For Asia, you can find many epithets. It impresses with its color and variety. All the sights of Asia do not immediately list, which of them are worth seeing in the first place?
Unique asia
The largest and most densely populated part of the world is Asia. It is washed by five seas and three oceans, inhabited by more than 4 billion people. Moreover, the population is represented by all the main races.
Here important discoveries took place and ancient civilizations were born: Babylonian, Chinese, Indian. Useful inventions for the whole world (wheel, compass, paper, typography, gunpowder) were created in Asia, and various religious beliefs were formed (Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam).
The sights of Asia can satisfy every taste, because it impresses with ethnic and cultural diversity. These are highly developed and modern megacities such as Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai. And the splendor of the palaces and temples of India, Brunei, Myanmar, South Korea.
Sri Lanka, Thailand invites you to enjoy a lazy beach holiday during the day, and at night have fun at the discos. Mongolia will open its untouched and vast expanses. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan will conquer with soulfulness, unique traditions and cuisine.
Mohenjo Daro (Pakistan)
The first place in the list of obligatory visits in Asia has a slightly frightening name, if translated - “Hill of the Dead”. Mohenjo-Daro allegedly originated in 2600 BC and is one of the first cities in South Asia. This is one of the largest cities of the Harappan civilization, which existed simultaneously with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and left a lot of questions for modern humanity.
The oldest city is surprisingly well planned. The streets cross each other at right angles, forming a clear pattern, like the streets of New York. Houses of a clear rectangular shape were built of burnt bricks and had a flat roof. Water was supplied through the canals to the houses, and special sewer pipes were laid underground.
The city has been perfectly preserved, and its remnants give a clear picture of what Mohenjo Daro looked like in its best times. A citadel is available for viewing, which played a defensive function and prevented floods in the event of a river spill. You can also see the ritual bathing pool, toilets, baths and granaries. The mystery remains the lower part of the city flooded by Indus, in which the poor most likely lived.
Merv (Turkmenistan)
In the south-east of Turkmenistan, off the coast of the Murghab River, Merv, the Ancient City of Central Asia, was located. The date of the appearance of the city is unknown, but, based on written sources, in III-II it was already actively developing. He was the capital of the satrapy of Margian and the state of the Seljuks.
Merv is an ancient capital city that continuously existed until the 13th century, until it was destroyed by the Mongols. Now on the territory of the city several separate settlements have been preserved.
Here you can see the preserved mausoleum of the Sultan of the Seljukids. The dome of the mausoleum is made of thin brick shells and rises 40 meters. Pilgrims often come to the mausoleums of the sultans of Al-Hakim ibn Amir al-Jafari and Burayd ibn al-Hussein al-Islami, who ruled in the 15th century during the New Merv.
On the territory of the ancient settlement, many buildings have long turned into ruins. Famous monuments of Merv include the ruins of the Erk-Kala fortress (VI century), Kyz-Kala (VI-VII centuries), the Shazriar-Ark citadel, the remains of the Buddhist monastery Gyaur-Kala, the reconstruction of the Yusuf Hamadani mosque and much more.
Khajuraho (India)
About 20 ancient temples have been preserved in the Indian village of Khajuraho. All of them are made in the ancient Indian style under the name "Nagara" and have a number of distinctive features. The temples are very compact, elongated upwards, but their main feature is sculptures, which repeat erotic motifs in great detail.
Temples in Khajuraho began to be built as early as the 1st century AD. The sculptures depict the gods and their servants, various animals, as well as people performing various actions: combing, washing, yawning, dancing. In addition to these, there are sculptures depicting love acts.
The role of erotic sculptures is not known exactly. Perhaps they were educational in nature, or sexual topics were commonplace in those days and were not considered indecent. In any case, you cannot say that you have seen all the sights of Asia, if you have not visited the “temples of the Kama Sutra”.
Kazbek (Georgia, Russia)
At the border of the two states, the Kazbek volcano rises for 5000 meters. Once upon a time it was a very active volcano, which repeatedly poured lava onto the slopes of the Darial Gorge, but its last eruption was in 650 BC. Its two conical peaks (5033 and 5025 meters) are connected by a ridge-saddle.
Locals call it “melting mountain” or “ice peak”. There are many legends associated with the mountain. In the Greek myth, it was to Kazbek that Zeus chained Prometheus for disobedience. And one Christian legend says that God built a volcano over the cell of the sinful monk.
Climb to Kazbek under the force of many. Along the way, in addition to natural beauty, you can see some sights, for example the Trinity Church above the village of Stepantsminda (where usually the ascent to the mountain begins). At an altitude of 3900 meters there is an old weather station, and not far away - a beautiful chapel. A little higher is the ancient cave monastery of Betlemi, in which, according to legend, church treasures are hidden.
Ankara (Turkey)
The second largest Turkish city, practically not inferior to Istanbul in cultural significance, is Ankara. The sights of the city include mosques, mausoleums, the remains of fortifications and many interesting museums.
Arriving in Ankara, you must definitely look at the changing of the guard of honor at the mausoleum of the great Ataturk, visit the ancient city mosque of Aladdin, read the message of the Roman emperor Augustus near the ruins of his temple on the hill. One cannot but admire the carved details in the Haji Bayram Mosque or the largest mosque in Ankara - Kojatepe.
In addition to ancient attractions in Ankara, there are modern buildings worthy of attention. It is certainly worthwhile to climb to the top of the new Atakule Communications Tower 125 meters high and, possibly, dine at the Sevilla revolving restaurant. The tower houses a cinema with films in Turkish and English.
The city has various museums, for example, the Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilizations, Ethnographic, Museum of War, Museum of Science and Technology, Fine Art and Sculpture. In Ankara, there is even a Museum-mansion with personal items of the first president in Turkey, as well as the Aviation Museum.
Conclusion
The sights of Asia are amazing and varied. Pilgrims come here to touch the shrines. Tourists come for the sake of impressions. Here they plunge into the historical past and enjoy modernity at the same time. Having been in Asia, it is impossible to remain indifferent.