'Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly', Democritus.
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Germany
Great aesthete, admired by citizens and Bavarian peasants, unloved by authority people and politicians which believed that his eccentricity acted shamefully and disastrously for Bavarian's kingdom, Ludwig II left behind his heritage that millions of tourists visit every year.
Situated in southwest Bavaria near Ettal Abbey, Linderhof castle has been built from 1874 to 1878 in France rococo style that suggests the time of the Bourbon dynasty. It is the smallest castle of three Ludwig's castles that finished during his lifetime.
The price of building calculated in today's currency amounts to some 64 million dollars and it's not surprising that politicians deposed and probably executed Ludwig just because of his irrational expenses. After he visited Versailles in 1867, Ludwig bought the land around Linderhof and built a little private castle.
The castle is small version of France Versailles decorated with gold, ivory, platinum and other precious materials. Since Ludwig was a great admirer of famous compositor Wagner the whole castle and surrounding area are illustrated with scenes from Wagner's opera.
The great attraction is the biggest artificial cave in Europe built as illustration from the first scene of Tannhauser opera. Enter of the cave is closed by stone that opens with a secret mechanism.
Probably the most intriguing story and proof of Ludwig's eccentricity is the story about Ludwig sending one of his servants to south Italy just to check is lighting in his cave identical to the lights of the original cave that inspired Wagner to write the opera. As a great spender Ludwig II didn't save money on exterior decoration. In the front of the castle there is a terrace with lake and 30 metres high fountain, nymphs and golden flowers.
Although the whole castle is rich with gold, ivory and platinum and the whole place glows with glamour and glory on every step, you can feel ruler's sorrow and loneliness which lives in the world in which he actually didn't belong to.
Cambodia
French explorer Henri Mouhot surprised the world 1858 with a great discovery. In the middle of Cambodia's jungle he discovered the temple more magnificent of all that Greece and Rome left behind. Very soon he discovered that Angkor Wat is not one temple but one bigger part of the huge complex of temples and palaces built on area of 1,500 by 1,300 metres that spreads over three levels, surrounded with four protective walls.
Angkor Wat is built in the beginning of the 12th century and as every historical monuments in the world it has its legend. The legend says that Angkor Wat has not been built by humans but by Celestial architect commanded by Indra, the chief of the gods. Angkor Wat supposedly had one eye witness from the time of Khmer empire when Angkor Wat was built. Man Zhou Daguan from China in his book describes the complex to the last details but not the Angkor Wat.
A few questions rises: Is there some other yet undiscovered similar complex; is Angkor Wat supposed to remain as the secret for some reason or just the eye witness is not the person to whom we can trust? Many questions, few answers, but regardless of everything Angkor Wat was built by king Suryavarman II and during the years scientists realized that in Cambodia's jungles it used to be thousands of temples or "the whole rainforest of the processed stones" built by Khmer's hands.
Data shows that Angkor Wat was built for 37 years with Brahman's techniques to represent the entire universe. The central tower and five towers aside represents sacred mountain Sumeru and its five peaks. The outer wall represents the end of the world and the surrounding moat represents the surrounding ocean.
Lucky ones who visited Angkor Wat will tell that it should be visited twice, once in the morning when play of the lights makes wonderful gold colour over the horizon, and in the late evening when the sky is smoky from still warm jungle and when the place generates its mystic that circulates around you. Monks that visit this place walk in silence bringing to life the ancient times still captured in the stones of Angkor Wat. ■
