GreaterGo

The Persian Empire once dominated the entire Middle East and the backbone of the entire Silk Road. It was also one of the few great empires that were able to fight against Sparta, a prominent city-state in ancient Greece. Many camel caravans started their business journey from Persia to China for expensive silk and porcelain, which were then sold to other countries. This magnificent empire’s capital city was Persepolis, meaning the capital of the Persians. 

Bazaars are of cultural significance in the Islamic world. They, together with mosques, are the central feature of daily life in Islamic Middle-Eastern and Central Asian countries along the Silk Road. Bazaars in the Middle East are like night markets in Taiwan, creating a distinct cultural vibrancy. Persia, as the commercial centre of the Silk Road, surely had busy bazaars in her important cities. Tehran Grand Bazaar has been the best among all.

Lake Baikal, “the Pearl of Siberia”, is one of the best treasures of Russia. Located at the centre of Siberia, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and renowned for its huge water storage. Take the Trans-Siberia Railway travelling around the lake to Ulan-Ude or Irkutsk, then take a minibus and you will arrive at the lake.

Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian emperors, is naturally the most iconic landmark of Saint Petersburg. The palace is more than just a palace for tsars – it is also a museum. Catherine the Great renovated and expanded the palace into a great royal complex of six buildings. Apart from expanding the Russian empire, Catherine the Great was keen on collecting treasures. Famous paintings and art pieces were purchased from merchants from around the world and stored in the State Hermitage Museum of the Winter Palace. Eventually, rich collections were built up over the years.

Medieval Gothic-style structure attracts eyeballs with its highly ornamented characteristics. The style has even inspired different art forms, including music, paintings and fashion. The prominently fancy feature of Gothic architecture had constantly been recreated by architects who contributed to the emergence of the Neo-Gothic. The derived style is more elaborate. Sigulda Castle is a classic example of the Neo-Gothic building.

In the Middle Ages, religion could be said to be the focus of people's lives. Priests were with high status and the Church was so powerful that it could oppose to the royal family. In Riga, a medieval city, there are three major cathedrals, namely Riga Cathedral of the Evangelical Lutheran, St. James's Cathedral of the Roman Catholic and the Nativity Cathedral of Orthodox. Among them, the Protestant Riga Cathedral is the most historical and has been guarding Riga since the Middle Ages.