Armenian Theatre

According to Plutarch the history of Armenian theatre begins in 70 BC when Tigran the Great opened the first public theatre in Tigranakert. Artavazd II, who was Tigran the Great’s son, built the second public theatre in Artashat which survived until the second century AD. Artavazd II is considered to be the first Armenian playwright as he  himself wrote tragedies for his theatre.
The real development of the Armenian theatre started in the 19^th century when the western Armenian playwrights began to create, among them Petros Duryan, Levon Shant and Hakob Paronyan. Levon Shant’s and Hakob Paronyan’s plays are still being staged at different Armenian theatres nowadays. Hakob Paronyan’s “Brother Baghdasar” has been a great success in the Armenian theatres.  In 1855 Armenian theatres were built in Constantinople, Turkey. In fact Armenians did a great deal for the development of the Turkish theatre as well.

The great artist

Everybody knows, that knowing foreign languages and especially English, helps us to communicate with the representatives of other peoples, but it turned out, that the power of this general truth   fades in case of really great actors.Years ago, I saw a show on TV, during which Sergey Israyelyan told  about an incident, the witness of which he was in the 1970s.And now I will retell it recollecting what I heard that day.

Noravank

Noravank is a 13^th century church situated near the city of Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor. It is located in a narrow gorge which is known for its tall brick-red cliffs. The church was built near the river Amaghu. Noravank is often called Noravank at Amaghu to distinguish it from Bgheno-Noravank which is located near Goris. The monastery is known for its two-storey St. Astvatsatsin church. Many khachkars have been  found here.Noravank was founded in 1205 by Bishop Hovhannes, a former abbot of Vahanavank near the present-day city of Kapan in Syunik. The monastic complex includes the church of S. Karapet, S. Grigor chapel with a vaulted hall, and the church of S. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God).The sculptor of Noravank was Momik.The fortress walls surrounding the complex were built in the 17th–18th centuries.There is a legend about Noravank. The ruler of Syunik promised Momik to give him his daughter if he built  a monastery for him. But he deceived the poor sculptor. When Momik was putting the last stone the ruler pushed him off the wall and so he was killed.This is a hole. There is a khachkar at the bottom.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987 attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

The Great Wall of built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire . Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC these, later joined together and made bigger, stronger, and unified are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 8,850 km.  This is made up of 6,259 km sections of actual wall, 359 km of trenches and 2,232 km of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.  Another archaeological survey found that the entire wall with all of its branches measure out to be 21,196 km.

Goshavank

Goshavank is a 12-13th century Armenian monastery located in the village of  Gosh in the Tavush Province of Armenia. Today the monastery is not a functioning religious complex, although it remains a popular tourist destination and has recently undergone some light restoration. The impressive monastery which has remained in relatively good condition also houses one of the world's finest examples of a khachkar. Goshavank  had been destroyed by 1188 in the result of an earthquake.

The complex was later renamed Goshavank and the village was named Gosh in his honor.

Library of Celsus

The library of Celsus is an ancient Roman building in Ephesus, Anatolia. It was built in honor of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaenus.

The interior of the library and all its books were destroyed by fire in the devastating earthquake. Only the facade survived. About 400 AD, the library was transformed into a Nymphaeum. The facade was completely destroyed by a later earthquake, likely in the late Byzantine period.

In a massive restoration which is considered to be very true to the historic building.

The library was built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus. Celsus is buried in a sarcophagus beneath the library, in the main entrance which is both a crypt containing his sarcophagus and a sepulchral monument to him. It was unusual to be buried within a library or even within city limits, so this was a special honor for Celsus.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge was built in  1886–1894. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name.it has become an iconic symbol of London.

The bridge is present colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for the Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee.

Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge, which is the next bridge upstream.

The nearest London Underground station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District lines, and the nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway.

The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales and his wife, The Princess of Wales.

Preikestolen

Preikestolen is a massive cliff  604 metres above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, in Forsand, Ryfylke, Norway. The top of the cliff is about 25 by 25 metres , almost flat, and is a famous tourist attraction in Norway.

The Pulpit Rock is located in Ryfylke, Rogaland, a county in Western Norway. The city of Stavanger, the fourth largest in Norway, is located only 25 kilometers from the site, and the parking facility of the Pulpit Rock is located about one hour from Stavanger by ferry and car.

The walk to Preikestolen is very steep in places. The path starts at the Preikestolhytta, at an elevation of approximately 270 metres  above sea level, and climbs to 604 metres. The hike takes 1-3 hours. Even though the elevation differential is only 334 metres.

The walk is not recommended in winter and spring when there is snow and ice, and the track may be slippery.

The tourism at the site has been increasing, around 2012, the plateau was each year visited by between 150,000 and 200,000 people who took the 3.8 km  hike to Preikestolen.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in South-East Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous Karst area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the Adriatic coastal region.

The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres. About 90 percent of this area are part of Like-Senj contryn, while the remaining 10 percent are part of Karlovac country. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide. Each year, more than 1200000 visitors are recorded.

Guy Fawkes Night

November 5^th is Guy Fawkes Day in Britain. All over the country people build wood fires, or “bonfires”, in their gardens. On top of each bonfire is a guy. That is a figure of Guy Fawkes. He was one of a band who wanted to destroy the House of Parliament and kill King James 1st and his ministeries. What was the reason?