10 Most Amazing Ancient Ruins

Whilst you can learn a lot about a country's past from history books, nothing brings it to life more than walking around the ghost towns that represent once real and prosperous sites and cities. Here are some of the most fascinating ruins on the planet.

1. Angkor, Cambodia

Made by the Khmer kings in a process taking almost four centuries, Angkor was abandoned and hidden by the forest before being rediscovered by a Frenchman about 150 years ago, and restored into one of the most visited archaeological and artistic sites in the world. Its a breathtaking complex consisting of hundreds of temples, covering 500 acres. You wont get around them all, but don't miss the main Temple of Angkor Wat, which has five main towers reaching 215 feet into the air from its mile-long base, and Angkor with its imposing statues of 54 gods and 54 demons leading up to the temple.

2. Ephesus, Turkey

The best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, Ephesus is as close a taste you'll find as to what life was like in Roman times it was both a great trading city back in its day and a center for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess. The impressive Magnesia Gate provides the main entrance to the ancient city, where you'll walk along marble streets grooved by chariot wheels and see beautiful temples, porticoes, fountains and frescoes as well as the three-storey Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, the Odeum, the Fountain of Trajan and the Great Theater.

3. Pompeii, Italy

Arguably Italy's most popular tourist attraction, this city was buried beneath 66 feet of pumice and ash during a long disastrous outbreak of the volcano Mount Vesuvius that continued for almost two days in the year 79 AD. It was then lost for almost 1,600 years before being randomly rediscovered in 1592. Walking the streets of this former city gives you a glimpse of the lives of the people that once inhabited it, complete with homes, theaters, shops and temples.

4. Great Pyramids Memphis, Egypt

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the Great Pyramid of Giza remains, and 4,000 years since they were built, it is still being debated by experts how the builders managed to place more than two million stone blocks so perfectly. Since 1979 they've been classed as a World Heritage Site along with Memphis - the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Its ruins live on as an open-air museum, with extraordinary funerary monuments, including rock tombs, temples and pyramids.

5. Sanchi, India

The best-preserved group of Buddhist monuments in India sits on a flat-topped sandstone hill, 90 meters above the countryside, near the Betwa River. Its major attractions include a number of Buddhist stupas - mound-like structures containing Buddhist relics (including the aptly named Great Stupa) - monasteries, temples and pillars. The structures date back to somewhere between 3rd century BC and 12th century AD. The artistic imagery carved on the pillars and stupas tell stories of Buddhas life.

6. Machu Picchu, Peru

Built in the 1400s at the height of the Inca Empire, this complex was abandoned in 1572, as a belated result of the Spanish Conquest. But after being rediscovered in 1911 by an American archaeologist, it is considered today as one of the world's most spectacular and fascinating marvels. Its 200 buildings surrounded by tropical jungle are nestled a staggering 2430 meters high in the Andes Mountains of Peru and its a wonder how the Incas managed to build such an incredible complex so high on the side of a cliff.

7. Ayutthaya, Thailand

Founded by King Ramathibodi I in 1350, Ayutthaya was once the country's capital and an internationally renowned bustling metropolis, whose progress is said to have rivaled that of European capitals at the time. That was until the Burmese army burned down the city in 1767. In 1969 the Fine Arts Department began renovating the ruins, and today the debris of the empire's glory forming part of what is now known as the Ayutthaya Historical Park.

8. Acropolis, Greece

Translating to The Sacred Rock, the high city, the Acropolis in Athens has retained its splendour; despite its once-pristine temples and gates being battered with thousands of years of wear and destruction. Its prominent architectural landmarks include its monumental entrance the Propylaea, the temple of Athena Nike, which is the earliest Ionic temple on the Acropolis, the Erechtheum (an unusually designed temple located on the north side) and most famously, the Parthenon, considered to be the most significant structure of Classical Greece and one of Europe's most recognizable landmarks.

9. Mohenjo daro, Pakistan

Some have suggested ancient technology classified these Indus Valley ruins but electricity is a more plausible explanation. Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent region are thought to be the birthplace of civilization and the central focus for human culture dating back to the beginning of recorded history. The oldest sites is located in the Indus Valley of Pakistan and appears to date from around 3000-2500 BCE.

10. Petra, Jordan

Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourist attraction. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.

Top 10 Most Intriguing Historical Facts

There are various historical events that are constantly projected in textbooks and on the news. Some f the facts presented are not legit or correct. There is more to the story than what meets the eyes.

1. Pope Benedict IX – the youngest pope:

The youngest ever pope was Pope Benedict IX, who arguably began his papacy at age 11. He is the only pope to rule more than once and to have sold his papacy. He sold his position to his godfather when he decided to get married. He later would regret that decision and gain power once again.

2. Kaiser Wilhem II’s lack of accent:

Although German born, Kaiser Wilhem II spoke English without a German accent despite popular beliefs, especially in the film the Red Barron (2008). Although his policies were anti-British, he was part of the British Monarchy. His mother, Victoria, Princess Royal, was the daughter of Queen Victoria. When Queen Victoria was on her death bed, Kaiser Wilhelm II was one of two people at her bedside.

3. Napoleon’s height:

Napoleon was always known as the “Le Petit General.” At the time of his death, he measured 5 feet and 2 inches in French measurements. In English measurements, this equated to 5 feet and 6 inches or 169 cm. Thus Napoleon was not really of small stature. Many would thus argue that was quite normal for his size at that time.

4. George Washington – the first president of the independent United States:

George Washington was the first president of the independent United States but NOT the first president of the United States. There were 14 other leaders before Washington, including John Hancock who was the most popular.

5. The death of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams:

America lost two of its notable presidents on its 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence: 1) Thomas Jefferson and 2) John Adams. Both died within hours of each other leaving Charles Carroll of Carrollton the only surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence.

6. Ham – the first chimpanzee in space:

In 1961 Ham was the first ever chimpanzee to go into space. The United States called the chimp Ham after the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center.

7. Curse of Tippecanoe:

When an American president is elected into office in the year that is divided by 20, there is a curse. Every president from Harrison to Kennedy died while in office because they were all elected in a year that is a common multiple of 20. Reagan, who was elected in 1980 and George W. Bush, who was elected in 2000 are the only two president to have survived this curse.

8. Sir John Thompson’s death:

Sir John Thompson, a former Prime Minister of Canada died on a heart attack while visiting Queen Victoria at the Windsor Castle. He is one of 3 prime ministers to die outside of Canada and one of two to die in office.

9. Lina Medina – the youngest mother:

In 1939, Lina Medina became the youngest mother to ever successful give birth. Her child, who lived till the age of 40, was born when Medina was 5 years old.

10. Egyptians’ death:

3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the age of 30.

Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand : The World's Steepest Street

Initially, Baldwin Street slopes gently from the valley floor, then climbs steeply to its intersection with Buchanan Street at the top.

Over the 161.2 metre length of the top section, it climbs a vertical height of 47.22 metres, which is an average gradient of 1 in 3.41.On its steepest section, the gradient is 1 in 2.86.

Every year, during Dunedin's Festival, large numbers of athletes, including family groups, take part in social and competitive foot races to the top of the street and return. These races are known as the "BALDWIN STREET GUTBUSTER".

The street is named for William Baldwin, who carried out the original subdivision. Baldwin was a member of the Otago Provincial COuncil and founder of the "Otago Guardian" newspaper in 1873.

Top 10 Mysterious World Landmarks

The world is filled with ancient monuments built by master craftsmen in order to honor everything from kings and presidents to religious figures. And although most of these landmarks have been carefully studied and researched by scientists and historians, some are simply so old, incomplete, or obscure that we still don’t know very much about why they were built or what purpose they served. The following are 10 world landmarks that, whether by intention or simply due to the passage of time, continue to baffle the people who study them.

1. Stonehenge

Stonehenge has been inspiring debate among scholars, scientists, and historians since the Middle Ages. Located in the English countryside, the landmark is believed to date back to 2500 BC, and consists of several mammoth pieces of rock arranged and piled on top of one another in what appears at first to be a random design. The site is surrounded by a small, circular ditch, and is flanked by burial mounds on all sides.

2. The Great Sphinx of Giza

The figures are found all over the world in different forms, but they are most commonly linked with Egypt, which features the most famous example in the form of the Great Sphinx of Giza.Egyptologists might have a small understanding of why the statue was built, but when, how, and by who is still shrouded in mystery. The pharaoh Khafra is the main suspect, which would date the structure back to around 2500 BC, but other scientists have argued that evidence of water erosion of the statue suggests that it is much older and perhaps even predated the dynastic era of the Egyptians.

3. The Georgia Guidestones

While most of the mysterious monuments on this list only became that way as centuries passed, the Georgia Guidestones, also known as American Stonehenge, are one landmark that was always intended to be an enigma.The monument was built during the height of the Cold War, one popular theory about the group’s intentions is that the Guidestones were to serve as a primer for how to rebuild society in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust.

4. The Easter Island Moai

One of the most iconic series of monuments in the Pacific islands is the Moai, a group of huge statues of exaggerated human figures that are found only on the small, isolated island of Rapa Nui, or Easter Island. The average Moai weighs several tons, and for years scientists were at a loss to describe how the monuments were transported from Rano Raraku, where most of them were constructed, to their various locations around the island. In recent years, the most popular theory is that the builders used wooden sleds and log rollers to move the Moai, an answer that would also explain how the once verdant island became almost totally barren due to deforestation.

5. Sacsayhuaman

Not far from the famous Inca city of Machu Picchu lies Sacsayhuaman, a strange embankment of stone walls located just outside of Cuzco.The strange shape and angles of the wall have led some speculate that it may have had a more symbolic function, one example being that the wall, when seen next to Cuzco from above, forms the shape of the head of a Cougar. Even more mysterious than the monument’s use, though, are the methods that were used in its construction. Like most Inca stone works, Sacsayhuaman was built with large stones that fit together so perfectly that not even a sheet of paper can be placed in the gaps between them.

6. Goseck Circle

One of the most mysterious landmarks in Germany is the Goseck Circle, a monument made out of earth, gravel, and wooden palisades that is regarded as the earliest example of a primitive “solar observatory.”The monument’s careful construction has led many scientists to believe that the Goseck Circle was built to serve as some kind of primitive solar or lunar calendar, but its exact use is still a source of debate. Evidence has shown that a so-called “solar cult” was widespread in ancient Europe.

7. The Nazca Lines

The Nazca lines are a series of designs and pictographs carved into the ground in the Nazca Desert, a dry plateau located in Peru.The most popular and reasonable hypothesis is that the lines must have figured in the Nazca people’s religious beliefs, and that they made the designs as offerings to the gods, who would’ve been able to see them from the heavens.

8. The Yonaguni Monument

Of all the famous monuments in Japan, perhaps none is more perplexing than Yonaguni, an underwater rock formation that lies off the coast of the Ryuku Islands.Scientists have long argued that millennia of strong currents and erosion have carved the formations out of the ocean floor, and they point to the fact that the monument is all one piece of solid rock as proof that it was not assembled by a builder.They often cite one formation in particular, a section of rock that resembles a crude carving of a human face, as evidence.

9. Newgrange

Considered to be the oldest and most famous prehistoric site in all of Ireland, Newgrange is a tomb that was built from earth, wood, clay, and stone around 3100 BC, some 1000 years before the construction of the pyramids in Egypt.It consists of a long passage that leads to a cross-shaped chamber that was apparently used as a tomb, as it contains stone basins filled with cremated remains. The most unique feature of Newgrange is its careful and sturdy design, which has helped the structure remain completely waterproof to this day.

10. The Cahokia Mounds

Cahokia is the name given to an Indian settlement that exists outside of Collinsville, Illinois. Archeologists estimate that the city was founded sometime around 650 AD, and its complex network of burial grounds and sophisticated landscaping prove that it was once a thriving community.

The 'Other Women' of Bollywood

When steady relationships go awry, it is mostly due to the involvement of a third person i.e. the 'other woman', especially in Bollywood.

There have been innumerable instances when one individual strays from a rock solid relationship. Men in particular, find it hard to keep maintain their fidelity, which becomes twofold when it is a hot Bollywood actress on the other side. Here are some of the 'other women' of Bollywood.

Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif apparently got cosy with Ranbir Kapoor on the sets of their film while Ranbir was still very much with Deepika Padukone. Deepika kept no secrets about Ranbir's wayward ways and after Katrina's break-up with Salman Khan, the Ranbir-Kat romance was pretty much confirmed.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra reportedly evoked the wrath of Twinkle Khanna owing to her alleged affair with Akshay Kumar. Twinkle was so miffed with Priyanka that she banned her husband from signing any other films with her. The pair hasn't worked with each other since.

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor is currently dating Saif Ali Khan. Khan married actress Amrita Singh in October 1991.After thirteen years of marriage and two children (son Ibrahim Ali Khan and daughter Sara Ali Khan), the couple divorced in 2004.

Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty was blatantly charged by Raj Kundra's ex wife for breaking her home. The ex-Mrs Kundra alleged that he was so besotted with Shilpa that their reconciliation became impossible. Shilpa, however denied being a home-breaker and that Raj was already divorced when she started dating him. Controversies apart, the couple are now happily married.

Kiran Rao

Aamir Khan reportedly started seeing Kiran Rao in 2001, on the sets of 'Lagaan', where Kiran was an assistant director. Technically speaking Aamir was still married to Reena Dutta at that time and they got divorced only next year. Aamir got married to Kiran three years later and are going pretty strong till date.

Rani Mukherji

Rani Mukherji has been linked to Aditya Chopra since a very long time now. Aditya Chopra divorced his wife Payal Chopra after seven years of marriage with industry insiders blaming the 'other woman' for the breakdown of their marriage. Rumours about the two getting married have been doing the rounds time and again, but both Rani and Aditya have maintained a dignified silence regarding the whole 'affair'.

Lara Dutta

After a long silence, mahesh Bhupathi's ex-wife, Shvetha Jaishankar, claimed that the relationship between Lara and Mahesh started while he was still married to her. She slammed Mahesh for treating her like a trophy wife and even said that Lara would fit in with his "ambitious streak".

Preity Zinta

Shekhar Kapur's ex-wife, Suchitra Krishnamoorthy shocked everyone when she cited Preity as the cause of her divorce from Shekhar Kapur. She even wrote a poem titled 'Maneater' directing it towards Preity which raked up a major controversy.

Rekha

Their's was the most celebrated romance on-screen. Off-screen too, the two reportedly had a torrid affair, very much on the lines of 'Silsila', which Yash Chopra termed as "real life coming into reel life". Amitabh apparently set his priorities right and returned home to wife Jaya Bachchan leaving the world in fancy of the short-lived but amazingly mysterious love story.

Madhubala

Legendary actress Madhubala was also seeing Kishore Kumar, whom she eventually married, when he was still married to Ruma Guha Thakurta.

Hema Malini

Dharmendra had to convert to Islam so that he could marry Hema Malini, while remaining married to Prakash Kaur

Sridevi

Sridevi has had the tag of 'the other woman' applied to her more than once. Firstly, she started dating Mithun Chakrabarty even though he was still married to Yogita Bali. It is said that when Sridevi found out that he had not divorced Bali, she got the marriage annulled. Later, she married producer Boney Kapoor while he was still married to his first wife Mona Shourie Kapoor. Strangely enough, Mona continued to live in Boney Kapoor's house for ten years after him and Sridevi tied the knot.

Karisma Kapoor

Karisma was engaged to Abhishek Bachchan. The engagement was announced in October 2002 on the 60th birthday of Abhishek's father, Amitabh Bachchan. Four months later in February 2003, they split up.[12] On 29 September 2003, she married industrialist Sanjay Kapur, CEO of Sixt India.Karisma married Sanjay while he was getting a divorce from his first wife Nandita.