after that.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Ruins, Site, Turkey, Pole, Remains, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Ruins
Image courtesy of Dennis Jarvis/Flickr
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was larger the last time it was believed to be rebuilt in 323 BC, with the final temple measuring approximately 137 by 69 metres (450 by 226 feet) and as high as 18 metres (59 feet), with at least 127 columns.
  • The third Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is noted among the Seven Wonders of the World.
  • The remains of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus were first discovered in 1869, on a deliberate search by John Turtle Wood, who was originally an architect and engineer from Britain.
  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was made mostly of marble, with many sculptures of high relief throughout the temple, as well as carved columns.
  • Not only was the temple used to worship Artemis, it is believed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was also used as a marketplace.
Bibliography:
Temple of Artemis, 2011, Kusadasi.biz, http://www.kusadasi.biz/historical-places/temple-of-artemis.html
Temple of Artemis, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis

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Chichen Itza

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Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is positively ancient, but these facts are not.

  • Chichen Itza is an ancient capital city that was built by the Mayan Mexicans, and is now an archaeological site, located in Mexico’s Yucatán state, in America.
  • Chichen Itza sees approximately 1.2 million tourists annually, making it the second most popular site of archaeology in Mexico.
  • Chichen Itza was among the biggest cities in the Mayan empire, and it also had a high population rate.
  • The literal meaning of ‘Chichen Itza’ is ‘at the mouth of the well of the Itza’ in the Mayan language; known as ‘Chichén Itzá’ in Spanish.
  • Chichen Itza was settled in the early to mid 5th century AD and became the capital of the area in the 10th century.

Chichen Itza pyramid El Castillo seen through ruin, Mexico, Maya, Civilsation, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

El Castillo seen through the ruins
Image courtesy of Avery Studio/Flickr
  • Chichen Itza’s power started to decrease from 1250 AD, and by the end of 15th century the city was abandoned.
  • The main structures of the city of Chichen Itza are located on an area of five square kilometres (two square miles) or more, and other residential buildings spread out from this boundary.
  • Chichen Itza is the home of a large temple pyramid, named ‘El Castillo’, which depicts a snake shadow twice a year, and the city has many ancient ball courts, including the largest in the region, originally used for an ancient Mayan ball game.
  • Chichen Itza became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
  • Chichen Itza’s major water source came from two water-collecting sinkholes, natural wells, known as ‘cenotes’.
Bibliography:
Chichén Itzá, 2014, National Geographic, http://travel.nationalgeographic.com.au/travel/world-heritage/chichen-itza/
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza, 2014, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/483
Chichen Itza, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza

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Petra

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Awe-inspiring, ancient city… Petra

  • Petra is an ancient city fortress located in southern Jordan in the Middle East, on the side of the mountain Jebel al-Madhbah, in amongst valleys and hills.
  • ‘Petra’ is an Ancient Greek word meaning ‘rock’ or ‘stone’, and is also known as the ‘Rose city’, describing the rock colour that is best seen at sunrises or sunsets.
  • Petra was built in an area that was a significant city on the trade route and had a good supply of water all year round from a stream, and the city was well known for its ancient and unique water and farming systems.
  • Historically, Nabataean folk populated the city of Petra and made it their capital, and at its most populated, the city accommodated 20,000 people.
  • Petra is said to have been established around 600 BC, and was occupied at one stage by the Romans, and later, Arabs.

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City front
Image courtesy of Maureen/Flickr
  • Petra was struck by an earthquake that weakened the city’s structure near the end of the Roman reign, and afterwards many valuable items were stolen from the numerous city tombs.
  • Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and gained recognition as one the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.
  • As well as damage from tourism and earthquakes, Petra suffers from erosion, flooding, structure collapse and the like, which has caused much deterioration of the city.
  • The first Western explorer to record the discovery of Petra was from Switzerland, by the name of John Burckhardt, in 1812.
  • One of the entrances to the city of Petra, known as Al-Khazneh, the ‘treasury’, has the dimensions of 30 by 43 metres (98 by 141 feet), which looks like the front of a mansion.
Bibliography:
Petra, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra
Petra, n.d, Jordan, http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=63

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Chandelier

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Chandelier

An important addition to all spectacular homes: a chandelier.

  • Chandeliers are large decorative light fittings, usually able to hold multiple bulbs or candles, and are hung from ceilings.
  • ‘Chandelier’ comes from the old French word ‘chandelabre’, that has its origins in the word ‘candelabrum’, a Latin word meaning ‘candlestick’.
  • The first chandeliers were originally wooden cross-sections that held candles during the Middle Ages.
  • Chandeliers are typically used for decoration and luminescence, and add a feeling of luxury, although they are not so common as they once were one or two centuries ago.
  • The largest Bohemian crystal chandelier in existence today weighs 6 tonnes (4.5 tons) and was given to Dolmabahçe Palace in Turkey, by Queen Victoria in the 19th century, however, larger crystal chandeliers can be seen, including a Swarovski crystal one in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman, which is 8 metres wide and has a height of 14 metres.

Chandelier, Lights, Crystal, Glass, Shop, Many, Candles, Ten Random Facts, Glassware, Decoration, Hanging,

  • Chandeliers were historically made from wood, brass, iron and other metals, and glass and crystal were added to spectacularly disperse and reflect light throughout the room.
  • Chandeliers were originally only owned by the higher classes and were a symbol of wealth, and Dolmabahçe Palace in Turkey has one of the most extensive chandelier collections in the world.
  • Chandeliers were often powered by gas and electricity from the 1800s, and during that time, crystals were sometimes included.
  • Authentic chandeliers originating from the Middle Ages are quite rare, as most hung in churches and were destroyed in the 1500s due to the reformation.
  • Chandeliers have been produced in numerous different styles, and the largest chandelier in the world in 2010, called ‘Reflective Flow’ is a non-traditional chandelier that holds 165,000 LED lights, has a weight of 18, 000 kg (39, 683 lb), is 5.8 m (19 ft) tall, 12.5 m (41 ft) wide, and 38.5 m (126 ft 4 in) long, and hangs in the atrium of the Al Hitmi office building in Doha, Qatar.
Bibliography:
Chandelier, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandelier
History of Pendant Lamps – the Chandelier, 2010, Designboom, http://www.designboom.com/history/p_chandelier.html

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Shovel

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Shovel

Shovel all day long.

  • Shovels are tools that are primarily used to move or dig substances such as dirt or sand.
  • Shovels are basically a long rod, sometimes with a handle, with a somewhat flat scoop on the end.
  • Shovels are commonly used in landscaping, building or farming.
  • Shovels are typically made of steel or tough plastic, with a fibreglass or wooden handle.
  • Throughout history, animal bones, particularly the shoulder blade, have been used like a shovel.

Shovel

  • In the 1900s, advancements in machinery started to replace shovels.
  • In 1967, a wooden shovel from approximately 2000 BC was discovered in Turkey.
  • There are many types of shovels; some are used to pry open items, dig holes, and scoop away snow or coal.
  • Shovels range in size and shape; some are square, while others are small, and some have sharp blades.
  • Some shovels are designed to collapse and be easily stored, and are often used by the military or campers.
Bibliography:
A History of the Shovel, 2009, Landscape and Garden Tools, http://landscapeandgardentools.blogspot.com.au/2009/11/history-of-shovel.html
Shovel, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel

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Parliament House – Canberra

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Parliament House – Canberra

The centre of Australia’s politics:  Parliament House.

  • Parliament House, situated on Capital Hill in Canberra, Australia, is where the Parliament of Australia meets, and much of the building is built into the hill.
  • Parliament House has 4,500 individual rooms, with the Main Foyer, a marble staircase leading to the Great Hall, a green coloured House of Representatives and a red coloured Senate, and is host to 4,000 to 5,000 workers when Parliament meets there.
  • Parliament House cost AU$1.1 billion to build at the time of construction and is said to have been the world’s most expensive building at that stage.
  • Parliament originally met in Melbourne from 1901 to 1927, before moving to Canberra where they met in the Provisional Parliament House, now known as Old Parliament House, which was intended to be a short-term site, until the new permanent site was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1988.
  • The American company, Mitchell/Giurgola and Thorp Architects, were the winners of the design contest for Parliament House, and construction commenced in 1981 and took 7 years to complete and involved in 10,000 workers.
View from War Memorial, Old Parliament House, New parliament house, Parliament of Australia, Canberra, Australia, Ten Random Facts, FlickrParliament Houses
Image courtesy of Brendon Ashton/Flickr
  • Parliament House caters for 1 million visitors every year, and is often visited by school groups.
  • Parliament House has a large, stainless steel, 81 metre (266 feet) high flagpole, flying a 12.8 by 6.4 metre (42 by 21 feet) Australian flag that weighs 15 kilograms (33 pounds).
  • Parliament House is 300 by 300 metres (328 by 328 yards) in area, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it is one of the largest buildings.
  • Parliament House houses an art collection of over 6,000 items and includes one of the world’s largest tapestries.
  • Parliament House is home to over 2,700 clocks, designed to inform members of parliament where they need to be, by flashing green or red lights.
Bibliography:
Parliament House, 2013, Parliamentary Education Office, http://www.peo.gov.au/students/fact_sheets/parliament_house.html
Parliament House, Canberra, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_House,_Canberra

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