Creativity knows no bounds. Many of us are admirers of art and appreciate the beauty of it. From paintings to architectures, we can find art everywhere. There are various styles in which artists express their emotions or convey messages to the world. Mosaics are one of them. Mosaics are made from small regular or irregular pieces of colorful stones that are placed together on walls by the use of mortar or plaster. Different patterns or pictures are made from them so they can be used as wall decorations. Mosaics were very popular in Ancient Rome and came to existence in Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC.
Below is a list of top ten mosaics from around the globe:
- Philadelphia’s magic gardens, Pennsylvania, USA
Source: Phillymagicgardens.org
Located on the South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Magic Garden is a non -profit organization, gallery space and folk-art environment. It was created by Isaiah Zagar, who is a mosaic artist and is known to be the largest work ever created. This garden has mosaics made of tiles, wheels and even plates. It covers three city slots and has indoor galleries as well as a large labyrinth outside. The total area of this wonderful place is about 3000 square feet and includes lots and lots of mosaics that are a real treat for mosaic lovers. The work done here is inspired from China, India, Morocco, Iran as well as Indonesia.
2. Madaba map, Jordan
It is also popular by the name Madaba Mosaic map and is located in the byzantine church of Saint George in Madaba, Jordan. It contains the cartography of the holy land and most importantly the Jerusalem. It belongs to the sixth century AD. The floor mosaic can be found in the apse of the church and faces the east. It has more than 2 million tesserae, which is a tile used in creating mosaics with the dimensions 16 by 5 cm. The mosaic done in the floor map is very old yet hasn’t lost its beauty that attracts all the visitors from around the world.
3. Monreale cathedral, Palermo, Italy
Source: Twitter
The mosaics in Monreale Cathedral, Palermo, Italy are created in byzantine style and cover a total area of about 6500-meter square. The place is fully covered with mosaics with gold base except for a high dado. Most of the interior as well as the exterior such as walls and even the sides of the doors have stunning mosaics. The pictures depicted in the mosaics are bright and eye catching. These mosaics tell stories from new and old testaments. The incredible mosaics are irresistible and a real treat for art enthusiasts.
4. Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
Source: Britannica
Being on the UNESCO world heritage list, the Basilica of san Vitale is one the oldest church in Ravenna, Italy. It comes under the category of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture. It is a roman catholic church and is considered to be of great honor to catholic Christians. With the help of Julius Argentarius, who was an architect and a banker, it was possible to build this magnificent building. The church is home to some of the most stunning mosaics in the world.
5. Hanoi ceramic mosaic mural, Vietnam
Source: Pinterest
Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural, located in Vietnam is one of the most beautiful mosaics ever created. Journalist Nguyễn Thu Thủy was the reason behind this beautiful master piece. Her idea of transforming the dike system into a ceramic mosaic around Hanoi was brilliant and won her a prize in the Hanoi architecture contest. The length of the ceramic road is about 6.5 kilometers, covered with spectacular mosaics all around. This project was created on the occasion of the millennial anniversary of Hanoi and is developed along the walls of red river dike system.
6. Russia-georgia friendship monument, Gudauri, Georgia
The Russia-Georgia friendship monument is located amidst the magnificent snow-capped mountains at Gudauri, in Georgia. It was built in the year 1983 to celebrate 200 years of the Treaty of Georgievsk. It is a cylindrical monument that has beautiful murals all over that depict various scenes from Russian and Georgian history. The cylindrical structure was purposely left incomplete to indicate the unforeseen future.
7. Parc Güell, Barcelona, Spain
Parc Güell in Spain is located on the Carmel Hill, Barcelona. The exquisite architecture is backed by the beautiful views of Barcelona and was built by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Whole of the park is covered with beautiful mosaics depicting mythical creatures and abstract patterns. This surreal park is listed under UNESCO and is a popular tourist attraction in Spain.
8. Yazd, iran
Source: Apochi
The grand Jameh Mosque, located in Yazd, Iran, was originally built in the twelfth century but was majorly built and completed in the 1300s. the mosque is featured on the 200 Iranian banknote. All of its interior chamber, the dome and the minarets are covered with attractive mosaics.
9. St George’s Church, Topola, Serbia
Source: Serbia incoming
Located on a high hill near the central Serbian town of Topola, the Saint George’s Church is a mausoleum to 28 members of Karadjordjevic dynasty. It has 725 individual mosaic compositions that cover about 3570 sq m of the church. The tiles for mosaic are made of Murano glass with about 15,000 different color shades. The mosaics here are among the most incredible ones in the world.
10. Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Phra Kaew is considred to be the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand and is set across the river Chao Phraya. The dazzling mosaic work of the Wat Phra Kaew attracts everyone who takes a look even once. The mythological creatures’ statues, pavilions and prangs are all covered with magnificent porcelain mosaics.
William Henry Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist, and humanitarian. He is best known as the principal founder of Microsoft Corporation.
