The Roman bridge of Salamanca (Puente romano de Salamanca), also known as Puente Mayor del Tormes, is a Roman bridge crossing the Tormes River on the banks of the city of Salamanca, in Castile and León, Spain.
The importance of the bridge as a symbol of the city can be seen in the first quartering of city's coat of arms (along with its stone bull-verraco). It has been known traditionally as puente mayor and as puente prinçipal (main bridge) which gives access to the southern part of the city.
The bridge is actually a construction of two bridges separated by a central fortification: the old bridge which extends along the portion near the city is of Roman origin, and the new bridge. Of the twenty-six arches, only the first fifteen date from Roman times.
The date of the construction of the bridge is not precisely known, but is among the mandates of the Emperors Augustus (27 B. C.-14 D. C.) and Vespasian (69-79).
There was a popular belief that the bridge was first built by Heracles and ...
Wat Na Phra That, located in Mueang Sing Buri District of Sing Buri Province, Thailand, is an ancient temple ruin whose history reaches back to the Dvaravati period between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, with some archaeological traces possibly even earlier from the Funan or pre-Dvaravati era. The site is widely regarded as the heart of the old city of Sing Buri, sometimes referred to in historical records as Singhaburi or Singhapura, a once-important settlement along the Chao Phraya River basin.
Originally known to locals as Wat Hua Mueang, meaning “Temple at the Head of the City,” or Wat Sisa Mueang, it served as a major Mon-Dvaravati Buddhist center. The prominent brick prang that still stands today was probably constructed to house sacred relics, which explains the later name “Phra That” (relic stupa). The architecture shows strong Khmer influence from the Lopburi (Lavo) period of the 11th to 13th centuries, indicating the structure was rebuilt or significantly expanded when Khmer culture ...
Wat Prasat วัดปราสาท is a historic Buddhist temple complex in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand, widely regarded as the oldest temple in the province. Located along the Chao Phraya River, in Nonthaburi Thailand, it serves as a serene spiritual and cultural landmark just north of Bangkok. The temple blends ancient architecture, religious significance, and natural beauty. It’s a Mahayana Buddhist temple and a designated national historic site, attracting visitors for its tranquility and historical murals.
Built during the Ayutthaya period (17th century), the temple’s construction is attributed to either the reign of King Prasat Thong (1629–1656) or King Narai the Great (1656–1688), making it over 400 years old. The name “Prasat” refers to the ornate, castle-like spires (prasat) that adorn its structures, a distinctive feature in Thai temple design. Over time, it has become a repository of Nonthaburi’s artistic heritage, with additions like murals painted by local craftsmen in...
Ku Ban Prasat, a modest 11th to 13th-century Khmer ruin Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, embodies the transitional Buddhist phase of the Angkor Empire’s northeastern frontier.
Constructed primarily of laterite with remnants of sandstone carvings, the site centers on a raised rectangular platform that once supported three brick towers aligned east-west—hallmarks of the Bayon-style architecture promoted by King Jayavarman VII (1181–1218).
The towers, now reduced to scattered foundations and fragmented walls without a surviving prang superstructure, were likely dedicated to Mahayana Buddhist worship, as evidenced by unearthed fragments of Buddha heads in Dvaravati-influenced local style.
Originally a Hindu outpost in the 11th century under Suryavarman I, the complex evolved amid the empire’s shift toward Buddhism, incorporating motifs of lotuses and guardian figures on eroded lintels.
Enclosed by a single moat and a partial gallery, it served as a rural waystation along pilgrimage ...
