Which destinations are in the ranking?
THE 10 most incredible PLACES in the WORLD that challenge the FORCE OF GRAVITY
The whole universe is subject to the laws of physics, and of all the force of gravity is one that just cannot be disobeyed. Yet there are places in the world that are balanced in positions that are nothing short of impossible: cliffs, trees or mountain peaks. Today we present the ranking of the 10 most incredible gravity-defying places from around the globe, taken from the site siviaggia.it.
#10 Taktsang Monastery
Credit: siviaggia.it
This monastery is perched on the edge of a cliff in Bhutan, over 3,000 meters from the valley floor. It offers a spectacular view of the Paro Valley, and due to its wild location it is known as “Tiger’s Nest” or the refuge of the tiger.
#9 Meteora
The Meteora area is one of the most visited in Greece: characterized by megaliths of sandstone rock on which there are inexplicably several monasteries perched more than 300 meters in the air. The most famous is Roussanou, which challenges tourists with its 200 dizzying steps.
#8 Sigiriya
The rocky plateau of Sigiriya is one of the most pristine nature in Sri Lanka. Formed by volcanic magma, it was built in the 5th century AD by King Kashyapa I: he had a fortress built there that really seems to defy every law of physics.
#7 Haid Al-Jazil
If a fortress on a plateau may already seem absurd, imagine an entire country. Haid Al-Jazil is in fact a village in the heart of the Yemen valley, and is considered one of the most isolated places on Earth. It is over 500 years old but despite the passing of the centuries it has not yielded: it remained perched on the large boulder exactly 107 meters above the ground. The most surprising thing is that the country has not been uninhabited for a long time, in fact until 2004 Haid Al-Jazil had 17 inhabitants.
#6 Kjeragbolten
If until now we have only seen “man-made” places, now is the time to show the crazy creations of nature itself. In Kjeragbolten, Norway, there is a boulder of 5 cubic meters nestled in an abyss almost a kilometer deep. The rock appears to be suspended between the void that precedes it and that which follows it, remaining blocked by the lateral pressure that has transformed it into one of the most popular places for base jumping.
#5 Trosky Castle
Trosky Castle is a Gothic fortress in the Czech Republic famous for having two towers separated by a large void. In fact, the two stand each on a basalt thorn, creating a truly unique spectacle. The smaller and wider one is nicknamed “Baba” – or “old” – and the taller and thinner one is called “Panna” – literally “young girl”.
#4 Swallow’s Nest
Still on the subject of castles, there is one in Ukraine that is located on the edge of the Cape-Ai-Todor cliff. The building seems to be able to fall at any moment, but it has been overlooking the ocean for over a century. It was built in 1912 by a wealthy German oil baron, and today it continues to fascinate amazed tourists.
#3 Taung Kalat
The Taung Kalat Monastery, in Myanmar, is truly a place with an otherworldly atmosphere. It was built in the early twentieth century and in order to reach it you have to climb 777 steps and dodge the multitude of Rhesus macaque monkeys along the way. The summit reaches 2762m above the ground and can be considered one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the world.
#2 Rocamadour
We return to our country with the medieval village of Rocamadour, perched on the massif of limestone cliff overlooking the French Alzou stream. Since its construction, the village has always been a destination for pilgrimages as it houses the relics of Saint Amadour. But pilgrimages are not reserved for religious only and Rocamadour is a popular stop also for its strange position, which fascinates and amazes its visitors.
#1 Calcata
For the first place in this ranking we have reserved a small but truly magical village in central Italy: Calcata. Suspended among the vegetation of the Tuscia Viterbese, the village changes appearance following the course of the seasons. It is not among the most crowded tourist destinations in Italy but it is worth being known and valued above all for its truly privileged position, from which one of the most exciting Lazio panoramas can be observed.
ROSITA GIULIANO
