Top 10 Historical Articles

Top 10 Ancient Monuments You Didn’t Know About

Move aside Stonehenge, Machu Picchu. From the ancient relics of India to underwater ruins in Japan, from a giant stone slab in Georgia to an underwater Stonehenge, the mysterious ancient monuments in this list have baffled scientists and archeologists for centuries. They are also some of the lesser known mysterious ancient monuments, that can make your imagination run wild!

10. Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala, India

This Hindu temple in South India, dedicated to the Lord Vishnu, is not as ancient as some of the others on this list of ancient monuments. And at first glance, this medieval temple doesn’t seem all that different from other Hindu temples in South India, with a towering, multi-storied structure and ornate decorations. But there lies a mystery deep within the temple recesses.

Six secret vaults in the temple, which were opened in 2011 by a committee entrusted by the Supreme Court of India, were revealed to contain diamond jewelry, golden idols, weapons, bags of gold coins and other riches. Vault B, however, has a large iron door with ornate snakes guarding it – and there is no visible way to open the doors! The tradition is that the door can only be opened with the help of sacred chants by highly erudite sadhus, or Hindu mendicants, who know exactly what they are doing. So far, no such sadhu has come forward and the vault remains sealed!

Whether or not this is true, the story and the potential treasure in the unopened vault captures the imaginations of people around the world.

9. Yonaguni Monument, Yonaguni, Japan

The ancient, underwater ‘pyramid’ or rock formation off the coast of Yonaguni in Japan’s Ryukyu Islands is more than 10,000 years old. That makes it one of the most ancient monuments of the world. This eerie, underwater remains of what looks like a city has stone columns, platforms, pillars with sharp edges, parallel faces and so on. Some scientists say they have identified drawings of animals and people in the rocks. Divers and researchers can freely explore this lesser known example of Japan’s mysterious ancient monuments. Is this Japan’s lost Atlantis? The remains of the legendary civilization of Mu, that is said to have vanished under the waves?

8. Giant Stone Spheres, Costa Rica

The Disquis Delta of Costa Rica is dotted with some perfectly spherical giant balls of magma stone that are now called Las Bolas. Archeologists who have studied the rocks say that the people who cared them, did so with the help of small stones. It was probably not an easy thing to do! But the people of the ancient Pre-Colombian civilizations that made the rocks may have used it to point the way to important locations. Or the giant spheres may have been used for astronomy. No one knows, and the Chibchan people aren’t around to explain!

7. Sayhuite Monolith, Peru

If the scientists are right, the ancient Incas worshipped water in the part of Peru where the Sayhuite Monolith was found. This large rock is like a modern-day architectural model or a 3-D city plan. Except that this mysterious rock sculpture is carved with big cats, frogs, reptiles, ponds, tunnels, irrigation channels and other features on Andesite stone. It’s impossible that the Incas could have carved andesite with the tools they had at their disposal. This is one of the ancient monuments of the world that have scientists scratching their heads for years.

6. Gobekli Tepe, Turkey

Gobekli Tepe means ‘Potbelly Hill’ in Turkish. This site on the edge of Mesopotamia is around 12000 years old, older than Stonehenge. What’s mysterious about this stunning example of ancient monuments of the world is that there are circles of megaliths, some carved with vultures, scorpions, lions and foxes, at a time when prehistoric people couldn’t possibly have had pottery or metal tools for carving. Why didn’t we know of this before? Because experts had thought this site was a grave site. Who built them? Why?

5.The Ancient Rock Ship of Iwafune, Japan

The Matsuda no Iwafune deserves to be on this list of ancient monuments because it really does’nt give us any answers. The Rock Ship sits on a steep hill slope near a town called Asuka. While you can make a guesstimate about the purpose of some of the mysterious ancient monuments on this list, the purpose of the Rock Ship is obscure. What could the solid granite sphere with two holes carved through actually be? No one knows who built them or when.

4. Avebury Stone Circle, Wiltshire, England

This list of ancient monuments will be incomplete without any standing stones in it! The standing stones around the village of Avebury aren’t as famous as Stonehenge, probably because there aren’t that many stones here. This is what makes Avebury less touristy than Stonehenge and more peaceful. But the site is not any less amazing, because it was built nearly five thousand years ago, and it may have taken as may as 1.5 million man-hours to build the bank, make the ditch and place the megaliths. Why it was built, and how, are still a mystery.

3. Blythe Intaglios, Blythe, California

The Mojave Desert near the Californian city of Blythe has giant human figures etched into the ground. One of the figures is more than 170 feet long, and it’s hard to tell what they are unless you see them from the air. That’s what happened when a pilot spotted the figures in 1930, and America’s Nazca Lines were discovered. Why were these giant drawings made between 450 and 2000 years ago? Were they signals to some eye in the sky? No on knows.

2. The Great Serpent Mound, Hillsboro, Ohio

If you look at this mound from the air, you’ll see the shadow of what looks like a giant serpent. It is 1300 feet long and looks like it is swallowing an egg. No one knows why the mound was built. For burial? For astronomy? The only thing archeologists agree on is that it was built by some Pre-Columbian people.

1. Teotihuacan, Mexico City

This giant ruin of palaces and pyramids is visited by millions of visitors. But there are chilling facts about what looks like just another Aztec site. It’s not. The Aztecs didn’t build it. They discovered it after it had been abandoned for 500 years. No one knows how the compound was built, who built them. The eeriest thing about it is the skeletons found buried in one of the pyramids. There a lot of mysteries about this 2000 year old site, and not all of the answers may be pleasant when we find them!

Did you enjoy this list of ancient monuments? Did you discover something new or found something to feed your imagination? And if you have any ancient monuments of the world to share with us, please do so below.

Top 10 Creative Advertisement Banners

The hardest part for any business or service provider is to reach its target audience. To do this it needs to employ creative banners that convey the message to the intended recipient and is capable of converting the viewer of these creative banners to paying customers. This task is easier said than done. A lot of effort is put into advertisement banners design to ensure that it piques the interest of the customer. Many companies have tried and failed. We however, are not to dwell on the failures of others but on the successes of a few businesses who through relatively cheap advertising banners gained the attention of millions.

10. Ikea

In April 2012, Ikea put up one of the most creative banners of all time. The intent was clearly on showing that Ikea products are portable and a lot of Ikea products could enter a home. With that in mind they made one of the most amazing advertisement banners design, featuring over 2800 items.

9. Adobe

Adobe has set certain standards in advertisement that should be adopted. For one, they have strived to get themselves easily identified with certain features that distinguishes them in their advertisement banners design. Adobe’s logo, barring rare appearances on the top right corner – is known to appear solely, on the top left corner of the advertisement banner. Adobe’s banners always features catchy phrases that captures the reader’s attention and is retained by the reader long after he has seen the advertisement.

8. The Nissan Househunter

While you can reach a wide audience from cheap advertising banners, the most creative banners may not always be cheap. Nissan in partnership with Dubizzle, a house-hunting site automatically selected vehicles for persons based on their family size, neighborhood and budget.

7. Cadbury chocolate sculpture

Cadbury has over the past century had a mark for some of the best advertisement banners design of all time. However, it was on Facebook that they shone in all their glory. Cadbury in celebrating 1 million fans on Facebook constructed a giant chocolate thumbs up and the more fans liked their page the more chocolate got added to the statue. Needless to say, Cadbury’s fans on Facebook grew in folds with that simple gesture.

6. Amazon Prime

No company values the importance of A/B testing like Amazon. It is tough for a company with many products and services to comprehensively advertise all its products and not be a bore. Amazon has creatively done this through its Amazon Prime advertisement which simply summarizes all Amazon Prime does in under 15 words. Cheap advertisement banners like Amazon’s are the key to success.

5. Acura

Of the most amazing creative banners out there, few are as standout as the Acura advertisement banners design on Wired.com. Featuring in 2010, all the text existing on the Wired.com in which all the text and images on the site morphed into an Acura.

4. Apple

Apple needed to get to its United Kingdom customers and a creative way to do so by producing some relatively cheap advertisement banners that outlined the superiority and edge Macs had over personal computers or PCs. Do we have to add, that the UK customers heard and responded. Despite certain minor setbacks presently being faced, this advertisement caught the attention of the UK audience and they responded – well.

3. Bing

Bing may not be the largest search engine in the world but its advertisement possesses 3 characteristics that makes it a good and creative advertisement banners design. First, their advertisements show pride – that the company is proud of what it does. Secondly, Bing creates emotion in its adverts. Something that is needed to move a mere reader to a customer. Lastly, Bing sells a promise. Any organization that puts such thought into advertisement banners design is on the right track to success.

2. Apple Music

Simplicity is key in advertisement. This is a point that Apple has been trying to prove over the past decade. When Apple Music was to launch it created such a huge buzz that it was unnecessary to have a complete outline of what Apple Music was capable of in its banner ads. Therefore a simple available now logo was all that sufficed in keeping customers happy.

1.Cisco

Few companies have been able to get across a powerful message and gain the attention of millions of paying customers by a few words. Cisco, masters of their craft used a few cheap advertising banners with phrases like, “I am hacking your company,” to gain the attention of internet users.

These are the most creative advertisement banners out there. Feel free to like share or comment in the comments section below. We love reading from you.

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Top 10 Cities for Budget Travel in Europe

Everyone knows travel in Europe is notoriously expensive for the budget traveler – right? Or is it just a case of a few expensive cities having become representative of all Europe?

Even exorbitant Oslo has its free attractions and cheap eats if you know where to look. But this list of the cheapest cities in Europe will tell you which are the best places to go this summer in your gap year or backpacker budget. And not only because the dollar is doing really well, and airfares are the lowest they have been in years! You’ll see, as expected, that all the cities on this list are in Eastern Europe. Take this opportunity to explore the unique cultures of Eastern Europe!

10. Zagreb, Croatia

It is possible to enjoy this little Croatian town on the way to Plitvice National Park for less than $35 a day! Fantastic isn’t it? While the tourist herds head to the country’s beach resorts, you could go against the flow (with lots of other people) to charming old Zagreb. This city is like Prague, but one of the cheapest cities in Europe.

Zagreb is great for browsing museums, strolling the squares, drinking coffee in cafes, enjoying theater and cinema, and swimming in the lake. If you travel in Europe in winter, with prices slashed even more, you could enjoy skiing at Mt. Medvednica.

9. Warsaw, Poland

Expect to spend less than $35 a day in Warsaw too. The Polish capital is one of the cheapest cities in Europe. Plus it’s a bright and blossoming place to visit. It has more or less left behind its World War II past. You can still see some museums about the past. But modern Warsaw loves its craft beer and you’ll find young people having fun at the city’s hip bars and nightclubs. Plus the cobbled streets look just like those picture postcards. Don’t miss Warsaw – it’s one of the best affordable destinations in Europe.

8. Cesky Kumlov, Czech Republic

Beautiful Prague is probably on your bucket list. But while you’re on a budget and in the Czech Republic, we suggest you check out Cesky Krumlov. This is a beautiful little riverside town with the same red roofs you’ll see in Prague. Plus it has a castle complex that is completely free to visit! Food is quite cheap in the city, and if you’re staying at a hostel or joining a tour, you may be able to enjoy free drinks. This town is three hours by train from Prague. You can enjoy a day here for just 32 USD!

7. Kiev, Ukraine

Ukraine is a fascinating country, and Kiev one of the best affordable destinations in Europe. If you travel in Europe with an adventurous spirit, you should make your way to relatively remote Kiev. This city has been one of the cheapest cities in Europe for years. A backpacker can get by on less than $30 a day in Kiev. Doing what? Well, there’s gold-domed churches, cycling in Golosiyivsky Forest, farmers’ markets to explore, offbeat buildings in Sculptures’ Alley to take selfies with, local handicrafts to buy, see the world’s smallest book at the Museum of Miniatures, and more. Do you still need convincing?

6. Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzeghovina

This part of Europe has come out of its troubled past. It’s a great time to go. Sarajevo is set deep in the mountains, so the journey to get there is bound to be rewarding. You’ll find it’s one of the safest cities in Europe today! Sarajevo is small, very old, with people of different religions living together. It’s small enough to walk or bike around. There is a lot to see, from the Old Town with cobbled streets, to the lovely Academy of Fine Arts, white marble cemeteries, street markets, bridges, museums, and lovely views from the surrounding hills. It’s easy to travel here for less than $30 a day!

5. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is cheap if you stay away from touristy places around the river. But this rule applies everywhere. In gorgeous, romantic Budapest on the river Danube, there are free walking tours, free architectural tours of Castle Hill, a colorful Jewish Quarter you don’t need to spend anything to experience, Hungarian souvenirs to buy in Great Market and much more. All for a little over $25 a day of your carefully rationed travel money!

4. Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade was also troubled in the ‘90s, but it’s peaceful now. Like Budapest, this city also sits on the Danube river though it’s a lot more humble-looking city than Budapest. But it does have some striking buildings like the fortress, its beaches, its chapels and cathedrals, the Avala Tower with its beautiful views over the city, and more. We deliberately chose the picture above to show a side of Belgrave with lots of history and character that you may fall in love with.

3. Bucharest, Romania

Romania is the country of gypsies, Dracula and mysterious castles, right? Surprise, surprise, it’s a lot more than that! When you travel in Europe, try to make it a point to visit Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It’s an energetic modern city with a lot of old architecture, churches, villas and trendy cafes rubbing shoulders. A visit to the crazy Palace of Parliament, which is the largest government building in the world, will alone make a visit to the city worthwhile!

2. Krakow, Poland

Krakow has always been of the best affordable destinations in Europe. You’ll find prices of food, drinks, nightlife is very cheap here. So much so, that you can enjoy a day in Krakow for less than $25! Plus, the city has excellent old architecture, like the Wawel Castle and the medieval Rynek Glowny square, and it’s only an hour away from the must-visit camp of Auschwitz.

1. Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is one of the best affordable destinations in Europe. The prices are extremely reasonable – you can stay at the cheapest hostel in the city for less than $7 a night! Flights from other major European cities can be a little expensive because the city is out of the way. So it’s best to go there if you’re traveling for a while in Europe. Sofia is best enjoyed like a local. Just walk around, look at the architecture and enjoy local foods like boza and baklava.

Do you like this list of Europe’s cheapest destinations? Which among these super-cheap East European cities are you most intrigued by? Let us know below. And if you like the list, please share!