Wander Lord

Interesting on art, nature, people, history

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow


St. Basil’s Cathedral, which stands in Moscow’s Red Square, was built for the Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible 460 years ago. According to legend, when it was completed Ivan lived up to his nickname and had the architect blinded, so that he could not build another.
The Cathedral’s domes have had to be repaired many times over the centuries, as the parts made of iron quickly rust, necessitating replacement every seven or eight years. Later the iron-clad patterned domes were given protective plating of durable copper. The job took about 40 tons of copper. The pieces were hand-forged to templates, and after being riveted were mounted on the domes.
The Cathedral was built on Red Square in 1555-1561. It is rightfully considered one of the main symbols not only of Moscow, but of the whole of Russia.
At the place where the cathedral is now, in the 16th century there was a stone Trinity Church. There was a defensive moat that stretched along the entire Kremlin wall along Red Square. This moat was filled up only in 1813. Now in its place there is the Soviet necropolis and the Mausoleum.
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Moss – thirsty plant

Moss – thirsty plant

Moss – thirsty plant


Moss can be found in any forest. It covers the ground, the trees, stumps and other wet places in tropical and equatorial forests. Simultaneously, mosses somehow survive on almost bare rocks and in cold climates. What strange organisms are these mosses?
This is an ancient group of plants that appeared about 500 million years ago. It has no flowers. Scientists who study mosses are called bryologists.
Mosses absorb water with the entire surface of the body, and therefore they can live almost everywhere where there is enough moisture in the air. They live on all continents of the Earth. You know, they are one of the pioneers of the land, giving rise to new habitats for phytocenosis.
During prolonged drought and lack of soil water, mosses can dry out and thus experience an unfavorable period for them. As soon as moisture appears, they come to life again. They accumulate a large amount of water in special cells, thereby helping the soil to get rid of its excess. Sphagnum contributes to the swamping of the occupied territory.
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Galapagos Islands – unique place

Galapagos Islands – unique place

Galapagos Islands – unique place


Galapagos Islands are the Islands at the End of the World. Here you can find tortoises as big as a bathtub and giant lizards that look like dragons. The word galápagos means “tortoises” in Spanish.
The archipelago stretches in the Pacific Ocean west of the Ecuadorian coast. The islands, the oldest of which appeared about ten million years ago, and the youngest still continue to form, are inhabited: more than twenty-five thousand people constantly live here.
The glory of the Galapagos was created by Charles Darwin. There he began to create his theory of evolution.
The Europeans learned about the Galapagos Islands thanks to Tomas de Berlanga, a priest who sailed to Peru and went off course. This happened in 1535. Since 1832, the Galapagos began to belong to Ecuador. Three years later young Charles Robert Darwin came there.
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Amazing city of Queen of Sheba

Amazing city of Queen of Sheba. Ruins of ancient Marib

Amazing city of Queen of Sheba. Ruins of ancient Marib


Queen of Sheba is one of the most famous biblical characters. She is first mentioned in the Third Book of the Old Testament Kings. And although her existence is considered unproven, the image of Queen of Sheba had a significant impact on the folklore and literature of the peoples of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
In our days, filmmakers have repeatedly use this character in their works. But where was her country?
Scientists had been trying to enter the city of Marib where in ancient times the legendary Queen of Sheba ruled. However, its location for a long time remained a secret that was carefully kept by the local Arab tribes and the authorities of Yemen. In 1976, another attempt to enter the coveted city was made by the French. They corresponded with the Yemeni authorities for seven long years, until they obtained permission to visit the ruins by one person who was only allowed to examine them. And then they decided to send a Parisian photographer from the Figaro magazine, who knows how to shoot with a hidden camera.
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Trains under English Channel

Trains under English Channel

Trains under English Channel


The Eurotunnel, or the Channel Tunnel, is one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century. The tunnel was opened on May 6, 1994. Eurotunnel connects the Foggy Albion, which for centuries was proud of its isolation, and continental Europe. Now the journey from London to Paris is a little over two hours. 20 minutes you will travel underground and under the ocean floor.
The width of la Manche, which in French means “sleeve”, or the English Channel, as the inhabitants of Britain called it, at the narrowest point between the English Dover and French Calais is 52 km. The depth in the fairway is about 25 m. At this point of the strait, they had long dreamed of digging a tunnel or building a bridge.
People thought about this in the 18th century, when a prize was instituted at the University of Amiens for someone who would present a tunnel project from France to England. Even then, digging the so-called gallery under the English Channel was considered a cost-effective enterprise, and no one doubted its reliability. One French specialist suggested not only dig, but also arrange the transportation of people in carriages. Also it was suggested to light the gallery by candles. To dig with shovels alone meant digging for decades, and to light with candles, it was necessary to build a special candle factory.
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Awesome Kangaroos

Awesome Kangaroos

Awesome Kangaroos


Kangaroo is one of Australia’s most recognizable and popular animals. Indeed, its image is even present on the state emblem of the Green Continent! For every Australian kangaroo is a symbol of progress, non-stop forward movement, and all because this animal is purely physically unable to jump back.
Despite the fact that the kangaroo appeared in the scientific world more than a hundred years ago and has been closely studied by biologists since then, this beast remains a mystery to scientists. Even the name itself – the kangaroo – for a long time baffled everyone. The most popular version of the origin of this name was a mythical story that the “kangaroo” from the local dialect is translated as “I do not understand.” Allegedly, this is exactly how the natives answered the questions of the curious captain Cook, who poked his finger at a jumping marsupial animal unknown to Europeans. So the version that the “kangaroo” actually translates as “big jumper” is much more believable. And the word was heard not by Captain Cook, but by a completely different English navigator William Dampier. And if you stick to the first version, then all the animals and plants of Australia would have been called “kangaroo” by the Europeans.
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Pineapples – sweet juicy fruits

Pineapples - sweet juicy fruits

Pineapples – sweet juicy fruits


The official homeland of pineapples is Brazil. There, this plant can be found in the wild: a short trunk (up to a meter high) becomes thicker every year and sometimes reaches two meters in diameter. At the top is a rosette of hard leaves, and inside there is a large fruit.
Ananas means “excellent fruit” in an Indian language from South America.
In the world there are more than eight dozen varieties of pineapples. The shape of the fruits is the same for everyone, but the weight varies from half to 4 kilograms.
Pineapple was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus, because he really liked the appearance and taste of this fruit. And now, pineapple is firmly rooted in the traditions and customs of many countries. So, in Germany, a glass of champagne with a slice of pineapple is considered a traditional drink for the New Year.
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