China Wall

In 221 BC, the Emperor Qin absorbed the other six states and set up the
first unified kingdom in Chinese history. In order to strengthen his newly
born authority and defend the Huns in the north, he ordered connecting the
walls once built by the other states as well as adding some sections of
his own. Thus was formed the long Qin's Great Wall which started from the
east of today's Liaoning Province and ended at Lintao, Gansu Province.

In the beginning the wall was made mostly from dirt and other raw
materials. The workers would compress huge piles of soil, leaves, hay, and
mud into a wall. Not too long after starting, the Chinese changed from an
earthen wall only to a wall that was coated by stones, bricks, and granite
blocks, making a neat, sturdy long-lasting wall. During the Ming Dynasty,
watch-towers were turned into elaborate structures with tile patterns
circling the doorways. Altogether, one hundred and eighty million cubic
meters of packed earth and sixty million cubic meters of bricks were used
in constructing the wall. The amount of earth, stone, and brickwork in its
construction is more than enough to build a wall one meter thick and five
meters high around the equator.

I think that the amount of time and effort put into the building of the
great wall proves that the emperor was seen as a great power. The entire
country came together under Qin and as a whole the wall was built which
signifies not only the strength of the emperor but the country and it’s
people. A structure this significant takes serious amounts of labor and
many hands to complete it. People’s lives were one of the many costs at
the walls expense. Still standing today, this ancient architectural
structure signifies strength for China even after thousands of years have
come and gone.

http://www.history.com/videos/engineering-an-empire-china---the-great-wall#history-of-the-great-wall 

Ancient Rome

            The Architecture of Ancient Rome adopted aspects and characteristics of classical Greek architecture for their own use. This architecture was different from Greek buildings, as it created a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered the same group of classical architecture. This comparison forces us to critic Roman buildings by Greek standards.

            It is no secret that the Romans absorbed Geek influence in many aspects of architecture, especially with the introduction and use of the Triclinium in Roman villas as a place of dining. However, it was their relationship with their Etruscan neighbors that supplied them with the knowledge for hydraulics and the construction of arches.

The Parthenon

The Parthenon is in Athens and is considered a fine example of doric-style construction. The building of the Parthenon began in 447 BCE and continued until 438 BCE so it took about 9 years to build, although some details were finished at a later date. It was built on the site of another temple, which is sometimes referred to as the pre Parthenon. It is believed that many different treasures have

The Parthenon was designed by Phidias, a famous sculptor, at the behest of Pericles, a Greek politician credited with the founding of the city of Athens and with stimulating the so-called "Golden Age of Greece". The Greek architects Ictinos and Callicrates supervised the practical work of the construction. Alternate spellings for these names include Iktinos, Kallikrates, and Pheidias - there is no official transliteration of Greek into English.

Work on the building began in 447 BCE and continued until 438 BCE; some of the decorations were completed later. It was built over the site of an earlier temple, which is sometimes called the Pre-Parthenon.

Many treasures would have been displayed in the building, but the glory of the Parthenon was the gigantic statue of Athena designed by Phidias and made out of chryselephantine (elephant ivory) and gold.

The Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in Giza, Egypt. It took approximately 20 years to complete the pyramid and is said to be a tomb for the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. The Pyramid consists of an estimated 2.3 million limestone blocks and for over 3000 years was the tallest man made structure. In the pyramid there are three chambers the lowest chamber was never finished and the queen and king’s chambers were located at the top of the structure.

         I learned that the pyramids were actually built far apart I always thought from the pictures that they were rather close. I also found out that they were at one time smooth on the exterior and that over time became rough.

The Colosseum

The Colosseum is a building in the center of the city of Rome, Italy the largest ever built in the Roman Empire where shows were given. In the Colosseum many gladiators fought against other gladiators and animals for money and entertainment for the people of Rome. Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperia Rome. It is also one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions. 

 (Arial View)

Acropolis presentation

Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek architecture is distinguishable among many types of architecture. Ancient Greek architecture is best known for its temples and open-air theatres. While many of these buildings are in ruins today, the detail of these works of art are undeniably exquisite. Ancient Greek architecture it distinguishable by its structural and decorative characteristics. Structurally, temples were normally built atop of hills, or raised so that it could be viewed from various angles for all to see. These ancient temples generally had natural features within it. Springs, caves, groves, and tress were all accessible to the public within the temples. Ancient Greece was home to many large, open-air theaters. These theaters were built into hills, where terrace seating would be located. 

The Arch

                  The Arch of Titus is a commemorative structure built in 81 AD by Emperor Domitian. The emperor dedicated this arch to his brother and previous emperor Titus. The arch also commemorates the victory of Titus when he captured Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Arch is 15 meters high and is the oldest surviving example of a roman arch. The Arch, built at one edge of the Roman forum and was original built of marble. However it has been reinforced and refurbished and certain areas with travertine which allows you tell the original structure from the fixed structure. However the structure lacks solid history because many historical texts neglect to mention or even describe the arch.

                  The arch is very interesting thing to me, because here is this beautiful archway commemorating what is known to be a big political victory for Rome and yet there is barely any history about the arch. There is very little known about it and although most believe it to be built by Domitian for his older brother there are no definite.  I also find it interesting that when rebuilding and fixing the structure to make it stronger and more durable they chose a different material so that you can distinguish the original piece from the new. I am torn between that choices. It is nice to be able to tell the original work from the new but, it would also be nice to be able to see the seamless structure as if it was 81 AD and it had just been constructed. None the less the Arch of Titus is a magnificent arch and a great example of ancient roman architecture.