2.The Amphitheater of Pompeii is the first Roman amphitheater built in stone. It is the oldest amphitheater in the world that still stands today.

3.Before being wiped off the face of the earth, Pompeii was the place where the rich Romans used to spend their holidays. According to the legend even the famous Nero owned a property in Pompeii.

4.Mount Vesuvius was a mystery for the inhabitants of Pompeii. They believed that it was a simple mountain, because it didn’t have any volcanic activity for almost 1800 years. The legend says that the word “volcano” was actually invented after this famous eruption and it comes from Vulcan who is the Roman god of fire.

5.When Mount Vesuvius erupted, it pulverized pumice and hot ash at the rate of 1.5 million tons per second. The 700 degrees Celsius lava rolled over the neighboring cities at a speed of 110 kilometers per hour.

6.It is said that Vesuvius is 17000 years old and that it has erupted almost 50 times. The most recent eruption took place in 1944, during the Second World War. Nowadays it is the only active volcano in continental Europe and it is considered really dangerous for all the inhabitants who live in the area.

Remember that the future belongs to the curious and stay close for the next “Did you know that?”

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A small stretch of white sand surrounded by high limestone cliffs is washed away by the crystal blue waters.

The symbol of the beach is the wrecked ship which has been lying on this piece of land for decades. The legend that surrounds this shipwreck is still debated on. According to the legend this shipwreck is actually a Scottish ship, called the Panagiotis.

One version of the legend says that the Panagiotis was a famous ship belonging to the cigarette smugglers and to the Italian mafia which wrecked in 1980, while it was followed by the Greek coast guard. It is said that the entire crew vanished into thin air.

Another version of the legend says that the Minister of tourism brought the wreck of the Panagiotis on the shore of Navagio Beach on purpose. It is believed that the ship wrecked in a totally different place and that it was brought to the shore as a marketing strategy meant to increase the popularity of the beach.

Whatever side of the story you choose to believe, the truth is that Navagio Beach is a much more popular place due to this interesting shipwreck.

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You can also read the previous articles “Did you know that?” ⇒Here →1.→2.

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Built by the Emperor Vespasian, the founder of the Flavian Dynasty, this amphitheater is the largest one that has ever been built.  The original name of this construction was the Flavian Amphitheater.

The Colosseum is situated right in the center of Rome, covering an area of 6 acres. It is 189 meters long and 156 meters wide and it had a capacity of over 50.000 spectators. The interesting design of the entire construction includes over 80 entrances and 36 trap doors.

Made of a mixture of concrete, sand, marble and brick, the construction has an imposing appearance and it is considered the iconic symbol of the Roman Empire. The building process was quite difficult and it lasted almost 10 years.

It is believed that the Colosseum was built in order to host different activities, to increase the popularity of the Flavian Dynasty and to point out the brilliant Roman engineering techniques. This arena hosted a number of different activities such as: celebrations of the Roman victories, religious ceremonies, execution rituals, theatre performances, animal hunting and gladiatorial shows.

The gladiatorial battles were among the most famous spectacles that took place in this arena. A painful aspect related to these fights is the fact that over 70.000 people died in these bloody battles.

As you can see, there are so many things which stand behind this famous tourist attraction, things that have significantly increased the historical significance of the Colosseum.

Remember that the future belongs to the curious and stay close for the next “Did you know that?”

You can also read the previous articles “Did you know that?” ⇒Here →1.

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The Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure and other smaller temples, tombs and edifices are also situated in the same area. Many people believe that all the three pyramids are on the list which includes the wonders of the Ancient World, but it’s not true. Only the Pyramid of Khufu can be found on this list.

Also called the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Pyramid of Cheops, this is the largest pyramid in the world. The Pyramid of Khufu was considered the tallest man-made structure in the world for almost 43 centuries.

According to Herod, the pyramid was built over a 20-year period by almost 100.000 people. The building method still arises many questions and it is still shrouded in mystery. Even if the origin and the purpose of the pyramid are other two aspects that haven’t been clarified yet, the most known theory says that it was built around 2560 BC by the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu, in order to serve as his tomb.

Covered by casing stones, the Pyramid of Khufu consists of more than 2,3 million limestone blocks. The inside of the pyramid is divided into several chambers and only a few of them haven’t been explored yet.

Leaving aside all these interesting aspects, the Pyramid of Khufu is indeed the most impressive and imposing of all the other pyramids situated on the Giza Plateau.

Remember that the future belongs to the curious and stay close for the next “Did you know that?”

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