CHINA		Further information and a virtual photographic tour is available on the Famous Historic Buildings website by clicking on the link above for talks with this icon displayed.
		China This talk is designed to give an introduction to the history and civilisation of China through some of its great construction works and the people involved in their commissioning. Ron will look at some of its Tombs, Temples and Palaces.
		Great Wall of China Built between the 6th century BC and the 16th century AD to protect the northern borders of China it stretches over 4,000 miles and cost in the range of 2 to 3 million lives. In this talk Ron will look at the background to its construction and the methods used.
		Terracotta Warriors - Xi’an  More than 8,000 individual life size terracotta figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and include warriors, horses, chariots, officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians to protect and entertain the emperor in the afterlife. In this talk Ron will look at and explain the history behind the figures and the complex in which they were found.
		Forbidden City - Beijing  From the 15th to 20th Century it served as the home of the Emperor of China and his household and as the ceremonial and political centre of government. It has nearly 1000 buildings with almost 10,000 rooms and is spread over 186 acres, which prior to the abdication of the emperor in 1912 was for his exclusive use. Since 1924 it has been the Palace Museum and in this talk Ron will explain its history and look at some of the buildings and their use.
		Summer Palace - Beijing  The summer residence of China's imperial rulers from 1750 built in gardens dating back to the12th century. In this talk Ron will look at some of the many buildings which make up this unique site and tell you the history behind it and some of the people involved with its development.
		Potala Palace - Lhasa, Tibet Dating back to the 7th century the palace was extended to its present size in the 17th century when it became the Dalai Lamas main residence and the centre for political and religious affairs in Tibet until 1959 when the Dalai Lama fled to India. Consisting of two palaces, living quarters, temples and stupas it houses a wealth of national treasures. In this talk Ron looks at the palace, its’ history and some of the treasures it contains.

INDIA
		Taj Mahal - Agra  Completed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a Mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal around 1650, it has come to be known throughout the world as the symbol of India and of eternal love. In this talk Ron will look at the background to its construction and the resources that went into it, which nearly bankrupted a nation.

CAMBODIA
		Temples of Angkor - Siem Reap  Built in the 12th century, Angkor Wat is a masterpiece of Khmer architecture and the largest religious monument in the world. Dedicated to to the Hindu God Vishnu, it was built as the Khmer king's state temple and capital city. In 1177 Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer though a new capital and temple was established at Angkor Thom a few kilometres to the north. In this talk Ron looks at Khmer history and the temples at Angkor.