Incredible Pictures

Peacock room Castello di Sammezzano, Italy

Sanya Airport, China

Sanya Phoenix International Airport (IATA: SYX, ICAO: ZJSY) is an airport serving the city of Sanya in Hainan, the southernmost province of China. It is located about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of the city center. In 2012, Sanya Airport handled 11,343,387 passengers, making it the 19th busiest airport in China in terms of passengers, and 24th busiest in terms of movements with 81,456 in 2012. Known for its small size, it plays a vital part in bringing tourists into Sanya.

Crescent Moon Tower, Dubai

This Crescent Moon Tower boasts a 33-storey down-turned half moon on the banks of the Caspian Sea. It is designed to accommodate a children’s library, a conference facility, a restaurant, multiple cafes, and an open-air observation platform. Though it was just a proposal, there’s a big possibility that it will be built immediately.

Wadala Tower - Mumbai, India

Wat Rong Khun, Thailand

Wat Rong Khun more well-known among foreigners as the White Temple, is a contemporary unconventional Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat in 1997.

Fingerprint Building, Thailand

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Gardens by the Bay is a park spanning 101 hectares (1,010,000 m2) of reclaimed land in central Singapore, adjacent to the Marina Reservoir. The park consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. Gardens by the Bay is an integral part of a strategy by the Singapore government to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.

Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, Chile

Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve is a private for profit natural reserve and ecotourism project in southern Chile. The reserve was created in 1999 and includes 600 km2 (232 sq mi) of native forest in Chile dedicated to wildlife conservation and tourism. The reserve is owned by the businessman Víctor Petermann who bought it in the 1990s, and was prior to the land sellings of the late Pinochet Regime part of Complejo Forestal y Maderero Panguipulli.

Icon Residence, Malaysia

Kuchlbauer Tower - Bavaria, Germany

The Kuchlbauer Tower is an observation tower designed by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser on the grounds of the Kuchlbauer Brewery in Abensberg, a town in Lower Bavaria in Germany. The 35.14 meter tower was conceived and designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who died in the year 2000 during the tower's planning phase. The tower was completed after Hundertwasser's death under the direction of Leonhard Salleck, owner of the brewery, with architect Peter Pelikan overseeing construction.

Strawberry Home, Brazil

The Lagoons, Dubai

The Lagoons is a real-estate development that is under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and is situated along Dubai Creek, near Ras Al Khor Road. The Lagoons area would have covered an area of 70 million square feet (6.5 million square meters). Seven artificial islands, which would each have been linked to each other, were to consist of residential apartments, shopping malls, office buildings, five-star hotels, resorts, a museum, marinas, and Dubai's first opera house.

The most expensive house in the world - Antilia, India

Antilia is a residential complex owned by Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Limited. It is reported to be the most expensive home in the world and includes a staff of 600 to maintain the residence. Antilia was designed by Chicago based architects, Perkins + Will. The Australia-based construction company Leighton Holdings began constructing it. The home has 27 floors with extra-high ceilings (other buildings of equivalent height may have as many as 60 floors). The home was also designed to survive an 8-richter scale earthquake.

Tianzi Hotel - Hebei Province, China

World of Coca-Cola - Atlanta, GA

The World of Coca-Cola is a permanent exhibition featuring the history of The Coca-Cola Company. Its well-known advertising as well as a host of entertainment areas and attractions, and is located in Atlanta, Georgia (where the company's headquarters are located) at Pemberton Place (named in honor of John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola). 20-acre (81,000 m2) as part of Georgia's museums. the complex located across Baker Street from Centennial Olympic Park that is home to the Georgia Aquarium and future Center for Civil & Human Rights. It opened to the public on May 24, 2007, relocating from and replacing the original exhibit.

1. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Most of the tourist destinations are aqua-centric; however it is possible to visit attractions on land such as WWII cannons. Air Tahiti has five or six flights daily to the Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute from Tahiti (as well as from other islands). The island is served by Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute in the north, with Air Tahiti providing daily flights to and from Papeete on Tahiti.

2. Venice, Italy

Venice is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world for its celebrated art and architecture. The city has an average of 50,000 tourists a day (2007 estimate). In 2006, it was the world's 28th most internationally visited city, with 2.927 million international arrivals that year. It is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities.

3. Santorini, Greece

The expansion of tourism has resulted in the growth of the economy and population. The major settlements include Fira (Phira), Oia, Emporio, Kamari, Perissa, Imerovigli, Pyrgos, and Therasia. Akrotiri is a major archaeological site, with ruins from the Minoan era. Santorini's primary industry is tourism, particularly in the summer months.

4. Bali, Indonesia

The tourism industry is primarily focused in the south, while significant in the other parts of the island as well. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak (which were once independent townships), the east coast town of Sanur (once the only tourist hub), in the center of the island Ubud, to the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran, and the newer development of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.

5. Paris, France

Paris receives around 28 million tourists per year, of which 17 million are foreign visitors, which makes the city and its region the world's leading tourism destination, housing four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its museums and monuments are among its highest-esteemed attractions; tourism has motivated both the city and national governments to create new ones. The city's most prized museum, the Louvre, welcomes over eight million visitors a year, being by far the world's most-visited art museum.

6. Maldives

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the emergence of tourism in 1972 transformed the economy, moving rapidly from dependence on fisheries to tourism. In just three and a half decades, the industry became the main source of income. Tourism was also the country's biggest foreign currency earner and the single largest contributor to the GDP. As of 2008, 89 resorts in the Maldives offered over 17,000 beds and hosted over 600,000 tourists annually.

7. Las Vegas, Nevada

The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels. Most of the hotel casinos are in the city's downtown area, which has been the focal point of the city's gaming industry since its early days. Most casinos are downtown on the Fremont Street Experience, The Stratosphere being the major exception. Fremont East, adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, was granted variances to allow bars to be closer together, similar to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, the goal being to attract a different demographic than the Strip attracts.

8. Edinburgh, Scotland

Tourism is an important element in the city's economy. As a World Heritage Site, tourists come to visit historical sites such as Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and view the Old and New Towns. Their numbers are augmented in August each year during the Edinburgh Festivals, which attracts 4.4 million visitors, and generates in excess of £100m for the local economy.

9. Hawaii

Tourism is an important part of the Hawaii economy. In 2003 alone, according to state government data, there were over 6.4 million visitors to the Hawaiian Islands with expenditures of over $10 billion. Due to the mild year-round weather, tourist travel is popular throughout the year. The summer months and major holidays are the most popular times for outsiders to visit, however, especially when residents of the rest of the United States are looking to escape from cold, winter weather. The Japanese, with their economic and historical ties to Hawaii and the USA as well as relative geographical proximity, are also principal tourists.

10. Aruba Island, Caribbean

About three quarters of the Aruban gross national product is earned through tourism or related activities. Most tourists are from the United States (predominantly from the north-east US), the Netherlands and South-America, mainly Venezuela and Colombia.

1. Santorini, Greece

Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi) and a 2011 census population of 15,550. The municipality of Santorini comprises the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. The total land area is 90.623 km2 (34.990 sq mi). Santorini is part of the Thira regional unit.

2. Venice, Italy

Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is located in the marshy Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline, between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon.

3. The Maldives

Maldives, officially the Republic of the Maldives and also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean consisting of a double chain of twenty-six atolls, oriented north-south, that lie between Minicoy Island (the southernmost part of Lakshadweep, India) and the Chagos Archipelago. The chains stand in the Laccadive Sea, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and 400 kilometres (250 mi) south-west of India.

4. Seychelles

Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles is a 115-island country spanning an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. Seychelles, with an estimated population of 86,525, has the smallest population of any African state. It has the highest Human Development Index in Africa and the highest income inequality in the world, as measured by the Gini index.

5. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 km (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 m (2,385 ft).

6. Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".

7. Hawaii

Hawaii is the most recent of the 50 U.S. states (joined the Union on August 21, 1959), and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.

8. Tahiti, French Polynesia

Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia (an overseas country of the French Republic), located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. The population is 178,133 (2007 census), making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.6% of the group's total population. Tahiti was formerly known as Otaheite.

9. Belize

Belize is a country located on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is the only country in the area where English is the official language, although an English creole (Kriol) and Spanish are more commonly spoken. Belize is bordered on the north by Mexico, to the south and west by Guatemala and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide.

10. Paris, France

Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in the north of the country, at the heart of the Île-de-France region. Within its administrative limits (the 20 arrondissements), Paris has a population of about 2,230,000, and its metropolitan area is one of the largest population centres in Europe, with more than 12 million inhabitants, who are referred to as Parisians.

Tom Chudleigh, Free Spirit Spheres, Qualicum Bay, British Columbia (Canada)

Terunobu Fujimori, Teahouse Tetsu, Kiyoharu Shirakaba Museum, Nakamaru, Hokuto City, Yamanashi (Japan)

Baumraum, Andreas Wenning, Between Alder and Oak, Osnabrück (Germany)

Michael Ince, Bialsky Tree House, Bridgehampton, New York (USA)

Casa na Árvore, Lake House, Araras, São Paulo (Brazil)

House Restaurant, Warkworth (New Zealand)

Hapuku Lodge, Hapuku Lodge Tree Houses, Kaikoura (New Zealand)

Roderick Wolgamott Romero, Lake-Nest Tree House, New York (USA)

Lukasz Kos, 4tree house, Walker’s Point, Lake Muskoka Ontario (Canada)

Nicko Bjorn Elliot, Nicko Bjorn Elliot Tree House, Toronto (Canada)

Thanks to fastcodesign [dot] com

Tree houses or tree forts, are platforms or buildings constructed around, next to or among the trunk or branches of one or more mature trees while above ground level. Tree houses can be used for recreation, work space, habitation, observation or as temporary retreats.

Tree houses are built usually by people for leisure purposes, also for protection from wild animals. In some parts of the tropics, houses are either fastened to trees or elevated on stilts to keep the living quarters above the ground to protect occupants and stored food from scavenging animals. The Korowai, a Papuan tribe in the southeast of Irian Jaya, live in tree houses, some nearly 40 metres (130 ft) high, as protection against a tribe of neighbouring head-hunters, the Citak.

Along with subterranean and ground level houses, tree houses are an option for building eco-friendly houses in remote forest areas, because they do not require a clearing of a certain area of forest. The wildlife, climate and illumination on ground level in areas of dense close-canopy forest is not desirable to some people.

1. Krzywy Domek - The Crooked House, Poland

The Krzywy Domek is an irregularly-shaped building in Sopot, Poland. Its name translates into English as the Crooked House. The Krzywy Domek was built in 2004. It is approximately 4,000 square meters in size and is part of the Rezydent shopping center. It was designed by Szotyńscy & Zaleski who were inspired by the fairytale illustrations and drawings of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg. It can be entered from either Monte Cassino or Morska Streets.

2. Dancing Building, Czech Republic

The Dancing House or Fred and Ginger is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague, Czech Republic, at Rašínovo nábřeží (Rašín's riverbank). It was designed by the Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in co-operation with the renowned Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry on a vacant riverfront plot. The building was designed in 1992 and completed in 1996.

3. La Pedrera, Spain

Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera, is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built during the years 1906–1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was a controversial design at the time for the bold forms of the undulating stone facade and wrought iron decoration of the balconies and windows, designed largely by Josep Maria Jujol, who also created some of the plaster ceilings.

4. The Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, Brazil

The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum is situated in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is one of the city’s main landmarks. It was completed in 1996. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer with the assistance of structural engineer Bruno Contarini, who had worked with Niemeyer on earlier projects, the MAC-Niterói is 16 meters high; its cupola has a diameter of 50 metres with three floors. The museum projects itself over Boa Viagem (“Bon Voyage,” “Good Journey”), the 817 square metres (8,790 sq ft) reflecting pool that surrounds the cylindrical base “like a flower,” in the words of Niemeyer.

5. Stone House, Portugal

Constructed between two giant stones and linked with a concrete mix, the house is rumored to be inspired by the popular American Flintstones cartoon. Although quite unusual, the prehistoric-looking residence does feature some traditional components such as windows, a front door, and even a shingled roof. As you might expect, the house’s design attracts thousands of tourists each year. [Source]

6. Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada

Habitat 67, or simply Habitat, is a model community and housing complex in Montreal, Canada, designed by Israeli–Canadian architect Moshe Safdie. It was originally conceived as his master's thesis in architecture at McGill University and then built as a pavilion for Expo 67, the World's Fair held from April to October 1967. It is located at 2600 Avenue Pierre-Dupuy on the Marc-Drouin Quay next to the Saint Lawrence River. Habitat 67 is widely considered an architectural landmark and one of the most recognizable and significant buildings in both Montreal and Canada.

7. Montreal Biosphere - Quebec, Canada

The Biosphère is a museum in Montreal dedicated to the environment. It is located at Parc Jean-Drapeau, on Île Sainte-Hélène in the former pavilion of the United States for the 1967 World Fair Expo 67. The structure is used prominently in the original Battlestar Galactica television series episode, "Greetings from Earth". Scenes for Robert Altman's post-apocalyptic ice age film Quintet were shot on site as well.

8. Cubic Houses - Rotterdam, Netherlands

Kubuswoningen, or cube houses, are a set of innovative houses built in Rotterdam and Helmond in The Netherlands, designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of "living as an urban roof": high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level. Blom tilted the cube of a conventional house 45 degrees, and rested it upon a hexagon-shaped pylon. His design represents a village within a city, where each house represents a tree, and all the houses together, a forest.

9. Cathedral of Brasilia, Brazil

The Cathedral of Brasília is the Roman Catholic cathedral serving Brasília, Brazil, and serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Brasília. It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and was completed and dedicated on May 31, 1970. The cathedral is a hyperboloid structure constructed from 16 concrete columns, weighing 90 tons each.

10. National Centre for the Performing Arts, China

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), and colloquially described as The Giant Egg, is an opera house in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The Centre, an ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass surrounded by an artificial lake, seats 5,452 people in three halls and is almost 12,000 m² in size. It was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. Construction started in December 2001 and the inaugural concert was held in December 2007.

Castle McCulloch - Jamestown, North Carolina

Built in 1832, the Castle offers luxurious facilities, warm ambiance, and exquisite surroundings. NC's foremost wedding location is sure to leave a lasting impression. If you are looking for wedding venues in NC, Castle McCulloch's convenient location is close to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Charlotte, Raleigh, and more.

(castlemcculloch [dot] com)

Searles Castle - Windham, New Hampshire

The Searles Castle is located in Windham, New Hampshire, in the United States. It was ordered to be built by Edward Francis Searles. Construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1915. It was intended to be a 1/4-scale replica of the medieval Tudor manor of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire, England, but since most of the manor had been torn down in the 18th century, the castle bears little resemblance to the historical structure. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1982 as the Searles School and Chapel.

(searlescastlewindham [dot] com)

Belcourt Castle - Newport, Rhode Island

Belcourt is a former summer cottage, designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, and located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. Begun in 1891 and completed in 1894, it was intended to be used for only six to eight weeks of the year. Designed in a multitude of European styles and periods, Belcourt features a heavy emphasis on French Renaissance and Gothic decor, with further borrowings from German, English and Italian design. In the Gilded Age, the castle was well noted for its extensive stables and carriage areas, which were incorporated into the main structure.

(belcourtcastle [dot] com)

Oheka Castle - Huntington, New York

Oheka Castle, also known as the Otto Kahn Estate, is located on the Gold Coast of Long Island, in Huntington, New York. It was the country home of financier and philanthropist Otto Kahn. Built by Kahn between 1914 and 1919, it was and remains the second largest private home in the United States, comprising 127 rooms and over 109,000 square feet (10,100 m2), as originally configured. It is currently a historic hotel with 32 guestrooms and suites on the upper floors of the mansion, a popular wedding venue for socialites, celebrities, and dignitaries, and the backdrop to many photoshoots and Hollywood productions. The estate also offers historic mansion tours of the estate and gardens. In 2004, Oheka was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a member of Historic Hotels of America.

(oheka [dot] com)

Saint Clements Castle - Portland, Connecticut

The architectural design of Saint Clements began with the 16th century castles of Europe. Centuries later, a New York architect named Sidney Algernon Bell incorporated several interesting features in the manor house, which include the long balcony modeled after the Inn of William the Conqueror at Divers, France, and the Art Gallery which was modeled after the Great Hall of the Chateau of Langeais. The two Norman towers add a distinctive feature to the French Tudor entrance.

(saintclementscastle [dot] com)

Tracy Castle - Wilkeson, Washington

The Tracy Castle has been host to hundreds of incredible weddings throughout the past decade. As one of the premier wedding venues in all of the Puget Sound, The Tracy Castle exemplifies elegance and sophistication while hosting the most important day of your lives together.

(tracycastle [dot] com)

Meyer's Castle - Dyer, Indiana

Meyer's Castle or the Joseph Ernest Meyer House is a former private residence in the town of Dyer, Indiana in the United States. The castle was constructed from 1927-1931 in the Jacobethan style by architect Cosbey Bernard, Sr. The house was built for Joseph Ernest Meyer as his private residence, a herbologist and one of Hammond's first millionaires. The building now serves as a wedding and party reception and the home of an Argentine Rodizio's steakhouse.

(meyerscastle [dot] com)

Joslyn Castle - Omaha, Nebraska

The George and Sarah Joslyn Home (officially named "Lynhurst," yet known locally as Joslyn Castle), is a mansion located at 3902 Davenport Street in the Gold Coast Historic District of Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Built in the Scottish Baronial style in 1903, the Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was designated as an Omaha landmark in 1979.

(joslyncastle [dot] com)

Landoll’s Mohican Castle - Loudonville, Ohio

Enjoy the stately majesty of times past in a luxurious castle fit for the kings and queens in all of us. Experience the romance of lazy afternoons, intimate fireside conversation, continental breakfasts and morning walks through private forestland in perfect solitude. Located one and one-half hours northeast of Columbus, Ohio, deep in the heartland of Mohican Country, the estate offers unprecedented luxury in its lodging and seclusion.

(landollsmohicancastle [dot] com)

Castle Farms - Charlevoix, Michigan

Northern Michigan’s very own fairy tale castle! With cobblestone courtyards, soaring stone towers, and magnificent sweeping gardens, Castle Farms has earned a reputation as one of Michigan’s premiere historic attractions, as well as a celebrated wedding venue. Whether you’re on a travel adventure, or searching for the perfect site in which to exchange marriage vows, this French Renaissance style castle offers the perfect blend of old-world charm and modern-day elegance for visitors seeking family fun and bridal couples-to-be.
(castlefarms [dot] com)

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, rather than Bavarian public funds.

Bodiam Castle, England

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle's design as well as defence. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam.

Prague Castle, Czech Republic

Prague Castle is the official residence and office of the President of the Czech Republic. Located in the Hradčany district of Prague and dating back to the ninth century, the castle has been a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it.

Matsumoto Castle, Japan

Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's premier historic castles. The building is also known as the "Crow Castle" due to its black exterior. It was the seat of the Matsumoto domain. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail. The keep (tenshukaku), which was completed in the late sixteenth century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.

Warwick Castle, England

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from an original built by William the Conqueror in 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a bend of the River Avon. The original wooden motte-and-bailey castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture. It was used as a stronghold until the early 17th century, when it was granted to Sir Fulke Greville by James I in 1604. Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978 when it was bought by the Tussauds Group.

Dover Castle, England

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. It is the largest castle in England.

Malbork Castle, Poland

The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork is the largest castle in the world by surface area, and the largest brick building in Europe. It was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Knights, a German Roman Catholic religious order of crusaders, in a form of an Ordensburg fortress. The Order named it Marienburg (Mary's Castle). The town which grew around it was also named Marienburg.

Balmoral Castle, Scotland

Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, 6.2 miles (10.0 km) west of Ballater and 6.8 miles (10.9 km) east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria. As it was not purchased by the Queen no revenues from the estate go to Parliament and to the public purse as would be the case, in accord with the 1760 Civil List Act, for property owned outright by the Queen.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Himeji Castle, Japan

Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex located in Himeji, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The castle is frequently known as Hakuro-jō ("White Egret Castle") or Shirasagi-jō ("White Heron Castle") because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight.

A log house (or log home) is structurally identical to a log cabin (a house typically made from logs that have not been milled into conventional lumber). The term "log cabin" is not preferred by most contemporary builders, as it generally refers to a smaller, more rustic log house such as a hunting cabin in the woods, or a summer cottage.

Log construction was the most common building technique in large regions of Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic states and Russia, where straight and tall coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce, are readily available. It was also widely used for vernacular buildings in Eastern Central Europe, the Alps, the Balkans and parts of Asia, where similar climatic conditions prevail. In warmer and more westerly regions of Europe, where deciduous trees predominate, timber framing was favoured instead.

There are several types of logs used for log houses:

Handcrafted: Typically made of logs that have been peeled, but otherwise essentially unchanged from their original appearance as trees.
Hewn logs: logs hewn by axe to an oval, hexagonal, octagonal or rectangular section.
Sawn logs: logs sawn to a standard width, but with their original heights.
Milled (also called machine-profiled): made with a log house moulder: Constructed of logs that have run through a manufacturing process which convert them into timbers which are consistent in size and appearance.

Abandoned dome houses in Southwest Florida, USA

Abandoned mill from 1866 in Sorrento, Italy

Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Angkor Wat was first a Hindu, then subsequently, a Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaivism tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Christ of the Abyss at San Fruttuoso, Italy

Christ of the Abyss is a submerged bronze statue of Jesus Christ, the original of which is located in the Mediterranean Sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 metres depth, and stands c. 2.5 metres tall. Various other casts of the statue are located in other places worldwide, both underwater and in churches and museums.

Craco, Italy

El Hotel del Salto in Colombia

Gulliver's Kingdom, Japan

Hafodunos Hall in Llangernyw, North Wales

Hashima Island, Japan

Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA

I.M. Cooling Tower, Belgium

North Brother Island near New York City

North Brother Island is a small island in the East River situated between the Bronx and Riker's Island, New York City. Once the site of a hospital, it is now uninhabited and designated as a bird sanctuary. It measures approximately 400 m by 250 m. Its smaller companion, South Brother Island, is a short distance away. Together, the two Brother Islands, North and South, have a land area of 20.12 acres (81,400 m2).

Sunken yacht in Antarctica

The Tunnel of Love in Ukraine

Underwater City in Shicheng, China

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle is an historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age (2nd century AD), although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half. As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite Rising of 1745. It has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions.

Hashima Island, Japan

The island was populated from 1887 to 1974 as a coal mining facility. The island's most notable features are the abandoned and undisturbed concrete apartment buildings and the surrounding sea wall. The island has been administered as part of Nagasaki city since the merger of the former town of Takashima in 2005. As petroleum replaced coal in Japan in the 1960s, coal mines began shutting down all over the country, and Hashima's mines were no exception. Mitsubishi officially announced the closing of the mine in 1974, and today it is empty and bare, which is why it is called Ghost Island. Travel to Hashima was re-opened on April 22, 2009 after 35 years of closure.

Paris Catacombs, France

The Catacombs of Paris or Catacombes de Paris is an underground ossuary in Paris, France. Located south of the former city gate (the "Barrière d'Enfer" at today's Place Denfert-Rochereau), the ossuary holds the remains of about six million people and fills a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of Paris's stone mines. Opened in the late 18th century, the underground cemetery became a tourist attraction on a small scale from the early 19th century, and has been open to the public on a regular basis from 1874. Following an incident of vandalism, they were closed to the public in September 2009 and reopened on 19 December of the same year.

Poveglia, Italy

Poveglia is a small island located between Venice and Lido in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. A small canal divides the island into two parts. Poveglia should not be confused with Ex Poveglia, another small island of the lagoon three kilometers West of Poveglia. Because of its turbulent history, the island has been featured on the paranormal reality shows Ghost Adventures and Scariest Places on Earth.

Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic. The ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, whose bones have in many cases been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel. The ossuary is among the most visited tourist attractions of the Czech Republic, attracting over 200,000 visitors yearly.

The Death Railway, Thailand

The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, the Thailand–Burma Railway and similar names, was a 415 kilometres (258 mi) railway between Bangkok, Thailand, and Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), built by the Empire of Japan in 1943, to support its forces in the Burma campaign of World War II. The line was closed in 1947, but the section between Nong Pla Duk and Nam Tok was reopened ten years later in 1957.

The Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

The Hill of Crosses is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the centuries, not only crosses, but giant crucifixes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues of the Virgin Mary and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006.

Tower of London

[Image Credits]

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison from 1100 (Ranulf Flambard), until 1952 (Kray twins) although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence.

Yungas Road, Bolivia

The North Yungas Road (alternatively known as Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, Road of fate or Death Road) is a 61-kilometre (38 mi) or 69-kilometre (43 mi) road leading from La Paz to Coroico, 56 kilometres (35 mi) northeast of La Paz in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road". One estimate is that 200 to 300 travellers are killed yearly along the road. The road includes cross markings on many of the spots where vehicles have fallen.

The Island of the Dolls, Mexico

“The setting sun, and the music at the close, As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last, Writ in remembrance more than long things past.”
― William Shakespeare

“Twilight fell: The sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“The first stab of love is like a sunset, a blaze of color -- oranges, pearly pinks, vibrant purples...”
― Anna Godbersen, The Luxe

“There's a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they're absolutely free. Don't miss so many of them.”
― Jo Walton

“Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under!”
― C. JoyBell C.

“Sunrise paints the sky with pinks and the sunset with peaches. Cool to warm. So is the progression from childhood to old age.”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

“The sky, at sunset, looked like a carnivorous flower.”
― Roberto Bolaño, 2666

“When the sun is setting, leave whatever you are doing and watch it.”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky."
― Rabindranath Tagore

“The sun was now in its death throes, bruising the sky a coiling purple and orange.”
― Harlan Coben, Tell No One

“There is no way in which a man can earn a star or deserve a sunset.”
― G.K. Chesterton

“Sunset on the water ought to be a quiet and easy time, but I guess some people can't stand a little silence.”
― Carl Hiaasen

“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal.”
― Elbert Hubbard

“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.”
― Pamela Hansford Johnson

“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.”
― George R.R. Martin

“How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.”
― George MacDonald

“If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.”
― G. K. Chesterton

“Just as we could have rode into the sunset, along came the Internet, and it tripled the significance of the PC.”
― Andy Grove

“Instead of sailing off into the sunset, he hopes to sail into the next century.”
― Dave Anderson

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator."
― Mahatma Gandhi

Äscher cliff restaurant - Switzerland

Andronis Boutique Hotel, Santorini

Andronis Boutique Hotel is the newest member of Andronis Exclusive Hotels. Boutique style built on the edge of the cliff, 100 meters from the caldera sea with magnificent views of the volcano. This excellent hotel has 14 suites, all designed with influence by the Aegean Sea architecture.

Atlantis the Palm, Dubai

Atlantis, The Palm is a resort located on Dubai’s reclaimed artificial island The Palm. It was the first resort to be built on the island and is based on the myth of Atlantis includes distinct Arabian elements. The resort opened on September 24, 2008 as a joint venture between Kerzner International Holdings Limited and Istithmar.

The Manta Resort, Zanzibar

Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland

Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island

Barefoot luxury meets unpretentious style at this five star hotel in the Maldives. Home to whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins and turtles, Conrad Maldives is set on two islands and is reached by a 30-minute seaplane flight. Select from 11 restaurants and bars for dining including Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, the Cheese Bar featuring 101 of the world’s best cheeses, and an underground Wine Cellar with 20,000 bottles of fine wines.

Hotel Ubud Hanging Gardens, Indonesia

Ladera Resort, St. Lucia

Astarte Suits Hotel, Greece

Located in the settlement of Akrotiri and perched on the volcanic cliffs of Caldera, the unique property of Astarte Suites offers luxurious accommodation with stunning views to the vastness of the Aegean Sea and the iconic volcano right in the middle! This only-suite boutique property features 11 units of exceptional beauty, along with world-class services, pampering its guests in sumptuous surroundings, at the tip of Santorini.

Rayavadee Krabi, Thailand

Situated at the heart of the stunning Phranang Peninsular on the edge of Krabi Marine National Park, Rayavadee nestles discreetly amidst tropical gardens and coconut groves against a backdrop of sheer cliffs, lush jungle foliage and the clear waters of the Andaman Sea. In addition to stylish, five-star accommodation, Rayavadee boasts fine cuisine, one of the most unique relaxation spas in Thailand and warm, attentive service.

Capturing a great image using the lens of a cam:

The subject of your photograph is the most important part of the picture - it may be a person or a spectacular part of the scenery. This is where you want the viewer’s eyes to focus and you can do this through some simple techniques.

A busy or distracting background will draw attention away from the subject. When you take a picture, look at the entire viewfinder and not just the subject. Ensure there isn't a tree growing from someone’s head or something distracting going on in the background. A plain background tends to show off the subject.

Make sure your subject is in focus. This is especially important if your subject isn't in the center of your picture. Point and click cameras focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder. If your subject is off to one side, you’ll have to lock the focus on your subject then re-position the camera so the subject is off–center. See your camera’s owners manual to learn how to lock the focus.

Part II

A home is generally a place that is close to the heart of the owner, and can become a prized possession. It has been argued that psychologically "The strongest sense of home commonly coincides geographically with a dwelling. Usually the sense of home attenuates as one moves away from that point, but it does not do so in a fixed or regular Since it can be said that humans are generally creatures of habit, the state of a person's home has been known to physiologically influence their behavior, emotions, and overall mental health. People may become homesick when they leave their home over an extended period of time.

Everyone has a different notion of what an ideal home should be, here we looked at innovative, bizarre and one-of-a-kind homes and what makes them stand out.

Capturing a great image using the lens of a cam:

Light is one of the most important aspect of a photograph. Whether the photographer utilizes natural light or a flash—the type, amount and location of the light source should always be considered. Different lighting can change the entire appearance of a photograph.

The bright sun can create deep shadows on the face and intensify wrinkles, scars and blemishes. When taking pictures on sunny days, it’s a good idea to use your flash to lighten your subject’s face and reduce unattractive shadows.

Overcast days often provide pleasing results without the use of a flash or other artificial light sources. If you do use a flash, try the camera’s fill–flash mode if it has one. The flash will lighten the subject’s appearance and make it stand out.

When using a flash, make sure the subject is within the flash’s range. Most cameras have a range of up to 15 feet. Check your owner’s manual for the specifics on your camera’s flash range. To be safe, don’t position your subjects further than 10 feet away.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
- Abraham Lincoln

All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.
- Albert Einstein

Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
- Warren Buffett

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
- Marcus Garvey

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
- Thomas Jefferson

Overwater bungalows or Ocean Huts are iconic, thatch-roofed symbols of a tropical paradise. About two-thirds of the 5,000+ aquatic rooms are water villas in the Maldives. The overwater bungalows ans huts in Bora Bora are the next biggest group. There are also smaller groups in Moorea, Tahiti, elsewhere in the South Pacific, plus over water bungalows in the Caribbean, Mauritius, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Peacock room Castello di Sammezzano, Italy

Sanya Airport, China

Crescent Moon Tower, Dubai

Wadala Tower - Mumbai, India

Wat Rong Khun, Thailand

Wat Rong Khun more well-known among foreigners as the White Temple, is a contemporary unconventional Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat in 1997.

Fingerprint Building, Thailand

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, Chile

Icon Residence, Malaysia

Kuchlbauer Tower - Bavaria, Germany

Strawberry Home, Brazil

The Lagoons, Dubai

The most expensive house in the world - Antilia, India

Tianzi Hotel - Hebei Province, China

World of Coca-Cola - Atlanta, GA

Capturing a great image using the lens of a cam:

The subject is the most important aspect of your photograph, but doesn’t always have to be in the center of the photo. Sometimes you can add dramatic effects to your picture simply by shifting the subject to one side or the other. Play with your pictures and see how repositioning the camera slightly can alter the image. Taking a picture of a person close up can have a completely different feel than if the person is in the distance. Sometimes the subject’s eyes or expression can tell the whole story. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subjects, whether they are people, pets or even flowers. Another tip—get down to the level of your subject. This means bending down to photograph children. This will make your photos more personable.

Sometimes tipping your camera on its side to take a vertical picture can improve the quality of the photo. Tall subjects can fill a vertical frame much better than a horizontal frame.

Candid photos make entertaining pictures, but sometimes it’s OK to direct your subjects, add props and choose locations. Hats, big ice cream cones or having the group look in the same direction with animated faces can add personality to a picture.

Part I

Clouds are made up of many millions of miniscule water droplets which are formed when moist warm air rises up into the sky and is then cooled down. If the cloud is very cold it means that it is made up of ice crystals. It takes somewhere between a few minutes and 1 hour for a cloud to be created.

There are now a number of basic cloud types with names based on combinations of the above words, as well as the word 'alto' which is now being used to describe medium level cloud. These main cloud types can be placed into three different sections depending on their height from the ground.