Dome of the Rock – Islamic shrine

One of the most important shrines of the Muslim world is Dome of the Rock, located in the ancient city of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. This mount has special significance for the three world religions – Jewish, Christian and Muslim. The golden dome of the mosque symbolizes the sacred rock, located in the center of the world, and the Muslim crescent on the dome is the main symbol of the religion of Islam. The peak of the sacred rock, the “witness” of many historical events, is inside the temple.
The Temple Mount is a special place of pilgrimage for believers of the three religions. In the first millennium before Christ there was the temple of the biblical king Solomon (built in 1007 BC) on the mountain. According to legend, in prehistoric times, sacrifices were made on this mountain to stop epidemics. In memory of the survival of the Israeli people, God commanded to erect a temple on the mountain. It was built and contained the most precious sacred gifts for Jews – The Ark of the Covenant and Tablets of the Covenant, handed by God to Moses. Many Jews and Christians revered this mountain as the center of the world, where the religion originated.
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Germany – Reunited Country

Germany shares borders with Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Its area is 357,021 square kilometers. Its official name is Federal Republic of Germany.
During ancient and medieval times hundreds of Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic tribes lived in what is now Germany. For many years various princes and dukes and bishops ruled small states in the region. It was not until 1871 that these became united as a single nation.
In the early 20th century, Germany became involved in two world wars. After World War I the country suffered through difficult times and many people supported Adolf Hitler, who wanted to make Germany strong again. As the leader of the Nazi party he soon took control of the country. Germany entered World War II. The country was defeated in 1945 and was divided into East and West Germany. East Germany became a communist country, while West Germany was a democracy. Berlin, the former capital of Germany, was also divided.
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Israel – Jewish State

Israel became a country only in 1948. But the region where it is located, formerly called Palestine, has a rich history. It was the ancient home of the Jewish people. In the 600s it became part of the Muslim world. In the late 1800s Jews began a movement, called Zionism, to re-create a Jewish state. The Arabs in Palestine opposed the movement. In 1918 the British occupied Palestine. In the Six-Day-War of 1967 Israel gained more territory. In 1973 Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the country. In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty. In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon. Peace talks between Israel, the Arab countries, and Palestinians began in 1992.
The region, especially the city of Jerusalem, is important to people of the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faiths.
Israel is located in the Middle East and borders Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Its area is 20,770 square kilometers. Its official name is State of Israel.
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Soaring coffins

Wooden coffins hanging on the rocks are a scary view. However, this method of burial is known since ancient times in China.
High in the mountains, among the rocks there are coffins – the only reminder of the mysterious and almost disappeared people who lived in the south-western part of modern China. Bo people had always remained an ethnic minority of the populous country. But, despite this, they managed to create a bright original culture, which would develop further if it was not bloody war with the Ming Dynasty.
What made people to have such a strange tradition? How did they lift coffins, weighing up to 200 kilograms, 100-200 meters high?
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Novodevichy Convent – Bogoroditse-Smolensky Monastery

The Novodevichy Convent, its early name is Bogoroditse-Smolensky Monastery, is located in the South-West of Moscow at the bend of the Moscow River. It is one of the oldest church buildings. It was founded in 1524 by Grand Duke Vasili III in memory of the liberation of Rus from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders and the annexation of Smolensk to the Russian state in 1514. Since that time, the monastery has become a privileged abode, in which the women from the royal family were tonsured as nuns.
In 1591 Novodevichy Monastery confronted the troops of the Crimean Khan Ğazı II Giray. In those same years a cemetery arose on its territory.
The widow of the eldest son of Ivan the Terrible, Queen Irina Godunova, Peter the Great’s sister Sophia and his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina were imprisoned in Novodevichy Convent.
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Hoover Dam – Boulder Dam

The Colorado River often left the coast during the melting of the snow in the Rocky Mountains and flooded many of the farms in Colorado and Utah. The idea to create an artificial reservoir for irrigation of the arid state of California and generate electricity was born in the US in the early 1920s. It was required to build an unusually powerful dam in the mountains.
The President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, showed keen interest in the dam project. There was no such a unique hydraulic structure in the world.
The US Congress allocated special funds for the construction of the dam. They decided to build it in the Black Canyon, on the border of Arizona and Nevada, 48 km southeast of Las Vegas.
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Belgium – prosperous country

The Kingdom of Belgium is a small, prosperous country in northwestern Europe. Its area is 30,510 square kilometers. Belgium is bordered by The Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France.
Brussels is the capital of Belgium. It lies on the banks of Senne River. There is much to see in this historic city known for its lace and chocolate. One of the most beautiful old buildings there is the Town Hall. It has a tower with the statue of St. Michael, the patron saint of Brussels. Opposite the Town Hall across the square is the King’s House, a history museum. One of the most popular sights in Brussels is a small bronze fountain in the shape of a naked little boy.
An unusual and interesting structure in Brussels is the Atomium. It shows how the atoms of a molecule of iron fit together.
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