Filled with mystery and intrigue, the ancient pyramids have been admired by humans throughout the ages. In modern times the iconic structure of the pyramid has inspired many architectural projects all around the world. The modern day behemoths, mostly built from glass and steel, are employed as architectural statement pieces.
By Martin Falbisoner (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading Modern Day Pyramids
Across Switzerland there are hundreds of military bunkers cleverly blended into Switzerland’s landscapes. The Swiss even hired artists and theater set designers to give the bunkers their make-overs to help them fit in with the local surroundings. The bunkers are hided behind well-disguised facades that have gone unnoticed for years.
Continue reading Swiss camouflaged military bunkers perfectly integrated into the landscape
Piers have been built for several purposes, and because these different purposes have distinct regional variances the term is principally associated with the image of a Victorian cast iron pleasure pier. However, the earliest piers predate the Victorian age and were of wooden construction. Providing a walkway out to sea, pleasure piers often include amusements and theaters as part of the attraction. Such a pier may be open air or partly open, partly closed.
Morning mist on Lake Mapourika, New Zealand.
photographer: Richard Palmer (image source)
A spite house is a building constructed or modified to irritate neighbors or any party with land stakes. Spite houses may create obstructions, such as blocking out light or blocking access to neighboring buildings or can be just symbols of defiance. Because long-term occupation is at best a secondary consideration, spite houses frequently sport strange and impractical structures.
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In 1806, Thomas McCobb, heir to his father’s land and shipbuilding business, returned home to Phippsburg, Maine, from sea to discover that his stepbrother Mark had inherited the family “Mansion in the Wilderness”. Upset about his loss, McCobb built a house directly across from the McCobb mansion to spite his stepbrother.
By The original uploader was GregManninLB at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Liftarn using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, Link
Rakotzbrücke (also called the Devil’s Bridge) is nestled in Azalea and Rhododendron Park, Kromlau, Germany. The bridge dates back to 1860s. Rakotzbrücke was specially built to create a circle when it is reflected in the waters beneath it – a popular photo opp. The bridge’s artificially-formed basalt columns were specially shipped from distant quarries.
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Kizhi island is located on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. The entire island and the nearby area form a national open-air museum with more than 80 historical wooden structures. The most famous is the Kizhi Pogost, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Pogost is an area inside a fence, which includes two large wooden churches and a bell-tower, that are made entirely from wood, from the frame to the rivets and the stunning exterior.
Continue reading Magnificent buildings made entirely from wood on Kizhi Island
It was built sometime between 1180 and 1250 AD with later additions and restorations. Its walls are formed by vertical wooden boards or staves. The four corner posts were connected to one another by ground sills, resting on a stone foundation. The rest of the staves then rise from the ground sills, each stave notched and grooved along the sides so that they lock into one another, forming a sturdy wall. (image source)
Continue reading Norwegian architecture taken out of fairy tales
