The world’s tallest Ganesha statue is not in India or Nepal, but in Chachoengsao, Thailand. It is not hundreds of years old but was built in 2012. The construction of this bronze Ganesh statue was started in 2009 and was completed in 2012. The statue is 39 meters (almost 128 feet) tall combining the base. This is almost as tall as 14 story building.
This is the tallest standing Ganesha statue in the world. It has 4 hands. Upper right hand holding jack fruit, upper left hand holding sugar cane, lower right hand holding banana, and lower left hand holding a mango. The statue was built on 40,000 square meters of land in Chachoengsao, to watch over the land and stand in harmony with the local way of living and economy.
Lord Ganesh is a popular Hindu god who helps people get past any obstacles and achieve their goals. Ganesh is worshipped by all classes of people and also worshipped by people from different beliefs and religions. The worship of Ganesh in Thailand emerged in the era when ...
Saint Peter’s Basilica, located in Vatican City, is one of the holiest sites in Christianity and the largest church in the world by interior measure. It stands on the traditional burial site of Saint Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles and the first Bishop of Rome, considered the first Pope. Catholic tradition holds that Peter was martyred in Rome around 64 AD during Nero’s persecutions and buried on Vatican Hill, near the Circus of Nero.
The original Old Saint Peter’s Basilica dates back to the 4th century. Around 326–360 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, commissioned a five-aisled structure with a central nave and atrium over Peter’s tomb.
This building served as a major pilgrimage site for over 1,200 years, hosting papal coronations such as Charlemagne’s as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD, and accumulating numerous tombs, relics, and artworks. By the 15th century, however, it had fallen into severe disrepair, with leaning walls prompting plans for ...
Nestled in the heart of Rome, between the Capitoline Hill and the Circus Maximus, the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum together form the ancient core of the city—a place where myth, history, and imperial ambition intertwine. According to legend, it was on the Palatine Hill that Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC, after slaying his brother Remus, and where the she-wolf nurtured the twins in the Lupercal cave. This centermost of Rome’s seven hills quickly became the most desirable address, evolving from modest Iron Age huts to the opulent residences of the elite during the Republic, and finally to the sprawling palaces of emperors like Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, and Domitian. The word “palace” itself derives from “Palatine,” a testament to its enduring association with power and luxury.
Below the hill lies the Roman Forum, once a marshy valley reclaimed in the 7th century BC to become the bustling political, religious, commercial, and social center of the ancient world. For over a ...
The Mercatino di Natale (Christmas market) in Piazza Navona is one of Rome’s oldest and most beloved traditions, often called the Mercatino della Befana. Its roots trace back over 200 years, evolving from seasonal street sellers. The piazza hosted a daily food market from 1477 until 1869 (later moved to Campo de’ Fiori), but by the late 19th century (around 1876), it became dedicated to an annual Christmas fair—initially toys, sweets, and nativity figures tied to Epiphany celebrations.
Today, it’s a festive, family-oriented market filling the piazza with wooden stalls selling artisanal Christmas decorations, handmade nativity scenes (presepi), wooden toys, leather goods, ceramics, books, regional sweets (like panettone and roasted chestnuts), and gift items.
Attractions include a vintage carousel, street performers, puppet shows, and workshops for children. The atmosphere is magical at night with twinkling lights framing the Baroque fountains and palaces.
It typically runs from early ...
