On 6 July 2022, they were destroyed by an explosion, and were later fully dismantled.
In 1979, a man called Robert C. Christian approached granite cutting company Elberton Granite Finishing located in Elberton, Georgia, US. Elberton is known as the ‘Granite Capital of the World’, so Christian asked that the blocks of granite be cut on a scale that was larger than anything the county had seen before.
The slabs had inscriptions written in English, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi and Swahili. The inscriptions displayed a 10-part message which acts as a guide for humanity. The inscriptions proved controversial, and were accused of everything from originating from a cult to being a work of Satanism.
The Guidestones were also an astronomical calendar: every day at noon the sun shone through a narrow hole in the structure which illuminated an engraving of the day’s date. The words ‘Let these stones guide us to an age of reason’ were inscribed on the side in Babylonian cuneiform, Classical Greek, Sanskrit and Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
To situate the Guidestones, Christian bought a two-hectare property and granted the former owner the right to graze his cattle there forever. He then gifted it to Elbert County in the hope that they would protect the Guidestones. The stones were inaugurated on March 22, 1980, and began to attract visitors from all over the world.
The 19-foot high monument formerly attracted tourists and locals alike. The deed of ownership forbade charging a fee to visit the Guidestones as well as the construction of permanent buildings on the land.
Conspiracies raged around the stones: it is unclear who exactly Robert C. Christian actually is, since all documents connected to the stones’ purchase were destroyed after it was built. It is also unclear who the original sponsors for the stones were.
On Wednesday 6 July, the Georgia Guidestones were largely, but not wholly destroyed by an explosive device. Online conspiracy theorists have claimed that the stones were struck down as an act of God. The stones were later fully dismantled the same day.
The location where the stones once stood isn’t far from the city of Atlanta, Georgia. From Elberton, the site is just 15 minutes away from Lake Hartwell, and is located just off Guidestone Road in Elberton.
]]>The Arc de Triomphe was built on Napoleon’s demand after the famous Battle of Austerlitz (1805), considered as his most famous military “masterpiece”.
The purpose of the Arch was to perpetuate the memory of the victories of the French army. The first stone was laid on August 15 of 1806, and the monument finished 30 years later, in 1836. The Arch is an imposing and ornate structure. Its many engravings include the dates of military victories, the names of important soldiers and depictions of war.
Before the expansion of Paris in 1860, the land on which was built the monument was on the border of the city, and had privileged access to the residence of the Emperor, the Tuileries Palace, located at the end of Champs Elysées. In addition to being a memorial, the Arc de Triomphe was also a showy gate erected to welcome Napoleon and his troops back from battles.
Visitors can climb to its peak for magnificent views or enter the small museum inside it, both of which are included in the entrance fee. A further attraction at the Arc de Triomphe is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which commemorates those who fought in the two World Wars with an eternal flame.
Among the various decorations adorning the Arc de Triomphe. Do not miss Le Départ des Volontaires en 1792, also known as la Marseillaise, representing the French people in their diversity (revolutionary, royalist and Bonapartist) going together to battle. A republican french icon, built under King Louis Philippe in 1833.
Do not miss The attic either at the top of the arch, with 30 shields on which are engraved the names of the great battles of the Revolution and the Empire. Battles you will also see on the large arcades.
Finally, note that 2 times a year, the sun sets in the exact center of the arch, phenomenon you can enjoy from the Champs-Elysées. This breathtaking sight occurs in May and August. It is recommended one visits after 6:30 p.m., when the flame of the unknown soldier is lit and the Champs-Elysées is bathed in shimmering lights. From the observation deck at the top of the arch, breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré Coeur, and the Louvre are also in store.
The celebrated arch is located at the west end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, on the Place Charles de Gaulle (often also referred to as the Place de l’Etoile).If travelling via metro, the closest station is Charles de Gaulle Etoile which can be accessed via Line 1, 2 or 6.
]]>Constructed in the early 4th century AD, the Arch of Janus was located at the periphery of the Forum Boarium, once Rome’s cattle market. Built of brick and marble, the arch has alcoves which would have originally contained statues and other decorative items, though these have unfortunately not survived.
Little is known about this arch and, despite its name, the Arch of Janus was probably built in honour of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. As such, it is often known as Arcus Constantini.
As Constantine himself converted to Christianity after his victory in the civil wars, there is much debate as to whether such a triumphal arch would have been dedicated to a pagan deity by Constantine, further compelling the mystery surrounding this monument.
This ancient arch can be found in the centre of Rome, near other Roman sites such as the Roman Forum and Colosseum. As such, it’s certainly worth a quick detour to view it as it’s a pretty impressive site.
From the centre of Rome, the Arch of Janus is reachable in around 15 minutes by car via Via del Teatro di Marcello. A number of bus and metro transport options are also available which take around 25 minutes. By foot, it’s a scenic 30 minute stroll via Via Nazionale.
]]>Decorations adorn the arch, with some of the most interesting being the depictions of the spoils of the Temple of Jerusalem, including the Menorah, being carried away by Roman soldiers.
The Arch of Titus is free to view and is situated near the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. There are also 2 similar triumphal arches in Rome: the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Severus.
Though only Emperor for 2 years, Titus had fought many campaigns under his father, Emperor Vespasian. The Arch of Titus commemorates his deification, as well as his victory in the Jewish War, which lasted from 66 AD until the fall of Masada in 73 AD.
The panels decorating the arch show the triumphal procession celebrated when the Romans captured and destroyed the city and Temple of Jerusalem. Resultantly, the arch also had meaning beyond the Roman period. Despite its celebration of the defeat over the Jews, the structure also became a symbol of the Jewish diaspora. A menorah pictured on the arch acted as a template for the emblem of the state of Israel.
Additionally, the Arch of Titus provided a model for many arches built after the 16th century, most famously the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
During the Middle Ages, the royal Frangipani family added another level to the vault and converted the arch into a fortified tower. Pope Paul IV made the Arch of Titus a place of the oath of submission during his papacy (between 1555 and 1559).
Reaching 15 metres high and 13 metres wide, the restored Arch of Titus continues to welcome visitors to Rome with a triumphant reminder of the city’s ancient past. You can walk underneath the inner archway, looking up at the inscriptions to Titus Vespasian Augustus as well as 19th century additions that mention the arch’s restoration under Pope Pius VII.
See if you can spot the menorah on the south inner panel, marking a procession of spoils from besieging Jerusalem. Then, walk through the arch to explore the Colosseum down the Via Sacra.
You won’t find it hard to spot the Arch of Titus, within the Roman Forum and standing opposite the Colosseum in the city’s ancient heart. The metro stop Colosseo on line MEB and MEB1, also serving buses 51, 75, 85, 87 and 117, is just a minute’s walk away from the arch.
]]>The Covenanters were Scots who signed the National Covenant in 1638 to confirm their opposition to the interference by the Stuart kings in the affairs of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, initially provoked by Charles I trying to impose a new prayer book.
Charles II continued to attempt to impose religious rules on the Covenanters and met with hostility and rebellion. In May 1679, Archbishop Sharp had been murdered and by the end of the month, the Covenanters were in open rebellion.
Graham was a soldier and nobleman loyal to the King who, with his dragoons, stumbled upon a field conventicle – a secret or unlawful religious meeting – of Covenanters. Armed with a mission to disperse conventicles of this nature in south-west Scotland, battle ensued.
Around 200 Covenanters including 40 mounted men moved positions to the east, near the farm of Drumclog and after what seems like some sort of pincer movement trapping Graham’s dragoons behind a bog, the Covenanters broke Graham’s line, killed at least 36 of his men and claimed a resounding victory.
However, this victory was short lived. A mere 3 weeks later, a rebellion at the Battle of Bothwell Brig was brutally crushed and the Covenanters suffered a heavy defeat.
A monument was erected in 1839 and there are small memorials in and around the local area, celebrating the battle as a victory for religious freedom. The mounment is maintained by Historic Scotland today.
The memorial is on the roadside about 2km north west of the town of Drumclog. The scenery behind is stunning – head out of town on Meadowfoot Lane and take a right when prompted.
]]>Boudicca – often spelled Boadicea in Victorian times – was the queen of the Celtic Iceni tribe in the 1st century. In the year 60 or 61 AD, she led the Iceni and Trinovantes in a revolt against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire, destroying Camulodunum (modern-day Colchester), Verulamium (modern-day St Albans) and Londinium (modern-day London) in the process.
In response, Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus regrouped and retaliated against Boudicca’s forces, in a decisive defeat of the fierce queen. Following this, Boudicca either committed suicide, as noted by Roman historian Tacitus, or died of illness.
The story of these events resurged in the Renaissance, finding further fame in the Victorian era when Queen Victoria herself was considered Boudicca’s namesake – their names both meaning ‘victory’. Boadicea and Her Daughters was thus begun in the 1850s, with Victoria and Prince Albert involved in its commission. The sculptor, Thomas Thornycroft, had completed a full size model of the statue by his death in 1885, however funds for its casting in bronze had not yet materialised.
In continuation of his late-father’s work, Sir John Isaac Thornycroft oversaw the subsequent fundraising effort, and by 1898 the statue was at last cast in bronze. It wasn’t until 1902 however – 17 years after its sculptors death – that Boadicea and Her Daughters was installed atop a granite plinth in Westminster.
Today, Boadicea and Her Daughters is one of London’s most iconic statues, depicting a spear-wielding Boudicca and her two daughters atop a scythed horse-drawn chariot. Sitting at the entrance to Westminster Bridge, across from Parliament Square and the Palace of Westminster, it also features a hint of irony, given that it lies at the centre of the city she destroyed!
One of only two chariot group sculptures in London – the other is Peace in her Quadriga, which sits atop Constitutional Arch at Hyde Park Corner – the statue provides a glimpse into some of Britain’s oldest history, and allows onlookers a dramatic interpretation of one of its most infamous ancient figures.
Bodicea and Her Daughters is located at Westminster Bridge in London. The nearest Underground station is Westminster, a minute walk away, while the nearest train station is Waterloo, a 15-minute walk away. A number of buses stop nearby, with the closest stops at Westminster Pier, a minute walk away, and Westminster Station/Parliament Square, a 2-minute walk away
]]>The Brandenburg Gate was designed by Karl Gotthard Langhans and built in a Romanesque style similar to the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens, with six Doric columns on each side.
Whilst King Frederick William II intended the Brandenburg Gate to be a symbol of peace, different peoples have attached numerous meanings to it throughout its history.
In 1793, the gate was crowned by the Quadriga statue, designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow. This statue itself has an intriguing history. In 1806, when Napoleon’s army took Berlin, the French Emperor had the Quadriga transported to Paris as spoils of war and a sign of his victory. In 1814, after Napoleon’s forced abdication, the Quadriga was returned to Berlin where it once again adorned the Brandenburg Gate, facing towards the east and the city centre.
The Nazis adopted the Brandenburg Gate as a symbol of their party during their reign in the 1930’s and 1940’s and it was also a potent reminder of the Cold War when it fell into the no-man’s land within the Berlin Wall.
From 1961 to 1989 the Brandenburg Gate came to symbolize divided Germany, as the Berlin Wall shut off access to the gate for both East and West Germans. During this time, the Brandenburg Gate formed a focal point of many politically charged rallies and speeches, including visits by American Presidents John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. It served as the backdrop for Reagan’s famous 1987 speech in which he entreated the Soviet leader, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
The gate was reopened on December 22, 1989, in the course of the reunification of East and West Berlin, when West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl walked through it to meet East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall , the Brandenburg gate became a symbol of German reunification.
Today, visitors from around the world come to see the Brandenburg Gate and its ornate carvings, including its dramatic depiction of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, driving a horse drawn chariot.
The site is easily accessible by public transport. The nearest S-Bahn train and underground station is Brandenburger Tor. Bus lines 100, N5, 300 and 147 also stop nearby.
]]>The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred just a few months after the start of the American Revolutionary War. The British knew the value of Boston and the strategic importance of its seaport, hence why it was besieged in April, 1775.
Having heard that the British were keen to hold Bunker and Breed’s Hill, the American militias had rushed to fortify the hilltop area overnight, eventually forcing the British army to launch multiple, costly offensives in order to recapture the Hill.
The British army was far more well equipped and trained than the American militias, however, the famous order of “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” attributed to an American colonialist at the Battle demonstrates the tenacity with which the American militias fought.
The Battle saw the British gain more ground than the American forces, however this was somewhat of a pyrrhic victory given that the British suffered over 1,000 casualties compared with approximately 500 American casualties.
Bunker Hill Monument sits atop Breed’s Hill, on which most of the Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought, however, the battle is named after the parties’ objective goal, Bunker Hill.
Bunker Hill Monument is an obelisk standing 221 feet high which visitors can enter and even climb to the top for stunning views from its observation deck. The only thing is, there are around 270 steps and no lift/elevator. In front of the momument stands the statue of William Prescott, the leader of the American rebels.
The nearby Bunker Hill Museum offers a detailed insight into the war, the history of Charlestown and the monument itself, with numerous exhibits and artifacts. Both the Bunker Hill Monument and Museum form part of Boston’s Freedom Trail. This site also features as one of our Top 10 Tourist Attractions in the USA.
The Bunker Hill Monument is located at the end of the Freedom Trail. It is about a 15-minute walk from the Copp’s Hill Burial Ground.
While you can walk to the Monument easily by following the Freedom Trail, the best way to get there is by using the MBTA Water Shuttle. It is a short boat ride over to Charlestown, and you can enjoy what amounts to a quick, scenic harbor cruise along the way. It costs just $3.25 (free if you have an MBTA Subway Pass).
The shuttle departs from Boston’s Long Wharf (map) at the New England Aquarium and will whisk you over to Bunker Hill Monument in 10 minutes.
The Bunker Hill Monument is about a 5-minute walk from where the shuttle docks.
]]>Before the First World War had ended, Canadian Prime Minister Robert Border in 1915 expressed his desire that some splendid monument should be erected to commemorate the casualties of the conflict. There was some opposition to the idea, primarily concerning cost as the negotiations continued throughout the Great Depression. However, in 1918 the Canadian War Memorial Fund was initiated to memorialise the Canadian contribution to the war.
In 1926, Vernon March’s design was selected; his theme reflected uniformed figures passing through an arch but without glorifying war, instead their attitude eager to respond to the call. The detail was immense, right down to the buttons and straps on the uniforms, March was guided through his wax figures which were cast in bronze at his foundry. The monument was completed in 1932 by March’s six brothers and sister after his death in 1930.
While the cabinet continued to argue over the location and cost, the arch was constructed, and the memorial was finally dedicated in Confederation Square in May 1939 by King George VI. War with Germany was again looming, and some questioned the symbolism of the National War Memorial as it de facto represented all Canadian wars casualties.
After successive attempts to create different monuments, in 1982 the Canadian National War Memorial was re-dedicated for World War Two and the Korean war, and again in 2014 for the conflicts in Afghanistan and Second Boer War.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was added in 2000. The site had sentries posted from April through November after reports of urination, skateboarding and bicycles were seen on the site. A shooting in 2014 resulted in the death of sentry Corporal Nathan Cirillo.
Today you can visit the towering granite cenotaph located in Ottawa, guarded by sentries. The March memorial is particularly moving when seen at night, light up dramatically to cast shadows on the arch. The site has a strong reflective atmosphere despite being surrounded by the bustle of Ottowa daily life.
The Canadian National War Memorial is located in central Ottowa. If using public transport, the closest bus stop is Elgin/Wellington on bus routes 5 – 18, 57, 61, 75 and 114, which includes Gray Line Tour buses.
]]>The graves are Carrowmore are thought to date back to around 3500BC: thirty tombs have been discovered, which makes Carrowmore the largest and oldest of Ireland’s megalithic complexes. The site is arranged around a cairn, Listoghil, in the centre, with the other tombs as ‘satellite tombs’ around this one.
Listoghil (also sometimes known as Tomb 51) is the only tomb where megalithic art and burials have been found – cremations are far more common. The satellite tombs tend to follow a similar layout – a central megalith surrounded by 5 upright stones, with a capstone on top enclosing a burial chamber, all facing towards the central cairn. Unlike other megalithic tombs, these were not passage tombs.
The monuments have lasted so well in large parts because of their foundations: they were packed into a small platform of earth and stone, locking them in place. The wider landscape of the Cuil Iorra peninsula contains an assortment of neolithic monuments.
Carrowmore was surveyed in the 1830s, and first exacavated in the 1880s. Modern exacavations were carried out in the 1970s, 80s and 90s by Swiss archaeologist Göran Burenhult to further understand the site.
Carrowmore is run by Heritage Ireland today – the site is under public ownership and there’s now a permanent exhibition space housed in an old cottage on the site, which is extremely useful. All 30 of the tombs are on display to the public.
You can pick up self-guided tour leaflets in a variety of languages there: guided tours also run relatively regularly. The terrain can be quite uneven underfoot, and the site is exposed so wrap up warm (and bring waterproofs!) and wear sturdy shoes.
Carrowmore is about 5km south west of the town of Sligo, in west Ireland: it’s most easily accessed by the R292, and is about 2km east of the Ransboro crossroads. Public transport is extremely limited in this part of Ireland, so you’re best off walking if you don’t have a car. It should take around an hour, and if you’re lucky, a passing local might take pity and take you some of the way.
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