Imagine walking into a giant sports arena that's over 2,000 years old! The Colosseum in Rome, Italy, was exactly that—a massive, round building where people in ancient times (a very long time ago!) watched exciting shows and games. It's the largest amphitheater ever built!

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Here are the most important things you should know about the Colosseum:

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• Who Built It?

The ancient Romans built the Colosseum. It was a huge construction site and took about 10 years to complete. Back then, emperors ruled, and one of them, Emperor Vespasian, started the construction, and his son, Titus, finished it.

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• What Was It Used For?

Many different performances took place in the Colosseum:

Gladiator Fights: These were the most famous shows! Gladiators were brave fighters who battled each other with swords, spears, or other weapons. Sometimes they even fought against wild animals. It was like a very dangerous play.

• Animal Hunts: Wild animals like lions, tigers, or bears were brought into the arena, and hunters tried to catch or defeat them.

• Naval Battles: Sometimes, the arena was even filled with water so small ships could float and naval battles could be re-enacted! Can you imagine that?

• Plays and Performances: There were also regular performances and games for entertainment.

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• What did it look like?

The Colosseum was huge! It had many levels and could hold over 50,000 spectators. Imagine that many people fit into a large football stadium! Spectators sat on stone benches, and there was even a giant canvas that could be stretched over the Colosseum to provide shade when the sun was too hot. Down below, under the arena, there were many passages and rooms where animals and gladiators waited before their appearances.

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In Short:

Today, the Colosseum isn't completely intact, but it's still incredibly impressive. It's a world-famous landmark, and many people from all over the world come to Rome to visit it. It reminds us of how people lived long ago and the amazing buildings they constructed. It's like a history book in stone.

Imagine travelling way back in time, over a thousand years! Back then there were very special people in Mexico, the Maya. The Maya were super clever and built great cities in the middle of the jungle. One of their largest and most famous cities was Chichén Itzá.

Here are the most important things for you to know about Chichén Itzá:

 

• Where is Chichén Itzá? Chichén Itzá is located on a large peninsula in Mexico called the Yucatán. It is often warm and sunny there.

• What is there to see in Chichén Itzá? Today, Chichén Itzá is no longer an inhabited city, but the old buildings are still standing! The special thing is that the Maya built everything out of stone. Here are the most important things you can see there:

  
  1. The pyramid of Kukulcán (El Castillo): This is the most famous building and looks like a giant mountain of stairs. The Maya were great astronomers (stargazers) and built the pyramid so that on certain days of the year (when spring or autumn begins) the shadow of a large snake fell on the stairs. It's magical! Kukulcán is the name of an important feathered serpent deity of the Maya.

   

  2. The observatory (El Caracol): The Maya observed the stars and planets very closely. This round building enabled them to see, for example, when the sun rises and sets or when the earth moves around the sun. This was important for their calendars and festivals.

  
  3. The ball court: The Maya played a special ball game. It was a bit like basketball, but much more difficult! You had to use your hips to propel the ball through a ring of stones hanging high up on the wall. It wasn't just a game, but also an important ritual.

   

  4. the warrior temple: There are lots of pillars here that look like warriors. This was probably a place where important ceremonies took place.
   

  
  So, in short: Chichén Itzá is like a huge treasure chest that tells us a lot about a bygone era and that you should definitely visit at some point!

Imagine going to a huge sports arena that's over 2000 years old! The Colosseum in Rome, Italy, was just that - a huge, round building where people used to watch exciting shows and games in ancient times (a very long time ago). It is the largest amphitheatre ever built!

Here are the most important things for you to know about the Colosseum:

 

• Who built it? The ancient Romans built the Colosseum. It was a huge construction site and took about 10 years to complete. Emperors ruled at the time and one of them, Emperor Vespasian, started building it and his son Titus finished it.

• What was it used for? There were many different performances in the Colosseum:
   

  1. gladiator fights: these were the most famous shows! Gladiators were brave fighters who competed against each other with swords, spears or other weapons. Sometimes they also fought against wild animals. It was like a very dangerous theatre play.

   

  2. Animal hunts: Wild animals such as lions, tigers or bears were brought into the arena and hunters tried to catch or defeat them.

  
  3. Sea battles: Sometimes the arena was even filled with water so that small ships could float in it and sea battles could be re-enacted! Imagine that!

   

  4. Theatre plays and performances: There were also normal performances and games for entertainment.

   

• What did it look like? The Colosseum was huge! It had many floors and could hold over 50,000 spectators. Imagine, as many people as could fit into a large football stadium! The spectators sat on stone benches and there was even a huge cloth that could be stretched over the Colosseum to provide shade when the sun was too hot. Down below, under the arena, there were many corridors and rooms where animals and gladiators waited before their performances.

 

So, in short:

Today, the Colosseum is no longer completely intact, but it is still very impressive. It is a world-famous landmark and many people from all over the world come to Rome to visit it. It reminds us of how people lived a long time ago and what buildings they built. It's like a history book made of stone!

Imagine building something beautiful for someone you love very much. The Taj Mahal is such a building! It is a huge, magnificent palace made of white marble in a country called India. It's also called a mausoleum because it's a tomb.

Here are the most important things for you to know about the Taj Mahal:

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• Who built it and why?

A very long time ago, there lived a king in India called Shah Jahan. He had a wife whom he loved more than anything, her name was Mumtaz Mahal. When she unfortunately died far too young, the king was very, very sad. He wanted to build a monument to her that was as beautiful as she was. And so he started to build the Taj Mahal so that she would be remembered forever.

 

• How long did it take to build?

The Taj Mahal was no small building project! It took no less than 22 years to complete. Imagine spending 22 years building a Lego model! A lot of hard-working craftsmen and artists helped.

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• What is it made of?

The special thing about the Taj Mahal is that it was built almost entirely from gleaming white marble. This is a very precious stone that shines like snow. And small colourful gemstones that look like flower patterns were set into this white marble. It's super delicate and beautiful!

 

• What else is there?

Around the Taj Mahal there is a large, beautiful garden with lots of flowers and water features. It's like a huge park where you can go for a walk and enjoy the peace and quiet.

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• Why is it so special?

The Taj Mahal is so special because it is a symbol of great love and sorrow. It is also one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and is visited by millions of people every year who come to admire its beauty. It is even one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’.

So, in short:

The Taj Mahal is a huge, beautiful white tomb in India that a sad king had built for his beloved wife. It is a symbol of love and a true work of art!

Imagine, it's so long that it would almost reach around the whole world if you could straighten it!

Here are the most important things for you to know about the Great Wall of China:
 

• How old is it? The wall is over 2,000 years old! That's older than your great-grandparents, your grandparents and your parents put together.

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• Who built it and why? Many people built it over many years. It was built to protect the country from attackers. Imagine a huge, long wall guarding the land like a giant fence.

 

• What does it look like? It's not just a straight line but meanders over mountains and through valleys. There are towers on the wall from which you can look out.

 

• What is it made of? The wall was built from stones, earth and sometimes bricks. The labourers had to work very hard!

 

• Can you see it from space? That's a myth! Although the Great Wall of China is very long, it is not wide enough to be seen from space with the naked eye. However, if you get close enough with a spaceship, you can of course see it.
   

So, in short:

The Great Wall of China is a famous landmark of China and many people from all over the world visit it every year. It tells a fascinating story about China's past. Just imagine going for a walk on the wall - you'd take a really long hike and see a lot of cool things along the way!

Imagine a city that wasn't built, but carved directly out of massive rocks. It's like carving a giant toy out of a mountain!

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Here are the most important things you should know about the rock-cut city of Petra:

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• The City in the Rock

Petra is famous for its houses, temples, and tombs being carved directly into the red and orange cliffs. It looks absolutely stunning!

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• Who Built It?

An ancient group of people called the Nabataeans built Petra a very long time ago, over 2,000 years ago! They were incredibly skilled and knew a lot about construction.

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• Hidden and Mysterious

For a long time, Petra was forgotten by most people. You had to walk through a very narrow rock gorge to get there. Imagine walking through a dark tunnel, and suddenly, a hidden city opens up before you!

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• The Treasury

The most famous building in Petra is "The Treasury" (Al-Khazneh), although it wasn't a treasury but likely a tomb. It's huge and beautifully decorated, looking like a palace. You might recognize it from movies!

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• Why Is the Rock-Cut City So Special?

Petra used to be an important city for traders. People from many countries met here to buy and sell spices, silk, and other goods. It was like a huge shopping mall in the desert.

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So, in Short:

Today, Petra is no longer a place where people live. It's a gigantic open-air museum and a super popular travel destination. Tourists come from all over the world to admire the impressive rock-cut buildings and discover its history. Imagine being able to wander through this ancient city, carved out of rock by brave people—that's super exciting, isn't it?