Royally strange facts about the Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles, situated just over 12 miles (20 km) from the center of Paris, is world-famous for its stunning opulence. Around 10 million people visit the palace every year, averaging over 27,000 people per day, and yet many secrets and anecdotes have been kept relatively quiet since Louis XIV first commissioned André Le Nôtre to design the intricate grounds back in 1661. The palace has everything: grand halls, ornate furniture, priceless works of art, gardens filled with diverse plants and flowers, illustrious fountains, and more. But what makes it so rich is the history of it all, as it was passed along several rulers, played a huge role in the French Revolution, and preserves the opulence of the 17th- and 18th-century palace life. Within the many walls are a host of funny stories, bizarre facts, and fascinating quirks that you probably didn’t know about, so click through the following gallery and get acquainted with one of the most incredible palaces in the world.
2023-08-09T15:05:42Z
Natural wonders destroyed by tourists
Our planet is full of amazing places that many of us dream of visiting one day. Places that we would only be exposed to through a National Geographic documentary are now available at the distance of a click. Do you want to know where the most spectacular and secluded places on Earth are located? All you need is access to the Internet and you’re good to go. It doesn’t take much to come up with a shortlist of beautiful distant destinations for your next vacation. Traveling to remote locations has never been easier. Lower air travel fares and a wider network of local transportation has made once remote places easily accessible. Your average folks are now following the trail of explorers and scientists alike and delving deep into the wilderness. Tourism can be extremely beneficial for many countries’ economies and an important source of income for many people around the world, but if not properly controlled, it can have disastrous consequences. Despite the rise of sustainable tourism, many places in the world are simply not prepared for the influx of people they’re getting, nor is the ecosystem in many of those places. From remote natural parks to uninhabited islands, tourists are getting everywhere, and sometimes their footprint causes irreversible damage. It’s inevitable that, as more people travel, more often, and to more locations than ever before, accidents will happen. How many of us have been to beautiful locations, away from it all, only to find traces of human presence, from bottles to cigarette butts. While this is far from being an enjoyable experience, the truth is that it can get worse—a lot worse. From unfortunate accidents, to downright vandalism, in this gallery you’ll find many cases where stupidity outweighed curiosity. While you might not completely lose faith in humanity, these examples will at least make you question the whole human conscience and our relationship with the planet. Click through and get to know some of planet’s most amazing places that have been ruined by tourists.
2024-02-22T16:41:52Z
