Interesting facts about the most famous buildings in the world

When you think of the wonders of architecture in the world, there are a few names that immediately come to mind. The Colosseum, the Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, and many more. But apart from each of these structures being a marvel in design and structure, these beautiful buildings have many stories to tell and many secrets to be hidden. Read on to discover some ancient stories about these iconic buildings.

1 – The dreamer and the villain

The story of the Sydney Opera House involves a great deal of drama. The man who imagined its design – Jorn Utzon – moved to Australia from Denmark with his entire family and invested all his resources in creating this house. Unfortunately, after seven years of hard work on the matter, the Minister of Works in a new government, David Hughes, forced him to resign.

There were numerous protests demanding that Utzon be reinstated, but he left the country when he saw that the government was not interested in any acceptable compromise with him. The situation was later described as "malice in Blunderland", as Hughes scrapped his designs and stopped paying his employees. Sadly, Utzon was not even invited to the opening of the opera house, and never set foot in Australia to see how his dream came true.

2 - An ugly pest that distorts the face of taste and civility?

When the Eiffel Tower was completed as a venue for the World Industrial Festival in 1889, the plan was to demolish it 20 years later. Had this been done, it would have satisfied countless people who hated it from the start. Most writers and intellectuals felt that the tower destroyed the pristine and magnificent beauty of Paris. They described it as an ugly and useless addition to the landscape.

Guy de Maupassant famously said that he ate lunch frequently at a restaurant located at the base of the tower. Why? Because that restaurant was the only place he could go without having to look at this tower.

3 - Who built the pyramids?

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only wonder of the ancient world that still stands today. This great monolithic building was constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, which has been the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,800 years. This architectural marvel has amazed people for thousands of years, and in fact it still does. There are many theories that go beyond acceptable boundaries about the construction of this pyramid, including the myth we hear constantly that only aliens can build this building. But don't worry, theories about this topic are becoming more and more bizarre.

Recently, two amateur archaeologists insisted that it was the inhabitants of the lost city of Atlantis who actually built the Great Pyramid. To prove their theory, they crept into the pyramid hours after the time allowed, and secretly cut parts of the walls to obtain a sample for testing. Needless to say, this act of sabotage did not appeal to the Egyptian government. The Giza Criminal Court sentenced the "archaeologist" and a film director who was with them, as well as the six Egyptian guards who were serving at the time, to five years in prison in 2014.

4. Deep sea combat

We all know that the Colosseum in Rome was a famous exhibition arena where enslaved warriors fought with each other or with wild animals (remember the gladiator?). But did you know that Emperor Titus, who completed its construction in 79 AD, made him submerged in water to reenact legendary naval battles? More than 3,000 men have "fought" in one of these spurious mega clashes.

5. Healing powers

Hagia Sophia, a historical church that was transformed into a mosque, then a museum, and then a mosque again in Istanbul, has existed for more than a thousand years. There are many legends and stories surrounding it, but one has remained constant over time: a "sweaty" column that always stays wet, no matter how hot the weather is. For centuries, people have continued to touch the hole at the base of the column, some with the aim of healing from what they are experiencing, others in the hope that their cherished wishes will come true.

6. First image

The original White House looked much different than it is today. After the construction, it was called the President's Palace, and then the President's House (the word palace has something to do with the monarchy, right?). Each president was adding to the décor of the house some additions in his own way. But in 1812, during the presidency of James Madison, British troops set fire to the building. The only thing saved from those early days of that house was the portrait of George Washington, which Madison's wife insisted on taking down before she left the house in search of safety.

The current appearance of the White House owes much to the reconstruction process that took place after the fire.

7. A roof that will remain for memory through the ages

Regardless of how famous the Sistine Church is for its papal meeting, people flock to see it because of the beautiful frescoes that adorn its interior walls. What can be considered the crown jewel for the entire building is the legendary roof painted by Michelangelo. But believe it or not Michelangelo was not the first choice to do the drawing of this roof. The pope originally asked Raphael, who was more famous at the time, to take over the task.

Jealous of Michelangelo's growing success, Raphael wanted to find a way to offend him. On this basis, he persuaded the Pope to choose Michelangelo, hoping that his rival would spoil the matter and embarrass himself. But I think this plan is kind of counterproductive, isn't it?

8. Edible paint

Potala Palace is a fortress located in Tibet. This palace has been the residence of ten Dalai Lamat for 317 years. In 1959, the palace became a World Heritage Site after the fourteenth Dalai Lama fled to India. No other building in the city was built to surpass the palace as a sign of respect. To protect the building from the adverse effects of the weather, a crew of about 500 people, all residents and volunteers, repaint it every year.

The "paint" used is a traditional mixture of milk, honey, sugar and lemon, and it has a particularly sweet aromatic scent. I wonder if volunteers have ever been tempted by this paint to taste it!