EIFFEL TOWER

The Eiffel Tower (French: La Tour Eiffel) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris, France. It is the tallest structure in Paris and possibly the most recognized monument in the world. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, it is the most visited monument in the world; 6,428,441 people visited the tower in 2005 and more than 200,000,000 since its construction. Including the 24 m (78.7 ft) antenna, the structure is 324 m (1063 ft) high (since 2000), which is about 81 stories. In 1902, it was struck by lightning, which meant that 100 metres of the top had to be reconstructed and the lights illuminating the tower had to be replaced, as they were damaged by the high energy of the lightning.
At the time of its construction in 1887, the tower replaced the Washington Monument as the world's tallest structure, a title it retained until 1930, when New York City's Chrysler Building (319 m/1046.58 ft tall) was completed (today, the Eiffel Tower is taller than the Chrysler Building). The tower is now the fifth-tallest structure in France. The Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in Paris, with the second-tallest being the Tour Montparnasse (210 m/689 ft) and it will soon be the Tour AXA (225.11 m/738.5 ft).
The structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7300 tons. There are 1660 steps (360 to the first level, another 359 to the second). It is not possible for the public to reach the summit via the stairs, lifts are required beyond the second platform. Lift tickets may be purchased at the base or either platform. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18cm, due to thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. The tower also sways 6-7cm in the wind.
Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50/60 tons of three graded tones of paint every seven years to protect it from rust. On occasion, the color of the paint is changed — the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-gray. However, the tower is actually painted three different colors in order to make it look the same color. The colors change from dark to light from top to bottom, but it looks the same because of the background (the sky being light and the ground being dark). On the first floor, there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the color to use for a future session of painting. The co-architects of the Eiffel Tower are Emile Naugier, Maurice Koechlin and Stephen Sauvestre. http://www.tour-eiffel.fr

DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTER

The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is a business complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, built by H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum. The complex is comprised of the original tower (built in 1979), eight exhibition halls, the Dubai International Convention Centre, and residential apartments. The 39-story office tower stands 184 metres (604 feet) tall and a majority of the floors are let commercially. At the time it was built, it was the tallest building in Dubai. http://www.dwtc.com

JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS DUBAI

The Emirates Towers Hotel, also referred to as Emirates Tower Two is a 56-floor five-star business hotel in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel includes 40 luxury suites and is operated by the Jumeirah International Group. Connected with 54-floor Emirates Office Tower by a retail boulevard they form what is commonly referred to as the Emirates Towers complex. At a structural height of 305 m (1,014 ft) Emirates Towers Hotel is the smaller of the two of the sister towers but still ranks as the 24th tallest currently-standing structure in the world and one of the tallest hotels in the world. Construction was completed on April 15, 2000.

http://www.jumeirahemiratestowers.com

GREEK SUNSET

BOSPHORUS BRIDGE ISTANBUL

The Bosphorus Bridge, also called the First Bosphorus Bridge (Turkish: Boğaziçi Köprüsü or 1. Boğaziçi Köprüsü) is a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi). The bridge is located between Ortaköy (European side) and Beylerbeyi (Asian side). It is a gravity anchored suspension bridge with steel pylons and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck is hanging on zigzag steel cables. It is 1,560 m long with a deck width of 39 m. The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,074 m (World rank: 13th) and their height over road level is 105 m. The clearance of the bridge from sea level is 64 m. It was the 4th longest suspension bridge in the world when completed in 1973, and the longest outside the United States of America.

IMEROVIGLI SANTORINI

SIGHISOARA SINAIA ROMANIA

SKOPELOS GREECE

VALLEY SENALES ITALY

The Senales lake is located in the Italian Alps near to the Austrian borders. Its altimeter is about 1800 meters above sea level.The Senales lake is a very big with wonderfull water colours. It is used for watering and for water sports.

VALLEY SENALES ITALY

This is a photo from the Senales Valley in Italy. Even in the summer, there exists snow and many ski racing teams go there for training. It is saisd that the ice there is one of the best in Europe. The cabin which takes you to the chalet starts at the 2062 meters above sea level and reaches the 3212.

THE GRAND FINAL EUROVISION ATHENS 2006

Finnish band Lordi may be the winners of the 51st Eurovision, but Greece was the one that stole the limelight.

EUROVISION ATHENS 2006

METEORA GREECE

METEORA GREECE

The Meteora (Greek: Μετέωρα, "suspended rocks" or "suspended in the air") is the largest and most important complex of monasteries in all of Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The monasteries are built on spectacular natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Peneios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. The Meteora is home to six monasteries and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Although it is unknown when Meteora was established, as early as the 11th century CE hermit monks were believed to be living among the caves and cutouts in the rocks. By the late 11th or early 12th century a rudimentary monastic state had formed called the Skete of Stagoi and was centered around the church of Theotokos (mother of God), which still stands today.The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expanding Turkish occupation, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. Although more than 20 monasteries were built, beginning in the 14th century, only six remain today. These six are: 'Great Meteoron (or Transfiguration), Varlaam, St. Stephen, Holy Trinity, St. Nicholas Anapausas and Rousanou.
In the 1920s, steps were cut into the rock, making the complex accessible via a bridge from the nearby plateau. Of the six monasteries now inhabited, five are male, one female. Each monastery has fewer than 10 inhabitants and is visited by many tourists. The Agia Triada (Greek: Αγία Τριάδα, "Holy Trinity") monastery was used in the final scenes of the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. http://www.meteora-greece.com

METEORA GREECE

SOLAR ECLIPSE IN GREECE

SOLAR ECLIPSE IN GREECE

SOLAR ECLIPSE IN GREECE

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth's view of the Sun. This configuration can only occur during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. In ancient times, and in some cultures today, solar eclipses are attributed to mythical properties. Total solar eclipses can be frightening events for people unaware of their astronomical nature, as the Sun suddenly disappears in the middle of the day and the sky darkens in a matter of minutes. However, the spiritual attribution of solar eclipses is now largely disregarded.
Total solar eclipses are very rare events for any given place on Earth because totality is only seen where the Moon's umbra touches the Earth's surface. A total solar eclipse is a spectacular natural phenomenon and many people consider travel to remote locations in order to observe one. The 1999 total eclipse in Europe, said by some to be the most-watched eclipse in human history, helped to increase public awareness of the phenomenon. This was illustrated by the number of people willing to make the trip to witness the 2005 annular eclipse and the 2006 total eclipse. The next solar eclipse takes place on September 11, 2007, while the next total solar eclipse will occur on August 1, 2008.http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html

FREEZING BLACK SEA

  

FREEZING BLACK SEA

  

FREEZING BLACK SEA

  

FREEZING BLACK SEA

  

ROMANIA-MOLDOVA

  

  

  

ROMANIA-MOLDOVA

  

ROMANIA

  

ROME

  

ROME COLOSEO

The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is a giant amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome. Originally capable of seating 45,000–50,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It was built on a site just east of the Roman Forum, with construction starting between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian. The amphitheatre, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign.
The Colosseum remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century — well after the traditional date of the fall of Rome in 476. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.
Although it is now in a severely ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is one of the finest surviving examples of Roman architecture. It is one of modern Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre each Good Friday.

OLYMPIC GAMES-ATHENS 2004

  

OLYMPIC GAMES-ATHENS 2004

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. 11,099 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team officials from 201 countries. Athens 2004 marked the first time since the 1996 Summer Olympics that all countries with a National Olympic Committee were in attendance. There were 301 medal events in 28 different sports.http://www.olympic.org

GREECE SANTORINI

  

GREECE SANTORINI

  

GREECE SANTORINI