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 ...
The Colosseum, officially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, stands as the largest ancient amphitheatre ever constructed and remains the biggest standing one in the world today. Situated in the heart of Rome, just east of the Roman Forum, it exemplifies the extraordinary engineering achievements and vibrant entertainment traditions of Imperial Rome.
Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty commissioned it around 70–72 AD as a generous act to restore land previously taken by Nero for his private palace and artificial lake, returning it to public use. His son Titus completed and inaugurated the structure in 80 AD with 100 days of spectacular games, while further enhancements, such as the underground hypogeum, came under Domitian between 81 and 96 AD.
The project drew funding primarily from the spoils of the Roman victory in Jerusalem in 70 AD, with much of the demanding labor carried out by tens of thousands of Jewish prisoners of war alongside skilled Roman engineers, architects, and artisans. ...
History of Wat Phikun Sokhan (วัดพิกุลโสคันธ์)
Wat Phikun Sokhan, also known locally as Wat Phikun, is an ancient active Buddhist temple of the Mahanikay sect located in Phra Khao Subdistrict, Bang Ban District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. It sits along the Bang Ban Canal, near Wat Phra Khao, in a serene rural setting.
The temple dates back to the late Ayutthaya period, with traditional accounts estimating its establishment around 1702 AD (circa พ.ศ. 2245). The name “Phikun” likely comes from the abundance of bullet wood trees (Mimusops elengi, known as พิกุล in Thai) that once grew on the grounds. Remarkably, unlike many temples in the region destroyed during the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 AD, Wat Phikun Sokhan never became abandoned, remaining continuously inhabited and maintained through wars and floods.
The temple is particularly renowned for its large reclining Buddha image, Luang Pho Sokhan (or Luang Pho So), housed in the viharn—a ...
Ban Yuan Morning Market (also known as the Vietnamese Sunday Market or Baan Yuan Market) is a small, charming Sunday morning market in Bangkok’s historic Vietnamese community, often referred to as “Little Vietnam” or Baan Yuan (บ้านย่าน, meaning “Vietnamese Village”).
It is located directly behind St. Francis Xavier Church (วัดนักบุญฟรังซิสเซเวียร์ or โบสถ์ซาเวียร์) in the Samsen area (Dusit district), near the Chao Phraya River. The market operates every Sunday from around 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM, primarily serving the local Vietnamese Catholic community after morning mass.
It’s located on Samsen Soi 11–13 (Soi Mittrakham / Soi Mittakham), off Samsen Road. The market stalls set up in the lanes right behind the church.
It’s a small, authentic street market with Vietnamese street food (e.g., bánh cuốn, kuay jab yuan noodles, stuffed crepes khanom bueang yuan, spring rolls, roast pork, and ...
