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20.  Hagia Sophia, Turkey

Construction of the well-known Hagia Sophia occurred in several phases.  It all began in 537 AD.  It was originally a Greek Orthodox Christian cathedral.  During the Ottoman Empire, the cathedral was converted to a mosque. 
At present, the building is a popular museum.  It’s home, Istanbul, also went through a lot of changes.  It has been named Augusta Antonia, Byzantium, Constantinople, Lygos, New Rome, and more.  It’s most famous for its huge dome and Byzantine architecture.

19.  Potala Palace, China

Today the Potala Palace is an official UNESCO World Heritage Site and a museum.  Situated in Lhasa, Tibet, China, this was once the home of the legendary Dalai Lama prior to the infamous  Tibetan uprising back in the 1950s.  The palace took its name from Mount Potalaka.  Mount Potalaka is the mythical residence of the  bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, who reportedly “encompasses the compassion of all Buddhas.”  In English the word Potala would be “brilliance.”

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5 COMMENTS

  1. There are so much more buildings in the city of Liverpool in Uk, the Anglican cathedral, and in London the House of Parliament , so much Beauty and not on the list

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