PHA THAT LUANG TEMPLE (Laos)

Pha That Luang (Lao:

, IPA: [p tt lw] 'Great Stupa') is a goldcovered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of Vientiane, Laos. Since its initial
establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several
reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area. It is
generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national
symbol.

Pha That Luang according to the Lao people was originally built as a Hindu temple in the
3rd century. Buddhist missionaries from the Mauryan Empire are believed to have been
sent by the Emperor Ashoka, including Bury Chan or Praya Chanthabury Pasithisak and
five Arahata monks who brought a holy relic (believed to be the breastbone) of Lord
Buddha to the stupa. It was rebuilt in the 13th century as a Khmer temple which fell into
ruin.
The architecture of the building includes many references to Lao culture and identity, and
so has become a symbol of Lao nationalism. The stupa today consists of three levels, each
conveying a reflection of part of the Buddhist doctrine. The first level is 223 feet (67
metres) by 226 feet (68 metres), the second is 157 feet (47 metres) along each side and
the third level is 98 feet (29 metres) along each side. From ground to pinniacle, Pha That
Luang is 147.6 feet (44 metres) high.

Pha That Luang was destroyed by the Thai invasion in 1828, which left it heavily damaged
and left abandoned. It was not until 1900 that the French restored to its original design
based on the detailed drawings from 1867 by the French architect and explorer Louis
Delaporte. However the first attempt to restore it was unsuccessful and it had to be
redesigned and then reconstructed in the 1930s. During the Franco-Thai War, Pha That
Luang was heavily damaged during a Thai air raid. After the end of World War II, Pha That
Luang was reconstructed.

SULTAN OMAR ALI SAIFUDDIEN MOSQUE (Brunei)

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is an Islamic mosque located in Bandar Seri
Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. Considered as one of the most beautiful
mosques in the Asia Pacific, it is a place of worship for the Muslim community, a major
landmark and a tourist attraction of Brunei.
Named after Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 30th Sultan of Brunei who also initiated its
construction, the mosque serves as a symbol of the Islamic faith in Brunei and dominates
the skyline of Bandar Seri Begawan. The building was completed in 1958 and is an
example of modern Islamic architecture.
The mosque unites Mughal architecture and Italian styles. The design was done by
A.O.Coltman of the firm Booty and Edwards Chartered Architects, who were based in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at that time.

Built in an artificial lagoon on the banks of the Brunei River at Kampong Ayer - the "village
in the water", the mosque has marble minarets and golden domes, a courtyard and is
surrounded by a large number of trees and floral gardens. A bridge reaches across the
lagoon to Kampong Ayer in the middle of the river. Another marble bridge leads to a
structure in the lagoon meant as a replica of a 16th Century Sultan Bolkiah Mahligai
Barge. The barge itself was completed in 1967 to commemorate the 1,400th anniversary
of Nuzul Al-Quran (coming down of the Quran) and was used to stage the Quran reading
competitions.
The mosque's most recognizable feature - the main dome, is covered in pure gold. The
mosque stands 52 m (171 ft) high and can be seen from virtually anywhere in Bandar
Seri Begawan. The main minaret is the mosque's tallest feature. In a unique way it mixes
Renaissance and Italian architectural style. The minaret has an elevator to the top, where
a visitor can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

MEKONG RIVER (Vietnam)

The Mekong is a trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia. It is the world's 12th-longest
river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is 4,350 km (2,703 mi), and it drains
an area of 795,000 km2 (307,000 sq mi), discharging 457 km3 (110 cu mi) of water
annually.

From the Tibetan Plateau this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma
(Myanmar), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. In 1995, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia
and Vietnam established the Mekong River Commission to assist in the management and
coordinated use of the Mekong's resources. In 1996 China and Burma (Myanmar) became
"dialogue partners" of the MRC and the six countries now work together within a
cooperative framework.
The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls in this
river have made navigation difficult. The river is a major trading route linking Chinas
south western province of Yunnan to Laos, Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand to the south,
an important trade route between western China and Southeast Asia.

In English the river is called the "Mekong River", derived from "Mae Nam Khong", a term
of both Thai and Lao origin. In the Lao-Thai toponymy, rivers translates to "mother of
water", signalled by the prefix "mae", meaning "mother", and "nam" for water. In the
Mekong's case, Mae Nam Khong means "Khong, The mother of water".[4] Many Northern
Thai and Laos locals refer to it as the "River Khong". Such is the case with the Mae Nam
Ping in Chiang Mai which is known as the "Ping River". The Tonle Sap in Cambodia is a
similar example where Tonle translates as "great lake" or "Great River", making the
Tonle Sap River an unnecessary repetition of what is in fact the "Sap River".

KLCC (Malaysia)
Kuala Lumpur City Centre is a multipurpose development area in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. The area is located around Jalan Ampang, Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Binjai, Jalan Kia
Peng and Jalan Pinang. There are a number of shopping complexes such as Suria KLCC
and Avenue K. There are also hotels within walking distance such as G Tower, Mandarin
Oriental, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur and InterContinental Kuala Lumpur hotel.
Designed to be a city within a city, the 100-acre site hosts the tallest twin buildings in the
world, shopping mall, hotels, office buildings and several hotels. A public park and a
mosque is also built on the area and open to everyone. The whole project is cooled via
district cooling located on the property.

The towers were designed by Argentine American architect Csar Pelli. They chose a
distinctive postmodern style to create a 21st-century icon for Kuala Lumpur. Planning on
the Petronas Towers started on 1 January 1992 and included rigorous tests and
simulations of wind and structural loads on the design. Seven years of construction
followed, beginning on 1 March 1993 with the excavation, which involved moving 500
truckloads of earth every night to dig down 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface.

The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass
facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim
religion. Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is
based on a Rub el Hizb, albeit with circular sectors added to meet office space
requirements.

MERLION PARK (Singapore)

Merlion Park, a landmark of Singapore, is a major tourist attraction at One Fullerton,
Singapore, near the Central Business District (CBD). Two structures of the Merlion are
located at the park. The original merlion structure measures 8.6 metres tall, whilst a
Merlion cub located near the original statue measures 2 metres tall.

The park was first designed as an emblem for the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in
1964. On 15 September 1972, the park was officially opened at an installation ceremony
of the statue, officiated by then Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The
original statue of the Merlion used to stand at the mouth of the Singapore River. The
statue was made from November 1971 to August 1972 by the late Singapore sculptor, Mr.
Lim Nang Seng, it measures 8.6 metres high and weighs 70 tons.
Upon the completion of Esplanade Bridge in 1997, the statue could no longer be viewed
clearly from the Marina Bay Waterfront, so on 23 April 2002, the statue was relocated to
a new pier specially built on the other side of Esplanade Bridge. With a cost of $7.5 million,
the move was finished on 25 April 2002, where it is now located adjacent to One Fullerton
hotel.

On 28 February 2009, between 4 pm and 5 pm, the Merlion statue was struck by lightning.
Staff in the vicinity said they heard an explosion followed by a loud thud when broken
pieces fell to the ground. Repairs were completed in March that year, although the
Merlion itself resumed spouting water on 18 March 2009. The Merlion statue has
undergone restoration in 2006 and 2012 to repair cracks and clean stains.

JOSE RIZAL MONUMENT (Philippines)

The Rizal Monument (original title: Motto Stella, Latin, "guiding star") is a memorial
in Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines built to commemorate the executed Filipino
nationalist, Jos Rizal. The monument consists of a standing bronze sculpture of the Rizal,
with an obelisk as his backdrop, set on a stone base within which his remains are interred.
A plaque on the pedestal's front reads: "To the memory of Jos Rizal, patriot and martyr,
executed on Bagumbayan Field December Thirtieth 1896. This monument is dedicated
by the people of the Philippine Islands".

The perimeter of the monument is guarded continuously by the Philippine Marine Corps
Marine Security and Escort Group, the changing of the guard having become a daily ritual.
About 100 m (330 ft) north-northwest of the monument is the exact location where Rizal
was executed, marked by life-size dioramas depicting his final moments.
The Rizal Monument was planned and constructed during the American colonial period
of the Philippines in the early 20th century.

There is also no official explanation of the meaning of the monuments details. The
monument depicts Rizal in overcoat holding a book that represent his novels Noli Me
Tngere and El filibusterismo. The obelisk is usually taken to mean Rizals masonic
background while the three stars are said to stand for Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
The figures at the back of the monument, such as leaves and a pot, are said to symbolize
the countrys natural resources. The consensus is that the figures beside Rizal - a mother
rearing her child and two young boys reading - signify family and education.