France - a true sanctuary historical and cultural monuments of different epochs and civilizations. Here are preserved cave dwellings of the ancient Paleolithic people, roads, viaducts, triumphal arches and arenas (Nimes, Avignon, Arles and Orange), representing the Gallo-Roman architecture of the I century AD, numerous monuments of Romanesque architecture (monasteries of Cluny and Citeaux, the church in Mont Saint-Michel, etc.). Birthplace of Gothic style, which developed from the Romanesque, was the Ile-de-France. Gothic is represented by such famous buildings as the Chapel of Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the cathedrals at Chartres, Orleans, Le Mans, as well as in Strasbourg, etc. Came from the Italian Renaissance in the XVI century left behind such masterpieces of architecture, as numerous chateaux of the Loire, the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles.

Colossi of Memnon for the road divides: left leads to the Valley of Queens, and right - in the Valley of the Kings. Over the Valley of the Kings of Thebes predominant peak, which is due to the characteristic silhouette resembling a pyramid, the locals call el-Qurna, which means "horn". In ancient times, this peak associated with the name of the goddess of snakes, Meret-Seger, which means "loving silence." Most likely, it is a form of mountains, and is associated with the pyramids of the Old Kingdom era, led the first pharaohs of the XVIII dynasty elect is a dry desert impressive place to build their abode of eternal rest.

Step Pyramid of Djoser in the center of a huge rectangular area measuring 544 by 277 meters, surrounded by a partially destroyed wall of limestone. Part of the wall has been restored from numerous fragments found in the sand. The reconstruction shows that it was originally a height of about 10 m. Imhotep, architect and minister of Pharaoh Djoser - the first ruler of Dynasty III, built later in the rank of God, built the "mother of all pyramid schemes," and thus created the first monumental stone building in the world. At the base of the pyramid of Zoser is an irregular quadrilateral with sides 110 and 120 m, the height of 60 m. Originally it was a width of 63 m mastaba and a height of 8 m. Under the mastaba is a well depth of 28 m at the bottom of which was arranged a burial chamber, connected to the system tunnels with rooms for burial utensils (here, in particular, has been found many stone vessels and pots) and other passages and rooms, decorated with blue faience and intended to stay Ka (body) of the pharaoh. To the northeast is serdabe-small room inside the tomb, where there was sculpture of the deceased. Now it is the pride of the exposure of the Cairo museum. In Saqqara, is it an exact copy.

Originally it was a vast expanse of water, which gradually dried up in yet unspecified reasons (geological landslide, infiltration, evaporation strong because of global warming). At the time of the pharaohs in the lake water level has dropped so much that Amenemhet I (XII Dynasty) spent irrigation and drainage, as a result of which the water had risen to current levels.

The history of El-Fayoum (Ra-Uoit in Coptic means "lake, sea") is closely connected with the history of the lake. On the shores of the lake in great numbers were carried crocodiles. Residents of deities: a deity appeared in the form of a crocodile - Sebek. Later, the Greeks called Krokodilopolisom modern Medinet El-Fayoum. 

Inside the pyramid of Cheops no inscriptions or decorations. Yet her visit left a lasting impression. The existing entrance to the pyramid leads to a tunnel, performed by the robbers, which is located 17 meters from the ground. If you are prone to claustrophobia, better wait fellows from the outside you have to go on a very narrow passage. After the bifurcation of the same corridor leads to the first burial chamber - a large gallery, located at a depth of 30 m below ground. Another corridor, running horizontally, resulting in the second burial chamber, called Queen's Chamber. A large gallery height of more than 8 m in length and 47 m belongs to the true masterpieces of Egypt. Its walls are gradually converge upwards, with each row of blocks appear exactly over the lower 6 cm length of it seems endless, as its polished floor and walls reflect the light of electric lamps installed in recent years and covering the room. Due to this effect entry box completely lost sight of.

From the Puerta del Sol street st. Postas leads to another and more famous old square of Madrid, to the Plaza Mayor. Just north of Puerta del Sol is the church of San Ginés (XIV century. Is open during religious services), where paintings by El Greco.

The entire area west of the Puerta del Sol is known as "Austrian Madrid" or "Madrid of the Habsburgs' - in memory of the royal dynasty that ruled Spain until 1700, when the throne, Philip V of Bourbon. By order of one of the Hapsburgs, Philip III, was designed Plaza Mayor (equestrian statue of Philip III is set in the center of the area).

Florence - Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1461) in the Gothic style, decorated with red, green and white marble, the XIV century bell tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni (XI-XV centuries), known gilded bronze doors of the eastern door decorated with sculpted scenes from the Old Testament, called "Paradise Gate", National Museum, which houses a collection of sculptures of Donatello, the fountain of Neptune (1576), the Palazzo Vecchio (1299-1314), the Uffizi Gallery - one of the greatest collections of Italian artists, gallery Pitti with works by Raphael, Perugino, Titian, Tintoretto, the tomb of the Medici family with a marble bas-relief by Michelangelo, the Medici palace, Ricardo (XV century), which houses a museum of the Medici, the monastery of San Marino, in the museum are works by Fra Angelico and Fra Bartolomeo , it is the philosopher of Savonarola's cell; gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, which houses the famous sculpture by Michelangelo - David, the Archaeological Museum, Franciscan Church of Santa Groche (XIII-XIV century), painted by Giotto, it is called the Pantheon of Florence because it has been buried Michelangelo Buonarroti, and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli the politician, the composer Rossini.