Talk about placing oneself on a pedestal. According to ancient Sri Lankan chronicles, the 200-meter tall Sigiriya Rock stood high enough over the masses to prove fit for the then-king Kasyasa’s residence. There, Kasyasa marked his regal territory with impressive frescoes and, of course, an opulent lion gateway. Today, the site has been abandoned by royalty but maintains its renown by comprising part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As it happens, Sigiriya Rock is one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning in the world.

A key passageway to lower and central Appalachia, the natural junction was a site well-known to Native Americans throughout the centuries. Upon physician and explorer Dr. Thomas Walker’s praise, the pass was expanded by a team of loggers led by none other than Daniel Boone.

Source: NASA, http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121112.html

Never have so many beautiful natural elements been competing for attention in one photograph. Taken in Queensland, Australia, this shot provides an excellent example of worldly and cosmic splendor, with the Milky Way and waterfalls serving as luscious backdrops.