Learn more about the extraordinary places that Bernard visits on his epic adventure!
EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS
The Pyramids of Egypt are among the largest structures ever built and are one of the most important examples of Ancient Egyptian civilization. Most were built during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.
When the pyramid was almost finished, casing blocks of white limestone were laid on top of the main pyramid blocks. Each casing block was then trimmed so that the outer surface of the pyramid would be smooth and white.
The casing blocks from the Great Pyramid were all removed in the 14th and 15th centuries A.D. and used to build the city of Cairo. Some casing blocks still remain on the top of the pyramid next to Khufu's (belonging to Khafra).
The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of different sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom.
Three small pyramids were built on the eastern side of the great pyramid. These pyramids were built for khufs queens.
A small satellite pyramid was built near the queens' pyramids. Some experts believe that this may have been built as a symbolic tomb for Khufu's ka (spirit).
Surrounding the pyramid there are several hundred mastaba tombs of nobles. The nobles wanted to be buried close to their pharaoh so that they would stay close to him in the next life.
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and principal workplace of the British monarch. It is in the centre of London, in the City of Westminster. The palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.
It was built in 1703 by John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normandy, as a town house (a residence in London). It was bought by the British royal family in 1761. It became the official London home of the family in 1837. It is owned by the State. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. It is one of few working palaces in the world. Leading up to it is a ceremonial road, The Mall.
The Great Wall of China is an ancient wall in China. The wall is made of cement, rocks and powdered dirt. It was built to protect the north of the empire of China from enemy attacks. It is the longest structure humans have ever built. It is about 21,196 kilometres (13,171 miles) long, 9.1 metres (30 feet) wide and 15 metres (50 feet) high. The earlier sections on the wall are made of compacted dirt and stone. Later in the Ming Dynasty they used bricks. There are 7,000 watch towers, block houses for soldiers and beacons to send smoke signals.
Nineteen walls have been built that were called the Great Wall of China. The first was built in the 7th century BC. The most famous wall was built between 226–200 BC by the first Emperor of Imperial China, Qin Shai Hong. Not much of this wall will remain as people have been stealing from it. It was much farther north than the current wall. The current wall was built during the Ming Dynasty.
Great Wall of China for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Timbuktu is an African city in Tombouctou Region, Mali. Sankore University and other madrasas are in the city. The city was important for thinking and for religion in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was important in spreading Islam through Africa at that time. There are three great mosques: Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahya. They are reminders of Timbuktu's golden age. They are always being fixed, but are threatened because the desert is spreading.
Songhay, Tuareg, Fulani, and Mandé people live in Timbuktu. It is about 15 km north of the Niger River. There is a route across the Sahara Desert from east to west and this is used for trade. There is another from north to south. These two routes meet in Timbuktu. It is an entrepôt for rock salt from Taoudenni. This means that the salt is brought here and sold to other people to take it somewhere else, but no tax is charged.
Its location helped different people meet, so local people, Berbers and Arabs met here. It has a long history of mixed African trade, so it became famous in Europe for this reason. Therefore, western people often thought of Timbuktu as being exotic. It has a hot desert climate (BWh in the Koeppen climate classification).
Timbuktu has given a lot of research and study to Islam and to the world. Important books were written and copied in Timbuktu in the 14th century. This made the city become the center of writing in Africa.
Mansa Musa (about 1280 – about 1337) was an emperor (mansa) of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. He became emperor in 1307. He was the first African ruler to be widely known throughout Europe and the Middle East.