Tag: architecture

One of China’s most complex interchanges. It’s called Qianchun Interchange and is located in the mountainous province of Guizhou, China. Construction began in 2009, but the massive road knot was only completed in 2017. It consists of 18 different ramps in eight directions on five different levels. The highest level is 37m above ground and this incredibly complex infrastructure has been labelled a nightmare for motorists trying to find their way around. People on social media pointed out that even the GPS systems would be confused by the five different layers of road.  However, officials claim that the directions and exits on the interchange are clearly marked and that even if you make mistakes,  it’s easy to turn around.

The swing that is located on the edge of a nearly 700m-tall cliff in Yunyang Longgang Scenic Spot in Chongqing, China, fires out riders 70 meters away from the cliff that overlooks a giant canyon.. The swing claims to be the fastest of its kind at 80 mph.
It was meant to open to the public early this year. However, its opening was delayed by the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown. Tourists will be bound to harness horizontally before being flung out at 80mph. According to the Guinness World Records the current tallest swing in the world measures 88 meters (288 feet 8 inches) from the seat to the top of the crossbar. It was constructed by B!g Rush in Durban, South Africa, on 14 May 2011.

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The Matisi Grottoes are Buddhist cave temples in the administrative region of the Mati Tibetan community in the Chinese province of Gansu. It is a large group of different cave complexes that are scattered over 30 square kilometers in the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains. The best accessible site is approximately 65 kilometers south of Zhangye city center. The first caves were dug about 1,600 years ago. It is named after the Mati Monastery (Mǎtísì), which literally means “Horse Hoof Monastery”. According to Chinese legend, the god Erlang stopped here so that his horse could rest. Tibetan tradition, however, attributes the horse’s hoof , which is seen as an imprint in a rock, to the riding horse of the famous hero king Gesar. The section of the cliff carved out as a pagoda is the most imposing part of Mati Si. It’s nearly 200 feet  in height. It’s divided into seven floors and houses seven grottoes, an intricate set of tunnels, and 200 Buddha statues.

Von Immanuel Giel – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

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On the Italian island of Capri, the most beautiful view is found on one of the world’s most beautiful footpaths. Via Krupp is a historic switchback paved footpath, connecting the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Gardens of Augustus area with Marina Piccola. The zigzagging Via Krupp, was carved into the island’s south coast between 1900 and 1902. Conceptualized by German industrialist Friedrich Krupp, the footpath was a connection for Krupp between his luxury hotel, Grand Hotel Quisisana, and Marina Piccola where his marine biology research vessel lay at anchor. Secretly however, this path also conveyed him to the Grotta di Fra Felice, a grotto where sex orgies with local youths took place. When the scandal surfaced, Krupp was asked to leave Italy in 1902. The path is surrounded by bushes of juniper and rosemary and covers an elevation difference of about 100 m.
info source: wikipedia

By Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

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A moon bridge is a highly-rounded arched pedestrian bridge associated with gardens especially in China and Japan, where the design originated. In many areas, moon bridges are purely decorative, but at one time this type of bridge was originally designed to allow pedestrians to cross canals while allowing the passage of barges beneath. When constructed using the climbing ascent and descent, it has the further advantage of not using space from the adjoining fields for approaches to the bridge. The visual effect of this bridge makes it a popular design for gardens, particularly those with water or small paths.
info source: wikipedia

Moon bridge in The Japanese garden at Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California.- By https://www.flickr.com/photos/randysonofrobert/ – https://www.flickr.com/photos/randysonofrobert/464791157/, CC BY 2.0, Link

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The hotel’s Romanian name is Castelul de Lut Valea Zanelor, which translates to “Clay Castle of the Valley of the Fairies” in English. An eco-friendly “fairytale castle” in the mountains of Transylvania, made of “100% organic” clay, straw and sand, with all wooden pillars. The exterior plastering is of lime and sand and the towers are of river stone. Located near Porumbacu de Sus, Romania, the hotel has ten rooms with unique design and shapes, each with its own entrance.