Latest news with #Tendai
Time Out
25-06-2025
- Time Out
It's official: This epic Indian monument to love is the world's most beautiful building
The eye perceives beauty, but this building in Asia strikes straight at the heart. India's Taj Mahal, an ivory white marble monument to love, has just been named the most beautiful building in the world by Time Out. It tops a list of 24 most beautiful buildings in the world, shortlisted by Time Out travel editors to celebrate striking and inspiring architectural gems across the world. We've featured centuries-old monasteries and futuristic art galleries, but taking the cake: what we'd consider the most romantic gesture of all time. Built between 1632 and 1653, the Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Besides the poignant love story behind it, the Taj Mahal is admired as a masterpiece of Indo-Islamic architecture, featuring an immense Persian-inspired dome, four free-standing minarets similar to those found in Islamic mosques, and calligraphy and floral motifs reminiscent of Islamic art. It's also really easy on the eye, with perfect symmetry from every angle, only enhanced by a reflection pool that leads up to the Taj Mahal. Three other buildings from Asia were included in our ranking. At No. 12 is the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the house of the Parliament of Bangladesh in the capital, Dhaka. It was designed by the world-renowned architect Louis Kahn, who incorporated local materials, such as concrete and marble, to create a powerful structure. Vast geometric openings punctuate this imposing facade to allow natural light to flood the interior space – creating the depth and texture Kahn so admired in ancient architecture. Next, Vietnam's Bát Tràng Ceramic Community House in Hanoi is ranked No. 15. Situated in a village renowned for its pottery, this elegant, tiered structure is designed to resemble interlocking potters' wheels. Seven upside-down domes with skylights create a light-filled space for public events, with floors stacked above providing spaces to showcase the pottery crafts and techniques that define the village. At No. 24 is Enryaku-ji, a Tendai monastery in Kyoto, Japan. It's considered one of the most important monasteries in Japan, as it was founded in 288 by Saicho, the monk who introduced Tendai Buddhism to the country. Most of the temple buildings you see today were rebuilt in the early Edo Period, after an attack by Oda Nobunaga (one of the three great unifiers of Japan) destroyed most of the original structures in 1571. Today, you can wander through forested trails to visit the main Todo area, the Saito area, and the Yokawa area. The most beautiful buildings in Asia, according to Time Out: Taj Mahal, India Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Bangladesh Bát Tràng Ceramic Community House, Vietnam Enryaku-ji, Japan
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I'm a West End choreographer with an unpredictable income – can I afford a buy-to-let?'
Receive personalised tips on how to improve your financial situation, for free. Here's how to apply or fill in the form below. Self-employed choreographer Christopher Tendai, 31, was renting an apartment in West Finchley, North London, when he decided it was time to think about buying his first home. It was November 2020 and he was working as a performer in a pantomime at the National Theatre when the UK went into its second lockdown. Mr Tendai says: 'My first step was to spend a few months sorting out my credit score and making sure it was up to standard.' He had £30,000 saved for his deposit, but being self-employed during the pandemic with uncertain income Mr Tendai struggled to get a mortgage in principle (an initial agreement of what a lender can offer you). 'I was teaching online and running workshops, but lenders wanted a yearly plan of your income and mine fluctuated with no proper continuous work.' He was finally able to buy in spring 2021 using a Help to Buy loan and an additional £5,000 from his mum that he has since paid back. He paid £305,000 for a two-bedroom flat in Ealing at The Quarry development by L&Q, with a 35-year mortgage costing £626 a month. Since then Mr Tendai has focused on rebuilding his savings and is working seven days a week – including starting and running his own teaching business alongside his theatre roles. His efforts have paid off and he now has £30,000 saved in cash Isas. He explains: 'My mother taught me the way of savings and when I was back in work I would save as much of my earnings as possible and just be very strict on that so I could recover a little bit more quickly and feel comfortable.' He currently has a full-time job as the resident choreographer at MJ: The Musical, running in London's West End, with an annual income of £35,000 after tax. Excluding his mortgage, his outgoings are around £600 a month but he worries about the rising cost of living eating into his finances.
