10 mind-blowing structures on sheer cliffs

Some people enjoy outdoor activities and prefer mountainous areas to beaches. The mountains fascinate with their beauty and unsurpassed, rebelliousness and inaccessibility. Many people like to tickle their nerves, conquering the next peak, despite the fact that there is a danger of falling down. The most inaccessible monasteries in the world, as a rule, open their doors for pilgrimage in the mountains. Since ancient times, the most stunning statues in the world have been carved into the rocks, striking the imagination of tourists.

So, today we will consider 10 mind-blowing structures on sheer cliffs.

10. Bandiagra ledge

Bandiagra Ramp, a rocky settlement in Mali, has been home to the Dogon from the 15th century... The Dogon built houses on the cliffs to defend against enemy invasion and preserve culture and traditions.

Sad but a culture fostered by the protection of the cliffs is weakening under the onslaught of tourism... The vast majority of those arriving in Mali visit Dogon villages, and many of the local artifacts are sold to tourists. Economic and environmental pressures are currently pushing the indigenous settlers out of their homes and into the nearby plains.

9. Heavenly caves in Nepal

There is a gorge in Nepal - a smaller copy of the Grand Canyon. More than 10 thousand caves have been cut in the slopes of the rocks, many of which are at an altitude of 50 meters.... They are approximately 800 years old, some are on the eighth or ninth ledge from the ground, and to get to them, you must climb the fragile stone slopes, armed with climbing equipment.

Nobody knows the reason why the caves were built. No ladders, ropes, or scaffolding have survived since then. Researchers have found intricate Buddhist-themed murals, ancient inscriptions and skeletons. All of this is suggestive of religious function of caves... In the caves, they found manuscripts related to Bon, the Tibetan religion that dominated before Buddhism.

8. Madara Horseman

In Bulgaria, you can see a relief image of a dog and a rider piercing a lion with a spear. The image dates from the beginning of the 8th century and represents the official recognition of Bulgaria by the Byzantine Empire.

The image of the rider is clearly visible from a distance. The inscriptions on the sides of the horseman's image are the earliest information about Bulgaria, so it is not surprising that it has become the main symbol of the country. It is said that the rider is represented by one of the first three khans of Bulgaria. The pagan god Tangra can also be a rider.

7. Predjama Castle

The castle is located on the slope of a 123-meter cliff. Predjama Castle is located in Slovenia, and most of the castle is housed in a large natural cave. It was built in the 15th century and was owned by the robber baron Erasmus of Predjama.

Erasmus made the mistake of killing a relative of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. Frederick laid siege to Predjama Castle and Erasmus was forced to defend himself. The Imperial forces were unaware of the secret tunnel between the castle and another cave that served as a food supply channel for Erasmus. The military bribed one of the servants of Erasmus, as a result of which the latter was killed.

6. Montero Neptune

The Italian village of Monterosso al Mare is home to Villa Pastina, a stone terrace that hangs right over the edge of a high cliff and is held in place by a 14-meter statue of the god Neptune.

God was created in 1910 by the sculptor Arrigo Minerbi... Unfortunately, during World War II, the statue lost both arms and a trident. There was nothing to support the edges of the terrace, and the huge seashell turned into a thin rectangular area overgrown with vegetation.

5. Grottoes of Maizishan

To build a 16-meter Buddha on the side of a mountain is an impressive achievement. Cutting out three at a distance of 30 meters from the ground is a stunning sight.

The 142-meter sandstone mountain bears over 100 square meters of rock paintings. The mountain is replete with entrances to 194 cave, where over 7000 works of art have been stored over the centuries.

The soft sandy rocks allow the statue to be carved directly into the stone using a combination of clay, wood, and even imported stone materials. Previously, the entrances to the caves were connected by a network of wooden stairs and balconies, but now they are being replaced by metal structures. The artifacts stored in the caves show the history of the 12 dynasties of the emperors of China.... Some statues still retain their original vibrant colors, and unexplored caves beckon with hitherto unknown treasures.

4. Saint Michael at the peak

The small French village of Aiguila is located at the foot of an 85-meter peaked volcanic rock mountain. Currently, there is a chapel at the peak that looks like a natural extension of the peak. The chapel of St. Michael d'Aiguel was built in 962, and construction work was completed a couple of centuries later. And a thousand years later, she continues to dominate the surrounding landscape.

3. Guoliang Tunnel

Until the 70s of the last century, no one knew about the existence of the Guoliang village, which is located in the Taihang mountains in China. Several hundred people lived there, and the only way to the village was through a narrow, unreliable staircase.

The Chinese government was in no rush to provide the villagers with more convenient access, and so the locals decided to take the initiative into their own hands. They began to dig a passage through the nearest mountainside, which was 1.2 km long. Without a doubt, the tunnel facilitated access to the village, but it also made it popular with tourists.

2. El-Hadjer

El-Hadzherah in the Kharaz mountains is the most impressive city built in several tiers... The buildings are hundreds of years old, and the construction of El Hajer itself by the Ottomans dates back to the 11th century.

1. Hanging coffins of Xuanguan

There are places in China where dozens of coffins are hung on the slopes of the rocks. Some are set on wooden beams driven into the slope, others are set in specially dug caves. The Bo peoples, an ethnic group that dominated for centuries, were buried in these coffins until they were massacred by the Ming dynasty at the end of the 16th century.... The weight of the coffins is about 200 kg, and no one knows how they were lifted up.