360° panorama by Jon Jasper.
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Jon Jasper strolling along the Ashdown Creek.

http://www.360cities.net/image/ashdown-stroll

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
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The initial idea for strengthening the defense of the mouth of river Tagus with the construction of a Tower, the Torre de Bel'em, comes from the time of D. Jo~ao II (1481-95). The structure would only begin in 1514, under the reign of D. Manuel I (1495-1521). Master Boytac (master of the works of the Kingdom) who worked at the Jer'onimos monastery in Bel'em since 1502, and was initially called to this work. Something did not go well with Boytac in its participation in the recovery of the defenses of Arzila in 1509-10, and D. Manuel delivered this military work to the architect Francisco de Arruda, a specialist in defensive structures, with proven evidence in the continent and Africa. It was located on a rocky outcrop in the waters of the river, opposite the old beach of Bel'em, and was intended to replace the old artillery ship, anchored in that stretch, the S.Cristov~ao, which weighed 1000 tons. With the evolution of the means of attack and defense, the structure was gradually losing its original defensive function. Over the centuries it was used as a customs register, a telegraphic signaling station, and a lighthouse. Their storerooms were used as dungeons for political prisoners during the reign of D. Filipe I (1580-98), and, later, by D. Jo~ao IV (1640-1656). The Archbishop of Braga and Primate of Spain, D. Sebasti~ao de Matos de Noronha (1636-1641), by coalition to Spain and facing D. Jo~ao IV, was arrested and sent to the Tower of Bel'em. It is an icon of the architecture of the reign of Manuel I of Portugal, in a synthesis between the keep of medieval tradition and the modern bulwark, where artillery pieces were available.

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-entrance-lisbon

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
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Interior of the bastion where artillery was placed all around, in the 17 mouths of the canyons. We are inside a fire mouth belonging to the hexagonal bastion that has 16 of these cannons, close to the water line, for low-lying shots, only 6 pointed towards the river, the other sides facing the margins. However, in the space of 500 years, they were only used once against the fleet of Philip II

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-bastion-interior-lisbon

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
Click the image to open the interactive version.

This is the noblest space in the tower, with a fireplace and a vaulted edge, and gives access to the French balcony through the 3 bay windows. Through this room you have access to the balcony or balcony of the south facade of the tower, where you can see eight round openings on the floor, called killings, which allowed the garrison to fight and defend itself against any attackers, firing or throwing blunt materials through these openings. In the middle of each of the three other sides of the room, communication doors open to opulent bay windows, with the appearance of graceful Venetian-inspired counters. In the northwest corner there is a fireplace of simple stonework with an ornate top half-sphere.

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-king-s-room-lisbon

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
Click the image to open the interactive version.

From the top of the Tower you can see the Tagus estuary and its banks, as well as the whole area of Bel'em and its monuments. With its back to the river and next to the rail on the north side of the terrace, you can see the Chapel of S. Jer'onimo, which is found among the trees at the top of Av. Da Torre de Bel'em. It was built in 1514, on the land belonging to the Jer'onimos friars. A little to the right, beyond the Cultural Center of Bel'em, one can admire the Jer'onimos Monastery. Facing the river and on the other side of the Tagus, next to some cylindrical constructions, traces of the Torre Velha, also known as Torre de S. Sebasti~ao, are detected. Built by D. Jo~ao II and finished around 1480, this tower was part of the tripartite defense system of Barra do Tejo, crossing fire with the Bel'em Tower.

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-tower-terrace-lisbon

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
Click the image to open the interactive version.

It is from this place that the guardhouse on the northwest side can best be seen, to the right of those facing the Tower, at the base of which is represented a rhinoceros, reminiscent of the one that once arrived in Lisbon, offered by the King of Cambaia to King D. Manuel I. Above the guardhouses are two images: on the right side S. Miguel, on the left side S. Vicente, patron saint of Lisbon and of this fortification. At the fourth floor there is a round path with merlons decorated by the cross of Christ. Using the footbridge, you reach the drawbridge. This bridge, combined with a guillotine door and several openings in the ceiling of the entrance compartment, through which projectiles were launched, made it difficult for invaders to access.

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-north-facade-lisbon

360° panorama by Santiago Ribas - 360portugal.
Click the image to open the interactive version.

The bastion terrace has six guardhouses around it, at the apex of the polygon's faces, with porthole windows and dome sections. From 1580 onwards, some buildings were erected on this terrace to allow a greater number of men in the garrison, but which later were demolished to restore the Tower of Bel'em to its original appearance.

http://www.360cities.net/image/belem-tower-bastion-terrace

360° panorama by Levan Bregadze.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/cottage-tsivtskhala-1

360° panorama by Levan Bregadze.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/cottage-tsivtskhala

360° panorama by Auggie Werner.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/blue-hour-at-the-jumping-rock-of-killbear-provincial-park-canada

360° panorama by Bruce Hemming.
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Built on one of the highest parts of the island of Bequia, Letovah Villa was designed as an eco building by Macrae Gibson of New York. It is available for rental through www.thegrenadinescollection.com

http://www.360cities.net/image/letovah-villa-mount-pleasant-bequis-st-vincent-and-the-grenadines

360° panorama by Kent Johnson.
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A ring of light delineates the treeline of the Domain parkland, trees and playing fields with back-lit high rises of the Sydney CBD adding a crenellated line of shadow.

http://www.360cities.net/image/the-domain-sydney-in-a-ring-of-light

360° panorama by Jon Jasper.
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Jon Jasper walking along one of the meander alcoves along the Rattlesnake Creek in the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness.

http://www.360cities.net/image/green-alcove

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-9

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-10

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-8

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-7

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-5

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-6

360° panorama by Sergey Kukushkin.
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http://www.360cities.net/image/revun-rift-4