Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It has been regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.

The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The complex was extended and renamed Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor in the 16th century. The Jiajing Emperor also built three other prominent temples in Beijing, the Temple of Sun in the east, the Temple of Earth in the north, and the Temple of Moon in the west . The Temple of Heaven was renovated in the 18th century under the Qianlong Emperor. Due to the deterioration of state budget, this became the last large-scale renovation of the temple complex in the imperial time. 

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Thousand Temples of Bagan — Myanmar

Bagan located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, in the Mandalay Region of Burma, lies the ancient city of Bagan. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, and the political, economic and cultural nerve center of the Pagan Empire. During the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries, the wealthy Pagan rulers commissioned thousands of temples to be built in the Bagan plains. It is estimated that over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries once stood on this 100 square km plain in central Myanmar, of which the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day. 

Bagan became a central powerbase in the mid 9th century under King Anawratha, who unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. Over the course of 250 years, Bagan's rulers and their wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments in the Bagan plains. The prosperous city grew in size and grandeur, and became a cosmopolitan center for religious and secular studies. Monks and scholars from as far as India, Ceylon as well as the Khmer Empire came to Bagan to study prosody, phonology, grammar, astrology, alchemy, medicine, and law.

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The Mayan Temple water slide in the Bahamas

The Mayan Temple water slide in the Bahamas, a detailed replica of the Temple of Doom, is the ultimate ride for Indiana Jones-style thrillseekers

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20 Richest Athletes in Olympics 2012

01. Roger Federer (Switzerland)

 Sport: Tennis

Age: 30 years

Earnings last year: $ 54.3 million

Record for a number of factors: the number of Grand Slam tournaments won (17), length of stay in the status of the first racket of the world (288 weeks, including 237 - row), the amount of prize money in his career (more than $ 72 million).

Who among athletes participating in the Summer Olympics in London, has earned more than anyone else in the last 12 months - the rating of the magazine Forbes.

02. LeBron James (USA)

Sport: Basketball

Age: 27 years

Earnings last year: $ 53,000,000

Player Team NBA «Miami Heat" (small forward), champion of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of team USA. In the season 2011/2012 was named most valuable player in the final.

03. Kobe Bryant (USA)

Sport: Basketball

Age: 33 years

Earnings last year: $ 52.3 million

The attacking defender, "the Los Angeles Lakers" (stands for the club all his professional career), the most valuable player of the season 2007/2008, the champion of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of team USA.

04. Maria Sharapova (Russia)

Sport: Tennis

Age: 25 years

Earnings last year: $ 27.1 million

The only Russian woman on the list. Honored Master of Sports, four Grand Slam winner (singles), ex-first racket of the world.

05. Kevin Durant (USA)

 Sport: Basketball

Age: 23 years

Earnings last year: $ 25.5 million

Team player, "Oklahoma City Thunder," the best young sniper on the end of the season 2009/2010, the scorer of the season 2010/2011.

06. Carmelo Anthony (USA)

 Sport: Basketball

Age: 28 years

Earnings last year: $ 22.9 million

Small Forward, team player, "the New York Knicks' champion of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of team USA.

07. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)

Sport: athletics (sprint)

Age: 25 years

Earnings last year: $ 20.3 million

Three-time champion at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, five-time world champion. In 2008 and 2009, recognized as the best athlete and the athlete in the world. On the eve of the 2012 Olympics gave a presentation on the model form of the national Olympic team in Jamaica.

08. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

 Sport: Tennis

Age: 25 years

Earnings last year: $ 19.8 million

Five-time winner of Grand Slam singles titles, the ex-first racket of the world. Winner of a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in singles.

09. Chris Paul (USA)

Sport: Basketball

Age: 27 years

Earnings last year: $ 19.2 million

Team player, "the Los Angeles Clippers' since 2006 in favor of the U.S. team, which included the champion at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

10. Li Na (China) 

Sport: Tennis

Age: 30 years

Earnings last year: $ 18.4 million

The first representative of China's top ten tennis players in the world, semifinalist at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

11. Deron Williams (USA) 

Sport: Basketball

Age: 28 years

Earnings last year: $ 18.2 million

Team player, "Brooklyn Nets", the champion of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as part of team USA.

12. For Gasol (Spain)

Sport: Basketball

Age: 32 years

Earnings last year: $ 17.2 million

Team player, "the Los Angeles Lakers," the Spanish national team member, within which won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

13. Serena Williams (USA)

Sport: Tennis

Age: 30 years

Earnings last year: $ 16.3 million

Ex-first racket of the world in singles and doubles, 29-times Grand Slam winner, champion of 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and both times - in the doubles, where she played with her older sister Venus Williams.

14. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 

Sport: Tennis

Age: 22 years

Earnings last year: $ 13.7 million

Danish tennis player, former world number one in the first singles and juniors, has Polish roots. A participant at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where reached the third round, losing to future champion Elena Dementieva.

15. Tony Parker (France) 

Sport: Basketball

Age: 30 years

Earnings last year: $ 13.1 million

Team player, "San Antonio Spurs' (three-time champion of the NBA), a member of the French national team in basketball, which included twice - in 2005 and 2011 - became the champion of Europe.

16. Andy Murray (Britain) 

 Sport: Tennis

Age: 25 years

Earnings last year: $ 12,000,000

The only representative of Britain in the men's hundred best racket of the world (ranked second in 2009), four-time Grand Slam finalist.

17. Emanuel Dzhenobili (Argentina)

 Sport: Basketball

Age: 34 years

Earnings last year: $ 11.5 million

Argentines in the national team was the champion of Olympic Games 2004 in Athens (at the same time was recognized as the most valuable player of the Olympic basketball tournament) and bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Playing as a team, "San Antonio Spurs."

18. Andre Igudala (USA)

Sport: Basketball

Age: 28 years

Earnings last year: $ 11.4 million

Team player, "Sixers Philadelphia Seventi" (svingmen - combines the skills of small forward and shooting guard), the world champion in 2010 as part of team USA.

19. Tyson Chandler (USA) 

 Sport: Basketball

Age: 29 years

Earnings last year: $ 11,000,000

Team player, "the New York Knicks' (centerline), the world champion in 2010 and the champion of America in 2007 as part of team USA.

20. Marc Gasol (Spain)

Sport : Basketball

Age: 27 Years

Earnings: $10.9 million

Gasol, and his older brother Pau, are the foundation of the Spanish national team and helped lead the squad to the silver medal in the 2008 Summer Games. Gasol made his first All-Star appearance in 2012, beating out Pau for the selection as a reserve. Marc signed a four-year, $58 million contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies in December.

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