An echo is a reflection of sound. It comes back to the listener after the initial sound was made. Certain conditions must exist for the eerie phenomenon of an echo to take place. The sound must travel the right distance and it must be able to bounce back. To do that the sound must hit a smooth flat surface and all other sounds must be absorbed. Snow is a great absorber. Have you ever noticed how quiet it is after snowfall? Finally there must be an amplification of the sound caused by the bouncing off of other smooth surfaces. There are places around the world where conditions are perfect for echoes. Here are some of the best.
Three Sisters - Australia -
The Three Sisters is a rock formation formed by erosion in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is the perfect backdrop for both scenery and echo lovers. Because the Three Sisters is made up of soft sandstone, erosion continues to change its nature but the sounds from nearby Echo Point remain spectacular. Legend has it that the Three Sisters were formed when three sisters from one tribe fell in love with three brothers from a forbidden tribe and were turned to stone by an elder to protect them. He was killed and there was no one to turn them back.
El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico -
The Kukulkan Pyramid is one of the most visited Mayan sites in Mexico and one of the seven New Wonders of the World. When you stand at the bottom of the stairs and clap your hands, a distorted echo sounding like a chirping bird immediately follows. It is not known if the pyramid was deliberately constructed to create this sound or not. The sound of the handclap reflects off the tread of the stairs causing the distortion. The temple was originally built as a temple for the Mayan feathered snake god, Kukulkan. It is an amazing example of architecture and cultural history.
St. Paul's Cathedral - London
The Whispering Gallery in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, England is as awesome as the structure it is in. High up in the central dome of the city's iconic building the acoustics are such that a mere whisper will echo around the room. The sound moves from one side of the gallery to the other without losing clarity. To reach the Whispering Gallery, visitors must climb a spiral staircase of 259 steps. The dome was designed by Christopher Wren and completed in 1710.
Bell Caves - Israel -
Though most cavenous spaces create echoes and reverberant sound, the acoustic effects at Bell Caves in Beit Guvrin, Israel are unusual and unique. Because the cave's chambers are connected by a network of passageways, sounds travel eerily and distinctly from one chamber to the other. The walls in the Bell Caves are over sixty feet tall and are made up of beige limestone. These bell-shaped caves were once quarries that date back to the 4th century BC.
Greenwich Foot Tunnel - London -
It's hard to resist the urge to whoop and shout when you are in a tunnel. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel beneath the Thames River in London is the perfect place to do just that. The hard tiled surfaces and length of the tunnel causes sound to bounce back and forth for a very long time before it fades. Echoes are cool enough but long echoes are awesome. Familiar sounds can also become distorted here. It's a great place for a soundscape experience.
Gol Gumbaz Mausoleum - Bijapur, India -
This 17th century mausoleum is not only an impressive ediface but offers the echo lover a very different sound experience. It boasts the second largest dome in the world. But its whispering gallery is second to none in clarity. What is truly unique is the repeating quality of echoes in this building. Sound continues to bounce around the dome causing it to buzz by your ear three or four times a second. If you are lucky enough to get there when there are minimal crowds, the repeating echo may come back up to ten times before it disappears.
Triple Echo Stones - Beijing, China -
Due to ingenious design and the right conditions, three stone plates on the road connecting the Imperial Heavenly Vault and the Gate in Beijing offer a different echo encounter. Clap your hands while standing on the first stone and you'll hear one echo. Clap your hands on the second and you'll hear two. Clapping your hands on the third will offer three echoes. The Temple of Heaven where the road is located in southeastern Beijing is actually a complex of Taoist buildings. It was considered a place of worship and the layout was built with symbolic indications.
Grand Canyon - U.S.A
What better backdrop to hear an echo than the spectacular Grand Canyon in Arizona. Millions of years of erosion have carved majestic rock walls some over a mile high. It is an ideal place to hear echoes since the canyon is up to 18 miles wide in some areas and is quiet. Sound will bounce from rock wall to rock wall. This amazing geological formation is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and remains impressive.
For more interesting travel Hubs click here - http://hubpages.com/_36otspfnata5l/hub/Worlds-Best-Fireworks-Displays
Chandana on August 19, 2017:
Nice information was given. Please also give us information about some other topic like mysteries of the world and other science topics. I am a student and I was reading about echo and I also had more information from you. Thank you
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on August 29, 2012:
Thank you all for your kind words. It's appreciated.
vander8 on October 26, 2011:
Hi suzie, Im here again. :) This is interesting. Nice photo. Thanks suzie. I am a great fan!
Charlinex on October 20, 2011:
By the way, I have published a new hub about Bon Echo Provincial Park in Ontario, with many photos. Take a look if you like. I am not sure if I am allowed to link, but if you look at my port, the lattest hub is the one. :)
Richard Ricky Hale from West Virginia on October 04, 2011:
Great pics and well written Suzie. Very intersting topic to choose from, quite brilliant. Would have never thought about this before. Very unique. Voted up
rorshak sobchak on June 17, 2011:
Great hub suziecat I enjoyed reading it as well as the pictures. Keep up the great work.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 25, 2011:
OpeningDoors - I have been to the Grand Canyon but none of these other places. Thanks so much for reading.
Dolores Monet from East Coast, United States on March 25, 2011:
Hi, Susie - how cool was this one! I am now listening to the man play the digeree doo. I know I did not spell that right. I love those things - the sound is incredible and that circular breathing is an amazing skill. Such a hauntingly beautiful sound.
bryanps from Australia on March 08, 2011:
have you been to all these places before? I think I might wanna start with The Three Sisters, Australia since I'm closer there :)
OpeningDoors2U from saratoga springs, new york on March 07, 2011:
I really liked this hub - the unusual topic caught my attention and the material did not disappoint. Have you visited any of these locations and tried out the echo? I've been to the Grand Canyon but did not. Great job. I'm going to follow you.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 07, 2011:
Charlinex - I need to check out Bon Echo. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
rallyre from San Diego, California on March 06, 2011:
Nice spin on great places to visit! Caught my attention. I just replaced carpet with wood and let me tell you, I have a loud echo in my home now (with kids)!
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 06, 2011:
Coffee - Thank you for your kind words.
Fiddleman on March 06, 2011:
Interesting hub. As a young boy when I sometimes stayed at my grandparents, I would sometimes sit on an old granite rock formation that had been blasted during the days of the WPA camps and the building of the CCC road across Pinnacle Mountain. In the distance was Ann Mountain and I could yell and hear my echo.It always was an amazement to me.
sreekumar sukumaran on March 05, 2011:
Marvelous! I appreciate. You really worked hard and created a wonderful Hub.
Charlinex on March 04, 2011:
Your hub reminds me of the echo I heard in Chichen Itza, Mexico. I vaguely remember the echo I might have heard in the Temple of Heaven in Bejing. I also visited Sedona, Grand Canyon in Arizona, but I didn't know about the echo there. Thanks for sharing, I must check them out in the future. By the way, there is Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, the name is Bon Echo. Go figure, it is also a good place for echo, in the middle of the lake, I think.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 04, 2011:
Glenn - So happy you could stop by. Thank you so much.
Coffee_writer on March 04, 2011:
Wonderful hub and a great way to connect such geographically diverse places. Now that's thinking out of the box!
webgain from Delhi, India on March 03, 2011:
looking nice one.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 02, 2011:
CMerritt - Thanks.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on March 02, 2011:
Pras - So happy you enjoyed it - hugs to you!!
Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on March 02, 2011:
Interesting research you've done for this hub. I found it to be a relaxing change of pace reading it. I needed a diversion. Now I need to come back and watch the videos. Voted up.
Chris Merritt from Pendleton, Indiana on March 02, 2011:
I really, eally, ally lly, LIKE, like ike this this Hub Hub Hub!!
Seriously, Always a pleasure to read your hubs.
prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on March 01, 2011:
Wow.... this was beautiful. Thanks for taking me a great tour through this hub. Very well written. You have doing a good job here. I wish I could visit at one of these places. I hope so...amen. Vote up. God bless you...
Love and peace,
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on February 27, 2011:
Oh - you are all so nice for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Thank you so much.
Audrey Kirchner from Washington on February 26, 2011:
Awesome subject - love echoes as they are another form of music in my humble opinion!
jerrycorinadam from United State on February 24, 2011:
These echoes are unbelievable. The whispering gallery at St. Paul's Cathedral is truly amazing.
Dallas W Thompson from Bakersfield, CA on February 24, 2011:
Enjoyed. Good information.
ubalildon on February 24, 2011:
i'd like to make echoes myself
Emma from Houston TX on February 24, 2011:
I never knew that echoes is this great
M Zvyagintsev from Auckland, New Zealand on February 23, 2011:
I'm jealous of your creativity Suzie. Truly unique piece of work!
vietnamvet68 from New York State on February 23, 2011:
this is a very interesting hub about echoes. Very enjoyable reading. This reminds me of walking on the shores of Seneca Lake in NY where one can hear the echo of drums across the lake Known as the Seneca Drums. no one has ever figured out where the sound comes from.
Thanks for sharing
Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on February 23, 2011:
Very interesting hub enjoyed reading about echoes.
drbj and sherry from south Florida on February 23, 2011:
These are fascinating sites for echoes, suziecat, thanks for sharing them. Wouldn't it be fun to go on an Echo Tour visiting all these places in one trip? That would BE a trip
Laurel Rogers from Bishop, Ca on February 23, 2011:
I've never even thought of echoes this way, suzie!
Loved the reading and videos.
Gloria Siess from Wrightwood, California on February 23, 2011:
Very unique and interesting Hub--esp. liked the Israel locale. Good job!
msresearch from The Space Coast of Florida on February 23, 2011:
Over the years I have "caught" some really nice echos, but have always thought of them as interesting and unusual natural phenomenons. Never really thought about the things needed for creating an echo. Thanks!
Mindy Bench from Oregon on February 22, 2011:
:) I want to go to the Grand Canyon so bad! I liked the echo info.
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on February 22, 2011:
Thank you, Docmo. Your Hubs are good too.
Mohan Kumar from UK on February 22, 2011:
First you fascinated with the silhouettes and now echoes. I envy your ability to create such wonderfully informative and creative hubs, suziecat. Long may you hub.voted up!
suziecat7 (author) from Asheville, NC on February 22, 2011:
Thanks, Will. I appreciate your kind words.
WillStarr from Phoenix, Arizona on February 22, 2011:
You consistently create some of the most fascinating and diverse Hubs of anyone! I always look forward to your next one.
Voted up and very awesome!