Vampire' skeletons found in Bulgaria near Black Sea

People believed the rod would pin the dead into their graves and stop them from becoming vampires

An archeologist is cleaning one of the skeletons unearthed during excavations in the Black Sea town of Sozopol, Bulgaria. 

Archaeologists in Bulgaria have found two medieval skeletons pierced through the chest with iron rods to supposedly stop them from turning into vampires. The discovery illustrates a pagan practice common in some villages up until a century ago, say historians.

People deemed bad had their hearts stabbed after death, for fear they would return to feast on humans' blood. Similar archaeological sites have also been unearthed in other Balkan countries. Bulgaria is home to around 100 known "vampire skeleton" burials. Searchers stumbled across the latest two specimens, dating back to the Middle Ages, in the Black Sea town of Sozopol.

"These skeletons stabbed with rods illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th Century," explained Bozhidar Dimitrov who heads the National History Museum in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. People believed the rod would pin the dead into their graves to prevent them from leaving at midnight and terrorising the living, the historian added.

Archaeologist Petar Balabanov, who in 2004 discovered six nailed-down skeletons at a site near the eastern Bulgarian town of Debelt, said the pagan rite had also been practised in neighbouring Serbia and other Balkan countries. Vampire legends form an important part of the region's folklore.

The myths directly inspired Bram Stoker's legendary gothic horror novel, Dracula, which was first published in 1897 and has since been turned into numerous filmic versions.

The World’s Largest Ice Hotel

 Ice Hotel is world famous for its unique concept, its works of art and its extraordinary experiences. The fairy tale nature of Ice Hotel brings out the child in guests of all ages.

Ice Hotel is situated in the village Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden. The heart and backbone is the River Torne flowing through the unspoilt wilderness. Covered with meter thick ice layer wintertime the river is the source of all our art, architecture and design. The pure water and the steady movement of the river creates the clearest ice possible.

The entire Ice Hotel is on loan from the mighty Torne River and is a place where time stands still.

Inspired by the work of visiting Japanese ice artists, in 1990 the French artist Jannot Derit was invited to have the opening of his exhibition in a specially built igloo on the frozen Torne River. The 60 square metre building named Artic Hall attracted many curious visitors to the area. One night a group of foreign guests, equipped with reindeer hides and sleeping bags, decided it would be a good idea to use the cylindrical shaped igloo as accommodation. The following morning the brave group raved about the unique sensation of sleeping in an igloo. Hence, the concept of Ice Hotel was born.

Art is the heart of the Ice Hotel

Cold drinks in ice bar, where ice sculptures nearly come to life in the magic blue light of the bar

 

Ice Hotel - the largest ice hotel in the World

Winter season 2011/2012 was the twenty-second in the history of IceHotel - unique hotel made ​​of ice in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in Sweden. From a small house in an area of ​​60 sq.m. the hotel has come a long way of development. Last season was a record, the total area of ice creations was 5.500 sq.m.

'Sky Tree' - the world's tallest tower opens in Japan

 The Tokyo Sky Tree, holder of the record for the world's tallest tower, has opened to the public for the first time. Approximately 8,000 visitors took high-speed lifts up to the observation decks of the 634m (2,080ft) tower to mark its opening.

Eager visitors have reportedly waited in line for more than a week to purchase coveted tickets for the building's panoramic views. Along with becoming a major tourist attraction, the structure's main purpose is as a television and radio broadcasting tower.

Tokyo's current broadcasting tower, Tokyo Tower, is at 333 m (1,093 ft), and is no longer tall enough to give complete digital terrestrial television broadcasting coverage because it is surrounded by many high-rise buildings.

The Sky Tree was confirmed by GWR in November as beating the record previously held  Canton Tower in China, which stands 600m (1,968 and a half feet) high. Under Guinness World Records guidelines a tower is a structure in which less than 50 per cent of the total height is useable floor space.

The world's tallest building and also the tallest free-standing structure on land remains Dubai's Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828m (2,717ft).