The creation of this Japanese garden started in 2007 by Šarūnas Kasmauskas in collaboration with the architects of Japanese gardens from Japan (e.g. Hadžime Watanabe, Hiroshi Cunoda…) and is still in progress. The works slowed down considerably sudden economic crisis in 2009. The largest Japanese garden in Europe (16 ha) will be called the Valley of singing stones (Lithuanian Dainuojančių akmenų slėnis). It is located on a hill musicians (Lithuanian Musicians kalnas), the highest hill in the area (its altitude is 32.4 m above sea level). During the establishment of a pond on the hill, a total of 24 springs have been revealed.

The project has no official sponsors yet, nor by the European Union, nor by the Lithuanian State. All funding is coming from the owner – S. Kasmauskas, his family and from charitable donations.

Japanese gardens are one of the important aesthetic elements of Japanese culture. Impress even those that are not closer interested in the culture of this country. The rules of their creation have been developed almost a thousand years. Although the western style gardens are very different, they attract anyone who has a sense of beauty.

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The town of Monreale has today around 25 thousand inhabitants. Thanks to its location near the Sicilian capital city, Monreale has almost become one of the turbulent suburbs of Palermo. But if you visit this site, you should definitely visit The Cathedral of Monreale, which is thanks to its mosaics one of the greatest treasures of this Italian island.

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The Cathedral of Monreale is a kind of monument to Arab, Norman and Byzantine art and architecture. Its construction began in 1172 at the instigation of King William II, who wanted to use the cathedral as his tomb, after his death. Therefore, a court architects tried to overcome other royal temples. Not only the building itself, but also the decor was influenced by French, Islamic and Byzantine designs. The cathedral is a massive three-nave building, 102 meters long. However, it looks quite modest from the outside. West facade is, except of the portal to the ornate gates, very curt. Cathedral is in addition covered by a largely urban area with an adjacent monastery.

You can see the beautiful bronze door from 1186, which are decorated with 42 biblical scenes. There are features of a lion and a griffon here, which were symbols of the Norman royal family. On the left side of the church you can see another bronze door from the year 1179, which are mainly influenced by Byzantine art. But the main attraction is the cathedral’s interior.

So if you’re interested in art and history, the Cathedral of Monreale should really be included on the your must-see list.

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Aqueduct of Segovia was scheduled by the Roman scholar Vitruvius (80-15 BC). Its construction took place sometimes in the 2nd half of the 1st Century. Aqueduct of Segovia is part of the 17 km long water route which brought the water from the river Fuenfria into the city.

Similarly like at the other ancient Roman buildings, architects did not use mortar to bind the granite blocks together, but metal hooks only.

Aqueduct of Segovia is 28.5 meters high and 782 m long and in 1985 it was together with other monuments in Segovia added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

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