Flags of the World | Iran

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The flag of Iran was adopted on 29 July 1980, as a reflection of the changes brought about by the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which established a theocratic Islamic republic.

In the middle the Tawhid emblem,  features the Arabic word Allah ("God"), rendered in stylized characters from the Persian alphabet.

Castelgrande | Switzerland

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The Castles of Bellinzona are a group of fortifications located around the town of Bellinzona, the capital of the Swiss canton of Ticino. Castelgrande is located on a rocky peak overlooking the valley, with a series of walls that protect the old city.

Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The other two castles are Montebello and Sasso Corbaro.

Aphrodisias | Turkey

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The archaeological site of Aphrodisias, dating back to the 3rd century BC, is located in southwestern Turkey, in the upper valley of the Morsynus River.

The wealth of Aphrodisias came from the marble quarries and the art produced by its sculptors. The city was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.

Aphrodisias is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Tiger's Nest Monastery | Bhutan

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Paro Taktsang Monastery, als known as the Tiger's Nest, is a sacred site and temple complex in Bhutan.

The monastery consists of four temples with residential accommodations for the monks, precariously perched on a cliff, 900 meters off of the ground. It was constructed in 1692.

Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi | Italy

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Born in Italy circa 1181, St. Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. He is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

The basilica, dating back to 1228, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches known as the Upper Church and the Lower Church, and a crypt where the remains of the saint are interred.

Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Flags of the World | Togo

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The flag of Togo uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia: Green, gold (yellow) and red.  These colors are now found on the national flags of many African nations. The first African state to adopt a red, gold and green flag upon independence was Ghana in 1957.

Except for a brief period of occupation by Italy under the Fascists, Ethiopia remained outside European control during the colonial era. As a result, the country drew the admiration of many newly independent states in Africa.

Everglades National Park | USA

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Everglades National Park is a U.S. National Park in Florida that protects the southern 20 percent of the original Everglades. In the United States, it is the largest tropical wilderness and is visited on average by one million people each year.

The exceptional variety of its water habitats has made it a sanctuary for a large number of birds and reptiles, as well as for threatened species such as the manatee. Everglades National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex | Russia

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Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This property lies on the shores of the Volga River, south of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.

Interesting fact is that in 922 Bolgar was visited by a mission from Baghdad after which Bolgar accepted Islam as official religion.

Mother and Child | The Gambia

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Gambia is one of the smallest countries in Africa: A long narrow strip of land at almost 500 kilometers in length and 50 kilometers in width. The country is surrounded by Senegal.


Carrying on the head is a common practice in many parts of the world. People have carried burdens balanced on top of the head since ancient times, usually to do daily work.

Boyana Church | Bulgaria

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The Boyana Church is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia. One part of this church dates back to the 10th century.

Boyana Church is a UNESCO World Heritage site. According to UNESCO, this site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.

Flags of the World | Isle of Man

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"A triskelion or triskele is a motif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs."

The flag of the Isle of Man is a triskelion, composed of three armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background.  It has been the official flag of Mann since 1 December 1932.

Cartagena Clock Tower | Colombia

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In Colombia, the four-sided Torre del Reloj gate grants access to the most charming part of Cartagena – a walled section of 18th-century mansions, leafy squares and street cafes.

The Torre del Reloj, or Clock Tower, was once the main gateway to the walled city. Construction started in 1601, and in 1631 the tower became the principal door to the city as the fortifications around the city were completed.

Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bonnet Macaques | India

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Bonnet Macaques are grey-brown Old World monkeys with wrinkly humanoid faces, large ears and a comical mop of centre-parted hair on their heads. The bonnet macaque is a monkey endemic to southern India.

Blenheim Palace | United Kingdom

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Blenheim Palace is a monumental English country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and circa 1722.

Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World HEritage site.

Le Chemin de Saint Jacques | France

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The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James (Santiago in Spanish) in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.

There are four main pilgrimroutes in France that lead to Santiago de Compostella. In France, these routes are referred to as the Chemin de Saint Jacques.

UNESCO designated the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France as a World Heritage Site

Flags of the World | Cambodia

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Three horizontal bands of blue, red (double width) and blue, with a depiction of Angkor Wat in white centred on the red band.

The national flag of Cambodia in its present form was originally adopted in 1948 after gaining independance from France.

Sangiran Early Man Site | Indonesia

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Sangiran Early Man Site is situated in Central Java, Indonesia, covering an area of 5,600 hectares. It became famous after the discovery of Homo erectus remains and associated stone artifacts in the 1930s.  Inhabited for the past one and a half million years, Sangiran is one of the key sites for the understanding of human evolution.

Sangiran Early Man Site is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mount Qingcheng | China

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Dujiangyan is a city in Sichuan province of China. Located near the city is Mount Qingcheng, birthplace of Taoism, which is celebrated in a series of ancient temples.
 
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Qingcheng Mountains lie only about 10 km from the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

Temple of Wat Chang Lom | Thailand

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The Si Satchanalai Historical Park is a historical park in Sukhothai Province, northern Thailand.

Wat Chang Lom is a large Buddhist temple in the central zone of Si Satchanalai Historical Park. Its name translates to “temple surrounded by elephants”.  The main bell-shaped Chedi of Wat Chang Lom is skirted by 32 elephant sculptures positioned in a manner that they appear to be supporting the whole building.

Si Satchanalai  is one of the three locations of UNESCO World Heritage site Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns.

Andrássy Avenue | Hungary

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The Hungarian State Opera House is located at Andrássy Avenue 22, central Budapest. This avenue is part of UNESCO World Heritage site: Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue.

Andrássy Avenue was built to connect the city center with City Park. Construction started in 1872. Its Eclectic Neo-Renaissance palaces and houses were built by the most distinguished architects of the time. Aristocrats, bankers, landowners and noble families moved in. The iconic avenue was named after Prime Minister Gyula Andrássy, a key advocate of the project.

Simien National Park | Ethiopia

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Simien National Park, located in northern Ethiopia, is a spectacular landscape. Massive erosion over millions of years has created jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp droppings, some 1,500 m. The park is home to some extremely rare animals such as the Gelada baboon, the Simien fox and the Walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else in the world.

The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Village of Holašovice | Czech Republic

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According to UNESCO, Holašovice is an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a traditional central European village. Situated in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, 25 km north of Český Krumlov, one of the countrie's other UNESCO world heritage sites.

Windmills at Kinderdijk | Netherlands

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The windmills at Kinderdijk are a group of 19 monumental windmills in Netherlands. Built between 1738 and 1740, to keep water out of the country.

In Netherlands the construction of hydraulic works for the drainage of land for agriculture and settlement began in the Middle Ages and have continued uninterruptedly to the present day.

Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Flags of the World | Belarus

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The flag of Belarus was adopted in 1995 after a referendum and it replaced the flag that Belarus used before annexing to the Soviet Union and after gaining the independence in 1991.

Flags of the World | African Union

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The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of all 55 countries on the African continent. Established in 2002, to promote unity and solidarity of African states, to spur economic development, and to promote international cooperation.

The AU's most recent member state is Morocco, having joined in January 2017 as 55th member of the AU. Morocco left the predecessor of the AU, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), in 1984 after the OAU recognised the independence of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.