The Transamerica Pyramid is an iconic building and landmark located in San Francisco, California. It is the tallest and the most recognizable building in the city's skyline. It was once the main headquarters for Transamerica Corporation.
Transamerica Pyramid History
The Transamerica Pyramid was built on historic Montgomery Block. It was designed by architect William Pereira and once faced considerable opposition as to its construction. But it was eventually constructed in 1969. The building was finished around 1972. From 1972 to 1974, it was considered to be the tallest skyscraper in the West Coast and has since been surpassed by the Aon...
The Millau Viaduct is a huge cable stayed road bridge located in Millau in Southern France. This bridge spans the River Tarn and is considered to be the tallest vehicular bridge in the world today. The Millau Viaduct provides a route that connects Paris to the Languedoc region and to Spain.
Millau Viaduct Features
The Millau Viaduct is a bridge that consists of eight span steel roadway supported by seven tall concrete pylons. The roadway itself weighs 36,000 tons and stretches 2,460 meters or 8,100 feet long. This makes it the longest cable stayed deck in the world. The six central...
The Sanyo Solar Ark is a large and imposing solar power generating facility located in the Gifu Prefecture in Japan. It is a unique solar structure and considered to be one of the largest solar buildings in the world.
Solar Ark History
It can be said that the Solar Ark was built out of a mistake made by Sanyo several years ago. Sanyo was found guilty of wrongly labeling their solar panels for the market. This led to an investigation which led to the recall by Sanyo the solar hybrid technology from the market that it has labeled wrongly. Left with thousands...
The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a unique structure located in Shimbashi in Tokyo, Japan. It is a mixed use residential and office tower distinguishable by its unique design of dice-like cubes stacked one upon the other. It is a rare example of the Japanese Metabolism movement that surged after the World War II in Japan. It is also the world's first example of capsule architecture.
Nakagin Capsule Tower History
The Nakagin Capsule Tower was the brainchild of Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, one of the founders of the Japanese Metabolism movement. The Capsule Tower was constructed in 1970 and was completed two years...
Osaka Castle is a striking Japanese castle located in Chuo-ku, Osaka in Japan. Also known originally as Ozakajo, it is one of the most famous castles in Japan. It also played a significant role in the eventual unification of medieval Japan among its warring factions during the 16th Century.
Osaka Castle History
Osaka Castle was the brainchild of a great Japanese warlord, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. This castle was planned to display the vast power and fortune being enjoyed by Toyotomi during that time. Construction on the castle started in 1583 and was modeled after the Azuchi Castle which it plans to surpass...
The Borgund Stave Church is an ancient stave church located ad Borgund, Laerdal in Norway. A stave church is a medieval wooden church common in early Northern Europe during ancient times. The Borgund Stave Church is just one of the 28 extant stave churches that still exist in Norway today and one of the best preserved.
Borgund Stave Church History
The Borgund Stave Church was believed to have been built somewhere between 1180 and 1250. Studies on the trees used to build the church estimated it to have been felled during the winter of 1180-81. This church was able to stand the...
The Church of Hallgrimur, also known as Hallgrimskirkja, is a Lutheran church located at Reykjavik, Iceland. It sits high on top of a hill located within the center of the city. It is also considered as one of Reykjavik's most striking landmarks and the country's largest church.
Church of Hallgrimur History
The Church of Hallgrimur was named after a famous Icelandic poet and clergy man, Hallgrimur Petursson, composer of the Passion hymns that is still being sung today. The design for the church was commissioned to state architect Guojon Samuelsson in 1937. The design was intended to resemble the natural landscape...
St. Patrick's Cathedral is a famous Neo-Gothic style Roman Catholic cathedral located in midtown Manhattan in New York. Aside from a parish church, it is also the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It is considered as a National Historic Landmark since 1976.
St. Patrick's Cathedral History
The current cathedral was built sometime in 1858 to replace the old St. Patrick's Cathedral that was located in downtown Manhattan. The new cathedral was planned when the Diocese of New York was made an archdiocese by Pope Pius IX on July 19, 1850...