5 strange and amazing things
Our world is full of massive marvels beyond our imagination
They could be natural phenomena
Or human-made creations
Whatever they are, or in whatever environment
We can build upon these ideas
And create maximum benefits from them
Let's explore 5 massive strange wonders that we've gathered to share with you
1. The Heidelberg Tun
Heidelberg is one of the beautiful tourist cities
in Germany, with a vast and beautiful old town district
Particularly, one tourist attraction that shouldn't be missed
is the Heidelberg Castle
Standing majestically in the city center on a hillside
Deep in its basement, you'll find the world's largest wine barrel
8.5 meters wide and 7 meters high, built from Oak trees
About 130 trees were used, capable of holding 219,000 liters of wine
Going back to 1751, the Heidelberg Tun originally consisted of 4 barrels
Used to store wine received as tribute from nobility
Lords and vineyard owners throughout the region
During the war between Germany and France
There's a tale that when French soldiers occupied the castle
And hoped to celebrate with the exquisite wine in the wine cellar
They were all disappointed when the giant wooden barrel had not a drop of wine left
Because the wood had rotted and developed leaks
Finally, only one giant wine barrel remained
And has been well preserved until present day
Additionally, there's a tale about a dwarf named Perkeo
Who maintained the wine barrel and loved wine so much he drank it instead of water
One day he fell ill, and the doctor ordered him to drink water instead of wine
Unfortunately, he died the next day
Perkeo's story has been passed down in many versions
Some say he was punished until death
Today, the giant Heidelberg Tun
Has become a symbol of prosperity
If you have a chance to visit Heidelberg Castle
Don't forget to see the wine barrel, experience its history and grandeur
2. Salina Turda
Europe's oldest salt mine located in Turda
Transylvania state, Romania
Going back to the Roman Empire era
Salt was essential for life, Romans used salt
For cooking, food preservation
And even as currency for trading goods
Salt mining has existed since ancient times
As time passed into the Middle Ages, salt mining
Became an industry that created wealth for many countries worldwide
Serious exploration and mining operations began
To extract salt in large quantities
When the Industrial Revolution arrived, technological advancement
Mining played a role in increasing the value of pure salt extraction
More efficiently, making salt mining
Easier than before and investable
As the Turda Mine got deeper and deeper
Moving large amounts of salt became difficult
So operators turned to invest in other salt mines instead
In 1840, this giant mine closed down
During World War II, this mine became a shelter for villagers
After the war ended, the mine was abandoned for many years
In 1992, local authorities recognized its importance
And transformed this mine into a wonderful tourist attraction
Salina Turda is a massive mine
Wider than imaginable, divided into several smaller zones
Just the mine entrance tunnel used for bringing salt to the surface
Is over 900 meters long, and going deeper you'll find the Joseph Mine
This mine is a cone-shaped room 115 meters deep, 67 meters wide at the base
Nearby is the room used for salt extraction
Another interesting point is its design as an amusement park
With rides and many activities suitable for tourism
Including a Ferris wheel, Mini Golf, and Bowling
Besides its width, along the walls appear stalactites and stalagmites
Formed from salt accumulation over many years
Including an underground lake 8 meters deep
And an island in the middle of the lake formed from discarded salt 5 meters high
Salina Turda is a wonder
Massive enough to be worth visiting once in a lifetime
3. Underground Flood Drainage Tunnel in Japan
In Tokyo's suburbs, Japan
There's a place with advanced engineering installations, which the Japanese government
Collaborated with Japan's Wastewater Engineering Technology Institute
To start flood disaster prevention projects and handle other disasters
That might affect the city, such as earthquakes, storms, and volcanic eruptions
So they built a massive underground flood drainage tunnel
Covering approximately 17,000 square kilometers
This project consists of giant tunnels, reservoirs, pillars, and large pumps
Each part works in harmony with others
The tunnel, over 100 km long, connects to silos
Controls water flow about 65 meters high
The underground area 25 meters high, 177 meters long
Contains 59 pillars in total
Each pillar, excluding top and bottom bases, is about 20 meters high
Weighing 500 tons each
These giant towering pillars support the reservoir
Japanese agencies began building underground reservoirs
Under the Shirako River, the reservoir resembles
A large tunnel about 13.1 kilometers long
Can hold approximately 212,000 cubic meters of water
During heavy rainfall when water levels rise
The drainage tunnel starts sending excess water to store in the reservoir
To reduce water volume, prevent flooding, and when water levels decrease
The reservoir immediately releases the water back
Currently, there are 27 underground reservoirs in Tokyo
To distribute risk and store more water
The Tokyo government is trying to increase reservoir capacity
To hold up to 1.5 million cubic meters
It's a massive engineering wonder
That helps provide safety for Japanese people effectively
4. The Giant Rhubarb
Giant Rhubarb, an ancient large perennial plant
Native to Brazil
But found throughout South America
the Antarctic Islands
South Africa, Madagascar
All the way to New Zealand
The leaves are dark green, kidney-shaped with lobed tips
Rough wrinkled texture, stems covered with small thorny hairs
Generally, Giant Rhubarb has quite large leaves
If grown in suitable conditions
They can reach 3 meters high and 2.4 - 4.2 meters wide
The factor making Giant Rhubarb larger than other plants
Is its ability to adapt and grow in low-light areas
To increase photosynthesis, they must struggle to develop larger leaves for light absorption
With large leaves, they can store water effectively
And to prevent leaves from sagging or tearing under their weight
Giant Rhubarb must develop stronger root systems, fibers, and stems
Along with faster nutrient absorption
Making it a uniquely large plant
5. Giant Bamboo
In Southeast Asia, there's a large tree
That's equally interesting: the Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus)
A large bamboo that can grow taller than 30 meters
Compared to regular bamboo which only grows to 12 meters
The Giant Bamboo is twice as tall
Plus the diameter of its segments can reach up to 30 centimeters
This bamboo species is known for its exceptionally rapid growth rate
It can reach full size within just a few years
Another factor might be the tropical humid climate
In Southeast Asia that's suitable for many plant species to grow
With good sunlight and easy access to water
When combined with its specific growth characteristics
They absorb nutrients quickly, providing bamboo with abundant nutrients
Plus it results in strong roots and thick stems
Currently, many countries widely cultivate this bamboo species
Especially Indonesia and Myanmar
And here in Thailand, we also have Giant Bamboo as well
