The most interesting places in Cave Krubera-Voronya is a fast way to the bowels of the earth. Waitomo Glowworm Caves in New Zealand

The world is a strange, wonderful, and sometimes frightening place. We present you the most unusual places on Earth, which are the result of the whim of Mother Nature or the work of human hands.

Spotted Lake has long been revered by the Okanagan Indians, and it's easy to see why they hold it sacred. In summer, part of the lake's water evaporates, which causes small multi-colored mineral spots to form, on which you can even walk. This lake contains the largest number various minerals in the world.

This is the world's largest "salt pan". And when a thin film of water collects on the surface of a dried-up salt lake, it becomes the world's largest natural mirror.

Looking for the strangest places in the world? How about this terrifying lake? Animals that die in it are turned into statues through calcification. The presence of huge amounts of sodium bicarbonate ensures that all organisms that die in the lake will turn into mummies.

The next in the ranking of the strangest places on the planet is the bridge, which is famous for its unique design accuracy. The bridge itself and its reflection merge into a perfect circle, regardless of the viewing angle.

Sixty million years ago, an erupting volcano "spawned" from its bowels a mass of molten basalt, which then solidified and contracted in volume. As it cooled, cracks appeared in it, which can be seen today. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has about 37,000 polygonal columns, and they are perfectly geometric. According to local legend, they were created legendary hero Finn McCool, who was preparing to fight the giant Goll.

A surreal sight - a sun-drenched dead forest in a dry oasis, surrounded by rusty-orange giant sand dunes. The lack of water causes the roots of the trees to crawl out, right on the sand in search of the slightest droplets of moisture. This real fight for a life!

At an altitude of 776 meters in the Alps, there is a charming picturesque place, in the center of which there is a small lake. But in April, a seemingly ordinary park is dramatically transformed. Powerful streams of water that roll down the slopes of the mountains fill the gorge with clean water. Benches, flower beds, bridges, lawns, trees and shrubs disappear under it. It turns out a real underwater park with a depth of 2 to 20 meters. Well, divers need somewhere to rest too.

A wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the southwest of Turkey. This is Pamukkale (Cotton Palace), around which are the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, once a great city. Water cascades from natural springs, rich in calcium bicarbonate, flow down the white travertine terraces and form stunning thermal pools with a snow-white surface, which are unparalleled in the world.

At one of the industrial sites railway near the Ukrainian village of Klevan there is a green tunnel formed by woven branches of trees and shrubs. It seems that it was created as a decoration for some beautiful fairy tale.

There is a belief that if a couple of lovers pass through this tunnel and make a wish, then it will certainly come true.

11. Lake Hillier, Western Australia

This wonderful lake was discovered in 1802. Its intense pink color is retained all year round, which, according to some scientists, is due to the high salinity of the water, combined with the presence of salt-containing species of algae known as Dunaliella salina and pink bacteria - halobacteria.

In the waters of the rivers Thames and Mersey, the remains of sea forts built to deter German air raids during World War II stand on stilts.

After the war, a group of pirate radio operators chose the forts, and in 1967 they were expelled from there by retired colonel Paddy Roy Bates. Having occupied one of the forts - Roughs Tower - he proclaimed the creation of his own independent state called the Principality of Sealand. And so that everything was “in an adult way”, Bates took the name Roy I Bates, developed a constitution and came up with National symbols Sealand. He moved his family and friends to the platform, after which the "self-proclaimed king of lemurs", that is, the newly-born prince, began a judicial confrontation with the British government. And the result was not in favor of the government.

As a result, Sealand existed safely until 2006, and then, due to a short circuit in the generator and a fire, the principality burned to the ground. The restoration would have taken a huge amount, and its owner decided to put the miniature state up for sale. So far no one has bought it.

And the rest of the forts had a less eventful and bright fate. They look like an army of rusty but merciless robots decided to launch an invasion from the sea, and then stopped on the approach.

Siberia has one of the most unusual places on the planet. It is known as the "Seven Giants" and "Mansiysk blockheads". These huge stone pillars of weathering, 30 to 42 meters high, are located to the west of the Urals, on Mount Man-Pupu-ner. They were created not by human hands, but by ice and snow over the years.

The legend says that the monoliths were once giant brothers, and their leader was Torev (the Bear). Hearing about the beauty of the daughter of the leader of the Mansi, the giants went to war against the tribe in order to capture the beauty by force. But the good spirits gave the leader's son a magical weapon - a fiery sword and a shield, with which he turned the giants into stone. Dying, one of them threw aside a tambourine, which also petrified and turned into the top of Koyp ("Drum").

Lakes, as a rule, do not have a giant "drain" that sucks water into some kind of cavernous invisible drain. However, the artificial lake of Berries is special.

When heavy rains create an excess pressure of water, a hole appears in the water surface of the lake, creating a fantastically beautiful and strange failure, which you hardly want to get into.

The unique design of the spillway, officially known as the “glory hole”, allows an excess of water equal to 1370 cubic meters to pass in one second. The depth of the drain is 21 meters.

Since 1990, a man named Ra Paulette has been taking a shovel and a pick and going into the desert in New Mexico to make caves out of pliable sandy mountains. The caves he digs by hand include underground galleries decorated with intricate patterns. They come to the mind of the creator right during the work.

"Is this Antarctic glacier bleeding?" This is a perfectly reasonable question when you look at the Taylor Glacier, just east of the Ross Ice Shelf. A red liquid flows down it, coloring the ice in its path, but there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. The red stuff is high-salt, microbial-laden water that has accumulated under a glacier over millions of years. As the water reaches the surface, it is saturated with oxygen, resulting in a rusty waterfall worthy of entering the top 20 strangest places on Earth.

For most people, death is a terrible and sad event. However, some believe that it is necessary to remember people who have gone to another world with a smile, and not with tears.

An example of a non-standard approach to death is a cemetery located in the Romanian village of Sepintsa. Each of the 800 multicolored tombstones is marked with a funny anecdote from the life of the person buried under it, and often contains details of his death, accompanied by a hilarious illustration.

The colors of wooden tombstones have a certain meaning.

• Green has become a symbol of life.
• Black has traditionally symbolized death.
• Yellow is a symbol of fertility.
• Red symbolized passion.

And blue was originally the dominant color chosen by artist Stan Jon Petrash, the author of the first "fun" tombstone.

Fragmentary epigraphs and bright colors make this cemetery one of the most unusual places in the world.

These beautiful travertine terraces in northern Iran are incredible a natural phenomenon, which was formed at an altitude of 1840 meters above sea level, over thousands of years. Travertine is a type of limestone formed from calcium deposits in running water.

The unusual reddish color of the terraces is due to the high content of iron oxide in one of the sources.

Animal figures and geometric designs engraved on the Nazca plateau in Peru are one of the greatest secrets South America. Who created them and why? Scientists have no answer, only guesses.

Images are clearly visible only from the air or from an observation tower located next to the highway. Each of these geoglyphs (some of them up to 200 m long) is outlined with a single continuous line.

This island, separated from mainland Africa over six million years ago, looks like the setting of a sci-fi movie. The incredible and unique biodiversity of Socotra means that there are plants and trees found nowhere else in the world. The ancient and twisted dragon tree and mushroom tree look especially strange.

There is a joke that in fact the world is ruled by cats. Well, in every joke, as you know, there is only a fraction of a joke. One island the seals still managed to capture.

A short ferry ride off the east coast of Japan takes you to Tashiro Island, home to about 100 people and many, many cats.

Initially, the breeding of cats on the island was encouraged, since the locals made silk, and mice were natural enemy silkworms. The local fishermen believed that the fluffies brought them good luck, and the island even has a cat temple, as well as a recently built cat-shaped basin (entertainment for tourists). It goes without saying that dogs are not allowed on the island.

Incredible and strange places on the planet on video

My personal rating of unusual places on our planet. We are not talking about beauty, although many of the places considered are not without such a quality, namely, about unusualness and even strangeness. IN this list got places, bumping into which when searching on the Internet it was difficult to resist the exclamation: “Wow! And there is such a thing on our planet!”

Places are sorted in ascending order of the “Wow factor”, that is, starting with the simply interesting, continuing with the unusual, and ending with very strange, even fantastic, unearthly landscapes (although this gradation is very arbitrary).

Unusual places on our planet.

Let's start with a trip to the "Edge of the World" ..

It is located near the town of Skagen in Denmark, as the locals called the junction of the North and Baltic Seas:
This is the confluence of two currents of different composition and density, which for some reason do not mix, but form a clear boundary. It turns out beautifully and mysteriously, but in my opinion it looks more like not the "End of the World", but some kind of "Border between Worlds".

Entrance to the underwater kingdom.

This is the "Great Blue Hole", which is located in the Caribbean Sea near the Yucatan Peninsula. Its diameter is 305 meters, the depth is about 120-140 m:
Once this hole in the bottom Atlantic Ocean was an ordinary "land" cave, in which the "roof" collapsed, and then it was flooded by those who rose after the end ice age waters of the oceans. This is the largest hole of its kind on our planet. After Jacques Cousteau featured it in his film, it became the most popular diving site in the world.

Inverted sky.

Natural mirror area of ​​10 thousand square meters. m.
This is a dry lake in Bolivia, it is called "Uyuni Salt Flats". Such a fantastic effect of a giant mirror occurs during the rainy season, when water covers the surface of the salt marsh with a thin layer. The rest of the time the lake looks like this:

Crooked forest.

Forest with crooked trees in Poland.
This forest was planted in the 30s of the last century. Virtually all of its 400 trees have a synchronous bend to one side. There is no exact scientific explanation for this phenomenon, but the most plausible version sounds like this:

..As you know, in ancient times furniture with smooth curves and crooked legs was in fashion. In general, curved wooden parts were used everywhere, for example, sleigh runners, details of boats, ships, etc. Usually, wood was bent already in the production process, but here, in the area of ​​the Polish village of Gryfino, we see the result of an experiment on the production of a pre-curved wood.

But, the Second World War prevented this ambitious commercial project from being realized - the village was destroyed, young "slender" pines were abandoned. But now, in Poland, which is rather poor in sights, there is such a strange forest, protected by the state as a nature reserve.

Valley of love.

These rocks definitely resemble something.. hence the name of the valley, which is located in Cappadocia (Turkey). But not only the Valley of Love, but the rest of Cappadocia is a place with a very unusual "mushroom relief".
Such a relief is a consequence of powerful eruptions that took place here in prehistoric times, after which wind and water took over, which, over millions of years, together created these pillars with caps.
Then, several thousand years ago, people set to work and created here cave dwellings and entire cave-underground cities, going to a depth of up to 80 meters.

In total, there are about 40 cave cities in Cappadocia, in which up to 30,000 people once lived.

Scuba diving in the park.

Agree, very unusual place for diving - swim among the alleys, benches and trees:
There is such a park in Austria. It is located near a clean mountain lake, and for most of the year it is an ordinary park. But in summer, when the snow melts in the mountains, the water level in the lake rises by several meters, turning the surrounding area into an attraction for divers.

I think that scuba divers experience very strange sensations while swimming in this lake, it probably looks like flying in weightlessness or in a dream, because instead of the usual deep landscape, they see an ordinary park underwater.

Another proof of the wisdom of nature. Look at what beauty she turned an ordinary trash can:

50 years ago, this place on the coast of the Gulf of California was a large landfill household waste. But somewhere in the 60s, it was forbidden to throw garbage here, the main rubbish was taken out, but the broken glass remained .. And nature, as usual, worked a miracle!

Welcome to Glass Beach California!

Happy Island.

This is the name of the island , more precisely an archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean, a few hundred kilometers from the coast of Somalia and Yemen. The unusualness of this island is that for several million years it has been isolated from the rest of the earth, thanks to which here in original form many ancient plants and animals have been preserved.

Once here, you will be transported into the past of the Earth by about 10-20 million years. Everything is as it was then, only dinosaurs are missing:

We continue the review..

It turns out there is such a miracle on our Earth! This country, or rather a city, is located in China.

This place was created to attract tourists. "Little people" live here, arrange performances for tourists, and in general, make money on tourists as best they can. Therefore, many Chinese dwarfs have a chance to find work and shelter in "Country of the Lilliputians".

Arizona, 240 km from the famous Grand Canyon. Fantastic, surreal beauty, especially when the rays of the sun enter during the day:
or the moon at night:
The place where Antelope Canyon is located belongs to the Navajo Indians, so to get here, you need to negotiate with them ($) and hire a guide.

If you suddenly decide to go there, be careful in rainy weather - even if it rains somewhere nearby, the canyon can fill up with water very quickly and almost silently. Thus, in 1997, 11 tourists died here.

Wave.

Arizona Wave (The Wave) - another miracle of nature:

They say nature is the best artist, in this case we see her work in the style of "surrealism".

This place, as well as Antelope Canyon, is located near the Grand Canyon Park. The surface of the “Wave”, despite the fact that it was formed under the influence of rain and wind for millions of years, is rather fragile in places, so large crowds of tourists are not allowed here. The maximum is 20 people a day, and tickets here are raffled off like a lottery, so it’s not easy to see this beauty with your own eyes.

But you can see the photo or video:

These multi-colored rocks are located in the geological park of the Chinese province of Gansu, and there are no other hills of the same type anywhere else in the world.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, this area was the bottom of the sea. But, as often happened in those geologically active times, the sea became dry land, and the silt deposits dried up and oxidized. Naturally, it was not without the participation of water and wind, which washed out and blew out various layers of sedimentary rocks, different colors and shades.

Now it is a unique place of its kind that attracts tourists from all over the world. For them, convenient paths and viewing platforms have been built here. Another curious fact is that once the famous Silk Road ran through this area.

The strangest place in the world.

This may be a very loud headline, but if not this strange place, then what!?!

Of course, these toys were never alive, but according to the terrible impression that the discarded dolls hung on the trees make, such a definition is quite suitable for this place:

The Island of the Dolls is located in Mexico, not far from Mexico City, among the canals of Xochimilco overgrown with reeds and shrubs. Of course, there is a legend that explains what happened here:

In the middle of the last century, a man named Don Julian Santana Barrera lived in these places. He was gloomy in temperament, liked to drink a lot, and was not quite friendly with his head, which is why those around him did not like him. At some point, his roof went completely, and this happened on religious grounds. With his delusional sermons, he annoyed the neighbors so much that they began to beat him periodically.

Because of all this, Don Julian decided to get away from the bustle of the world, chose a wild island among the canals of Xochimilco, began to grow vegetables there and fish for lunch. He was alone on a desert island, just like Robinson Crusoe. Rejected by society, he felt an all-consuming loneliness and hatred for the whole world.

One day, Don Julian found a doll on the island. He knew that not so long ago, a girl drowned somewhere nearby - most likely it was her doll! As a religious man, Don Julian believed that the girl's soul still wanders here without finding rest, and for his personal safety he needs to somehow win her over. Since then, occasionally visiting the city, he collected discarded dolls from the garbage dumps and brought them to the island as a gift to the spirit of the deceased girl.

..As the years passed, there were more and more dolls, and more and more Don Julian survived out of his mind - the mania of collecting dolls took possession of his consciousness completely and completely. He became obsessed with dolls, they completely replaced his society and human communication. Now he was not alone - he lived a full life surrounded by friends, girlfriends, neighbors, acquaintances .. and enemies. He treated his friends in a friendly way - he courted them, shared shelter with them, and they kept him company on long dull evenings.

But Don Julian did not have many friends, for the most part he was surrounded by enemies. And with the enemies of Don Julian Santana Barrera was cruel! He carried out executions over them like a medieval inquisitor cracking down on heretics, and then hung them from the "corpse" on trees, mainly around the perimeter of the island, in order to frighten evil spirits and intruders.

This is how this strange and mysterious man lived on his island, Robinon Crusoe of the 20th century. But one day, when his nephew, the only living person who occasionally visited him and brought him food, Once again sailed to the island - Don Julian was no longer here. It looks like he drowned in the canal, as did the girl whose doll became the first inhabitant. "Islands of the Dead Dolls"

Here is such a legend .. I apologize if I caught up with horror at the end of the post. I fantasized a little based on what I found on the Internet about this strange island .. just to make it more interesting.

Jan 29, 2016

On the surface of our planet there are beautiful landscapes and unique landscapes that give rise to associations with other galaxies. website prepared an overview of the most unusual places and offers to admire the marvelous and bizarre fantasy of nature.

The grandiose and ethereal view of Niagara Falls is forever amazing. It is located on the border between the US and Canada, in the state of New York. In general, this is a whole complex of powerful and rolling waterfalls, which include: "Horseshoe" (aka "Canadian"), "Veil" and "American". It is surprising that with relatively small differences in height, all the sources are very wide, and the water beats with such force that its roar is deafening. That is why Niagara Falls is considered one of the largest and noisiest on the entire planet. And in terms of picturesqueness, this place is so beautiful that, having been here once, you will often remember it and share your impressions with friends.

This natural object is located in Hawaii, the island of Oahu. In the local language, the name of the staircase is somewhat reminiscent of Japanese - "Haiku". In essence, the stairway to heaven is a mountain path of unique beauty, passing right along the tops of small mountains. For the convenience of tourists amazing object surrounded by railings. From the steps of this staircase, simply bewitching views of both the heavenly beauties and the valley open up. And the air seems to saturate, it is so clean, transparent and even delicious. This is one of the most magical and unusual places, worthy of Tolkien's tales of hobbits and light, almost weightless, elves.

3. Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon in Arizona (USA) fully justifies its name, translated into Russian as "The Great, or Huge Canyon." Its size is truly amazing. A very winding and unpredictable Colorado River passes through it, which makes its way through the limestone rock with a powerful current. The Grand Canyon is an amazing and historically valuable place. It is in it that one can trace the stages of formation of the modern surface of our planet; 4 historical layers are presented here. It is not only fantastically beautiful here, this place is invaluable for the development of such sciences as geology and history. It is for this reason that the Grand Canyon is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It turns out that not only the USA and Hawaii can boast of amazing places on the planet. In Belgium there is a beautiful forest with the sonorous name of Hallerboss. He is very famous not only in his native country, but throughout the world. With what? Every spring, unusual forest flowers bloom here - bluebells. Rather, they would be quite ordinary, if not for their number. Every year, the forest seems to be lined with a blue carpet, stunning both in its appearance and in the subtle aroma in the air. That is why Hallerboss, which stretches south from Brussels (the border of Flanders and Wallonia), is popularly called the "Blue Forest".

Of course, amazing and unusual places are formed not only on the surface, but also in the most secret depths of our planet. One of them is the huge Son Doong Cave, which can be found right in the center of Vietnam. To do this, you need to walk through Phong Nha Kebang National Park, which is located near the border with Laos. The size of this natural object is truly amazing. No wonder the cave was recognized as the largest on the entire planet. Unexplored views open here, and the highest vaults give scope for the most colorful fantasies. Here are just some of the data: the height is about 200 meters, the width is about 150, and the length has not yet been fully studied, but approximately 5 km. There are places to walk.

6. Monument Valley

Based on the title, one might think that we are talking about something man-made, created by artists or sculptors, however, our review includes unusual places on Earth, created exclusively by nature itself. So Monument Valley, which is again in the state of Arizona, USA, is amazing precisely because a person did not take part in its creation at all. Upper layer the Colorado Plateau in this place once consisted of very soft and unstable rocks of sedimentary origin. Over time, they were completely destroyed, and small rocks-fragments remained in the valley, which are now called monuments, or monuments. Only now they are set by history itself and built by the hands of nature. Some rocks even have names, such as Three Sisters, Mitten (Western and Eastern), etc.

It would seem that there is nothing more majestic and silent than the endless sands to the very horizon. However, deserts are amazing in their beauty. In New Mexico (USA) there is a valley called Tularosa. It is already beautiful in itself, but there are more unusual places here. This is the White Desert. It is nicknamed so because the sands are not golden yellow, but glossy white. It may seem that you find yourself in a hot winter. The Indians gave the desert a very romantic name - Porcelain, but among tourists it is better known as the White Sands Desert. Due to its natural beauty, this place has received the status of a US National Monument, and because of the composition of the dunes, the title of the largest gypsum deposit on the entire planet.

8. National Park in Australia

Another amazing place in its bewitching beauty is the Australian park Port Campbell, which you can visit in the state of Victoria. Just drive 190 km southwest of Melbourne and you'll be in a pristine piece of Paradise. Here, the coastline of the park is especially striking. It is all streaked with rocks of various, sometimes very bizarre, forms. In addition, it was here that grandiose shipwrecks occurred more than once. And the memory of them is stored in the names of mountain fragments - "The Twelve Apostles", "London Arch". On the territory of Port Campbell you can also visit the beautiful Thundering Cave.

South America is also famous for its unusual places which are a must to visit. One of them is the Dragon Falls pouring its waters in Venezuela. It is an object of national importance and in itself is very popular with tourists. Education is entirely the work of Mother Nature. By the way, the Dragon shares the same valley with the equally famous Angel Falls, which is considered the highest on the planet. Both of these places fascinate with their majestic beauty. They are carefully guarded and cherished in order to continue to delight, delight and surprise.

The city of San Francisco, which is located on the west coast of the United States, is well known to many. But few people know that it is located on the hills left over from the times of the Gold Rush. Most of them are monuments historical significance, others are simply beautiful, and others offer a fantastic view. How many exactly hills are located here is not known for certain, but, they say, at least fifty. The objects are very popular among tourists. First of all, because they are unusual, nowhere else on earth is there such a thing. And secondly, many of them offer a bewitching view of the city. One of these hills is Twin Peaks, which offers a panoramic view of the entire central part of San Francisco.

A river of extraordinary beauty flows on the territory of Slovenia and Italy. It meanders between the mountains, either expanding or narrowing to the size of a fast stream. The path of Sochi, or, in Italian, Isonzo, runs along an incredible beautiful places, but not only because of this it is famous all over the world. The color of the river's waters is amazing: bright turquoise, blinding in the sun. And surprisingly, throughout Socha does not change it, and remains pale blue. Famous Slovenian Alps, lush vegetation in the valley and the unique color make the Isonzo one of the most extraordinary places on the planet.

One of the world's most famous natural monuments is the victorious Victoria Falls, which is located in South Africa. If you want to visit such unusual places, then you need to come to the border between the African states of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to the Zambezi River. It is here that the main attraction of the entire continent makes noise, growls, overthrows tons of water - a waterfall named after Queen Victoria. Its width is almost 2 km, and its height is more than 120 m. The local name is more poetic - "Thundering Smoke". Due to its impressive size, this natural monument is unique, there are no others like it all over the world.

On our planet, there is also a real entrance to the underworld. It is called "Thor's Well" and is located in Oregon (USA). It looks like a huge funnel, into which whole tons of water fall with noise. These places are famous for their gorgeous sunsets, which are impossible to forget. An amazing well, formed by nature itself, provides endless scope for various fairy tales and beliefs. In fact, this is an almost perfectly round hole, with a diameter of 5 m, located in the high tide zone at Cape Perpetua.

14. Himalayas - mountains with history

The Himalayas are translated from Sanskrit as "the abode of snows", and for good reason. Here and, the truth is always snowy, cloudy and fabulous. A chain of mountain ranges and peaks stretches across India and Tibet, as well as Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan. These are very picturesque and unforgettable places, which every climber must conquer! The Himalayas are famous for their unearthly beauty, and the famous one, about which many legends, poems and songs have been composed. In general, it is here that more than 10 mountains are located, the peaks of which exceed 8 km, while the average figures for the Himalayan mountains are 6 km above sea level. This is a world altitude record.

Australia, surrounded on all sides by oceans, is famous for its coral reefs, but the Great Barrier is a separate story. It is huge in size, but more than that, it is a truly living, constantly evolving organism, beautiful in its uniqueness. It is recognized as the largest all over the world, and here are just a few figures to prove it: the length is about 2500 km along the northeast Australian coast, the number of individual reefs is almost 3000, and the formed coral islands of various sizes are 900. The view of this landscape makes such an impression that impossible to compare with anything.

Iceland is a beautiful northern country, at any mention of which a picture of geysers immediately appears in the mind. But there are other places, no less unusual and beautiful. The glacial lake Jokulsarlon is one of them. Not only is this reservoir formed by glacial waters, which is why it is crystal clear and terribly cold. Also, the whole area around is just fantastic. It seems like he landed on another planet. Blocks of transparent ice rise straight from the water, crawling on top of each other and forming a truly beautiful landscape worthy of the Snow Queen herself. Counts natural wonder countries.

And finally, it's time to move to the Alps - the most ancient and most picturesque mountain ranges on the ground. It is here that the famous Matterhorn mountain, the snow-white miracle of the Alps, is located. Where can you see it in person? Not far from the resorts of Switzerland Zermatt and Italy Breuil-Cervinia. If you translate the name into Russian, you get something like a "meadow peak", that is, a peak abundantly overgrown with vegetation. The mountain is considered one of the highest and most difficult (in terms of climbing) in the world, its height is 4478 m. The valley around is very picturesque.

There are a lot of amazing landscapes in Japan, but one of the most stunning is the Biei blue pond (Hokkaido). It spilled at the foot of the no less picturesque Mount Tokachi, and if you go from the town of Biei strictly to the southeast, you can certainly see this natural object. The pond is unique for its extraordinary color. The gentle, blue hue of the waters makes the heart freeze in true admiration for the creation of nature. This color is not always constant, and under certain weather conditions, it can become either more transparent or darker.

Amazes even the most sophisticated imagination. Taganay National Ural Park is one of them. This is the west Chelyabinsk region, not far from the ancient town of Zlatoust. Rank national treasure this area was awarded relatively recently, in 1991. The places here are unique in that they have preserved intact the most valuable natural areas - mountain tundra and meadows, with their unusual vegetation and fauna. In addition, only here you can find primordial moss swamps and relic forests that have kept secrets for thousands of years.

Oh, this is perhaps the most unusual place in the world. The island is located in the Indian Ocean, not far from Somalia. In essence, it is even an archipelago consisting of 4 parts. Three islands are inhabited, but one is not, and it is just the most interesting. It was here, under the conditions of the most severe selection (sandy soil, climate like in the desert), that unique vegetation survived, the representatives of which are not found anywhere else. And indeed it is. If you want to see bizarre plants and animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet, then you should visit this uninhabited, and therefore even more mysterious and amazing, island. And it is here that the rarest and most beautiful view pearls are black.

Text: Maria Nikitina

Description and photos of unusual, mysterious and amazing places on our planet.

Semuc Champey (the Mayan name translates as "where the river is hidden under the stones") is the most beautiful natural attraction in Guatemala, formed by the Caabon River, passing through a 300-meter limestone bridge (of natural origin) and forming several natural pools with a depth of 1 to 3 meters. You can swim in these pools, and if you sit on a stone and put your feet in the water, then in a few seconds you will begin to receive free massages and peelings from small fish that live in these reservoirs. This is an extremely pleasant feeling, I liked it even more than directly swimming in the pond.

Semuk Champey is located in the dense jungle and remained unknown for a long time until it was accidentally discovered in the mid-50s of the last century. In 1999, the President of Guatemala declared Semuc Champey a natural monument.

Semuk Champey. View from observation deck

Mount Kailash is located in the high mountain valley of Tibet in southwestern China. This sacred land is full of mysteries and mysticism. It is here that pilgrims from all over the world come to perform the kora - a ritual detour around Kailash.

Prohodna is the highest cave in Bulgaria. It is located 2 km from the village of Karlukovo in the valley of the Iskar River and is part of the Iskar-Panega Geopark. This amazing karst cave is a natural rock bridge 262 meters long and 15 to 25 meters wide. It has two entrances, Big and Small, between which a path has been laid.
The height of the arch of the large entrance is 45 meters: this is a favorite place for fans of extreme jumps. In addition, the cave is very popular among rock climbers. In the vicinity of Prohodna there are sports routes, which are considered one of the most difficult in Bulgaria.
main feature Passage - two through holes in the rock in shape resembling human eyes. locals they are called "God's Eyes" and sometimes "Damn's Eyes". These "windows" provide natural light to the cave and captivate tourists with their amazing symmetry. But the “Eyes of God” make a special impression in rainy weather, when real tears seem to flow from them.

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in the state of Utah (USA). This amazing natural site is known throughout the world for its beauty and unique marine geology. It is a giant amphitheater of rocky peaks of various structures.

New Zealand is a beautiful country that prides itself on its picturesque landscapes. However, its main attractions are not only on the surface - it is just as beautiful underground. Proof of this is the famous area of ​​Waitomo, which lies on one of the largest islands of the state. It is famous for its impressive limestone caves, which are amazing on their own, but what makes them even more special are the numerous fireflies that have chosen these underground labyrinths as their home. Thousands of tiny insects emit phosphorescent light, creating surreal light installations.

The picturesque island quarter of Burano in the northern lagoon of the Italian city of Venice can rightfully be called one of the most colorful places on the planet Earth. In addition to skilled lace makers, it is famous for its bright multi-colored buildings. Interestingly, each building is assigned a certain color, for which homeowners receive permission from local authorities. The condition of cartoon houses and the saturation of the hue are carefully monitored, if necessary, refreshing the lost brightness of their appearance. According to legend, it was the bright colors of the facades that from ancient times showed the Buran fishermen the way home.

A small village lying on one of the 400 islands of Shengsi, located east of the Chinese province of Zhejiang, has been abandoned for decades by people, but every year it attracts more and more tourists. After the town, famous for its fishing industry, was abandoned by people who found more convenient ways to earn money on the mainland, it began to disappear under the onslaught of local vegetation, turning into a kingdom of greenery. Plants are slowly taking over the dilapidated stone buildings, demonstrating the power of nature and creating a truly fantastic spectacle. A quiet scenic area on the east coast of China has not become comfortable place for human life, but it quickly turned into a cozy home for the local flora and fauna. The transformation of the city is especially impressive, given the fact that the inhabitants left it only in the early 90s, and the empty houses and broken windows are already completely merging with the thriving greenery. So abandoned locality gradually turns from ruins into a green jungle, which has already become a famous local landmark.

In cold Iceland, the land of snow, ice and unique natural attractions, there is always something to see and admire. Its main wealth is represented by powerful fjords, volcanoes, waterfalls and, of course, glaciers, striking in their scale and beauty. In their bowels, as if in the Snow Queen's castle, something even more magnificent is hidden - ice caves. The most amazing of them are concentrated in the southern part of the giant glacier Vatnajokull (Vatnajokull), which has the status of the largest in Europe and the third largest in the whole the globe after the glaciers of Antarctica and Greenland. Its area is 8133 km², which is 8% of the entire territory of the island. The thickness of the ice is on average 400 meters, and the maximum reaches 1000 meters. Vatnajökull is part of the largest national park in Europe with the same name.

Yosemite National Park in California has an impressive natural landmark called Horsetail Fall. For such unusual name lies an ordinary seasonal waterfall, which falls from the eastern side of the El Capitan mountain range in winter and early spring. The most interesting things begin to happen in these parts at the end of February. For only a few days a year, visitors to the park have the opportunity to see a rare event- the transformation of an ordinary water stream into a fiery waterfall, reminiscent of lava erupting from a volcano. In fact, this natural phenomenon is a visual illusion, the secret of which is hidden in the reflection of the rays of the setting sun at a certain angle and under favorable weather conditions. The luminary, blazing with fiery reflections in the water flowing from the mountain, creates truly apocalyptic landscapes. The unusual effect lasts only a few minutes, but travelers and hunters for unique shots regularly gather at Mount El Capitan in order to see and capture the amazing illusion.

Blue Fields is an unusual photo project, similar to a beautiful fantasy of an artist, authored by Scottish photographer Simon Butterworth. Captured by aerial photography, bodies of water in western Australia look very surreal, as if they were not photographs at all, but watercolor paintings depicting abstract patterns. In fact, the pictures show ordinary artificial ponds, from which a concentrated saline solution evaporates, leaving a salt crop. Reflecting the azure sky, the salt fields were captured by a photographer from an airplane at an altitude of about 1500 meters in the abandoned city of Useless Loop, in Shark Bay, the westernmost point of the Australian mainland.

Goats are known for their acrobatic prowess and ability to balance on sheer cliffs. However, their amazing abilities do not end there - in the kingdom of Morocco, you can see an even more unusual sight: dozens of horned animals comfortably nestle in the trees, like a flock of birds. They climb the highest branches, like skillful tightrope walkers, where they are engaged in measured eating of green leaves and fruits.

With the arrival of night, the beaches of some islands of the Maldives archipelago flare up with millions of luminous neon dots, as if the starry sky is falling on the shores of the Indian Ocean. The surrealistic picture does not arise with the help of magic, but as a result of the vital activity of microscopic organisms called bioluminescent phytoplankton. The most common blue glow in the Maldives is observed from about July to February, especially during the new moon, when the darkness of the sky helps microorganisms glow as brightly as possible. The amazing effect of bioluminescence can be seen in any of the atolls of the state, but the most bewitching "star" surfs occur on the island of Vaadhoo (Vaadhoo).

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Places where every cultured person dreams of visiting.

TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site, has compiled a ranking of 25 cultural sites that have been most highly rated by tourists from around the globe.

In general, if you have not yet decided on your vacation plans, in this review website you can find some great ideas. For the next 25 vacations.

1. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, recognized as one of the New Wonders of the World, is located on the territory of modern Peru, on the top of a mountain range at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. It is called the "city in the sky" or "the city among the clouds", sometimes called the "lost city of the Incas". Some archaeologists believe that this city was created as a sacred mountain retreat by the great Inca ruler Pachacutec around 1440, and functioned until 1532, when the Spaniards invaded the territory of the Inca empire. In 1532, all its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared.

2. Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the six largest mosques in the world. Named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, founder and first president of the United United Arab Emirates. Unlike many other Muslim temples, everyone is allowed into it, regardless of faith.

3. Taj Mahal, Agra, India

The Taj Mahal mausoleum is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The construction was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love.

4. Mesquita, Cordoba, Spain

Walls decorated with intricate patterns, mosaic ornaments, hundreds of thin openwork columns - this is how the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba appears today. Many centuries ago, there was an ancient Roman temple on this site, then it was replaced by the Visigothic church, and in 785 Mesquita appeared. It became the second most important mosque on the planet, and the pilgrimage to Cordoba was even equated with the hajj to Mecca, which is obligatory for every Muslim. But then the Catholics replaced the Moors, and Mezquita was turned into a Christian church.

5. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Italy

The heart of the Vatican and the entire Catholic world, St. Peter's Basilica is one of the main attractions of Rome. Here you can view Ancient Rome from a bird's eye view, admire the interior of the cathedral from the top of the dome, defend the mass and even receive the blessing of the pontiff.

6. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat is the largest religious building ever built, with a history of almost 9 centuries. Even its name speaks about the monumentality of the temple complex, because Angkor Wat literally translates as Temple City. It covers an area of ​​200 hectares and is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide. This colossal building is dedicated to the god Vishnu, revered in this area.

7. Bayon Temple Complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Bayon is one of the most amazing temples located on the territory of Angkor Thom and was its religious center. The "highlight" of Bayon is the towers with many faces carved from stone, silently looking from a height on the vast territory of Angkor Thom, and in the heyday of the state - on the entire Khmer Empire. Initially, there were 54 towers, which symbolized the 54 provinces under the rule of the king. Today, only about 37 towers have survived.

8. Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, has become the only Russian attraction on Trip Advisor's list. Spas-on-Blood attracts tourists from all over the world not only with the splendor of its domes and interiors, but also with an unusual history that has given rise to many legends and conjectures. Many of them are connected with the fact that the temple was erected on the spot where on March 1, 1881, I. Grinevitsky, a Narodnaya Volya member, mortally wounded Alexander II, who was popularly called the Tsar Liberator for the abolition of serfdom.

9. Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

10. Walls of the old city, Dubrovnik, Croatia

In 1979, UNESCO added the Old Town of Dubrovnik to the World Heritage List, including a large part of the ancient walls of the city. They surround the city on all four sides and contain an venerable collection of historical monuments, including towers, fortresses, churches, monasteries, squares and streets, schools, museums and galleries. These defensive stone walls have protected their citizens since the founding of Dubrovnik in the 6th century.

11. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

The Shwedagon Pagoda is the highest spiritual building in Myanmar, or, as it is also called, the Land of Pagodas. The entire complex of the giant pagoda occupies more than five hectares of land, on which, in addition to the main structure, there are many smaller spiers and countless sculptural images of mythical and real animals : golden griffins and elephants, dragons and lions. Such as it is today, the Shwedagon Pagoda became in the 15th century, during the reign of Queen Shinsobu. It was then that the giant temple was finally given the shape of an inverted begging bowl and sheathed with gold from top to bottom.

12. Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Washington DC

The Lincoln Memorial is a majestic temple, made in the ancient Greek style and somewhat reminiscent of the Parthenon. It is supported by 36 white marble columns, representing the number of states that belonged to the United States at the time of President Lincoln's death. In the center of the temple is a statue of the world's most respected American president, seated in an armchair. Its height is 5.79 meters.

13. Ancient City of Petra, Petra / Wadi Musa, Jordan

In the heart of Jordan, in the valley of Wadi Musa, deep in the sandy mountains, is the amazing city of ancient Petra. Initially, Petra was a temporary home for the nomadic tribes of the Nabataeans. From several fortified rocky caves, it gradually grew into a large fortress city. There is only one way to get to the city - through the narrow gorge of the Siq, which was once the bed of a mountain stream. Petra still belongs to the Bedouins, who welcome guests to their land.

14. Section of the Great Wall of China Mutianyu, Beijing, China

In no other section of the Great Wall of China has restoration work been carried out as well as in the Mutianyu section. This site, with 22 watchtowers that have retained their original appearance, is a real architectural masterpiece. The phrase Mutianyu with Chinese translates as "a valley in which you can admire the views of the fields." Among all sections of the Great Wall of China, Mutianyu is the longest fully restored section open to tourists.

15. Ancient City of Ephesus, Selcuk, Türkiye

The largest and best preserved ancient city on the shores of the Aegean Sea and the second largest after Pompeii in the Mediterranean, ancient Ephesus is the most visited attraction in Turkey. Legends connect the appearance of the city with the name of Androclus, the son of the ruler of Athens Codras, who, on the advice of the oracle, arrived in these places to lay the temple of Artemis. The city got its name from the Amazon Ephesia, beloved of Androclus.

16. Alhambra, Spain

Alhambra (Arabic Al Hamra - literally "Red Castle") is an ancient palace and fortress of the Moorish rulers of the province of Granada in southern Spain. The castle occupies the top of a rocky plateau on the southeastern border of Granada. The name Alhambra probably comes from the color of the sun-dried clay or bricks from which the castle walls are made. However, some historians suggest that the name comes from the "red flame of torches" that illuminated the long-term construction of the castle, which went on around the clock.

17. Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia

The Australian War Memorial is the main memorial dedicated to the memory of soldiers who died during the First and Second World Wars. Today it is considered one of the most significant monuments of its kind in the world. The memorial is located near the Parliament building, from the balcony of which a panoramic view of the monument opens.

18. Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy

According to the annals, at the beginning of the 13th century, the inhabitants of the city-state of Siena, which acted as the main rival and opponent of Florence, “called on their leaders to build a temple more magnificent than that of their neighbors.” So between 1215 and 1263, the Duomo of Siena was founded on the site of the old temple according to the plan of the Gothic master Niccolò Pisano. Today this majestic temple is the main attraction of the city.

19. Milan Cathedral (Duomo), Milan, Italy

The most important place in Milan is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nashente (Duomo), the pearl of Italian Gothic, which was built from 1386 to the beginning of the 19th century. The third largest Catholic church on the planet can safely be considered one of the wonders of the world. Its hundred-meter spiers rise above the center of Milan, and the golden statue of the Madonna on the longest spire (four meters high) is visible from many parts of the city.

20. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, ​​Spain

The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world: its construction began almost 150 years ago and continues to this day. Although initially Antonio Gaudi had nothing to do with the construction of this temple, a year after the start of work, he led this project. Gaudí built the temple for 30 years until he died. The reason for such a long construction is that the Sagrada Familia is built solely on donations from parishioners.

25. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Its architect was the Dane Jorn Utzon. Having designed the original roofs, somewhat reminiscent of shells, he made Sydney a magnificent gift - a symbol of the city. Today, every tourist, planning to visit Australia, must include an excursion to the majestic opera house in the program of his trip.