From Whispering Galleries to Echo Chambers, These Five Architectural Structures Have Extraordinary A

[Judi Lynn]

Hearing things? Listen closely and you’ll begin to understand why

By Jennifer Nalewicki
May 16, 2017 1:26PM


From the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops on a bedroom window to the loud honking of horns in the city, noises are all around us. However, there are certain places around the world where acoustic anomalies occur that deserve a closer listen. Here are five manmade structures that demonstrate fascinating acoustic phenomena, transmitting whispers across a room or transforming sounds into unrecognizable new tones.

Hamilton Mausoleum, Hamilton, Scotland

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One of the most iconic buildings in the town of Hamilton, located 15 miles southeast of Glasgow, is the Hamilton Mausoleum. But it’s what takes place inside its walls that makes it so intriguing. Built in the mid-1800s as a burial tomb for the 10th Duke of Hamilton, the 123-foot-tall Roman-style building was long billed as home of the “longest-lasting echo of any manmade structure in the world” thanks to its sheer size and shape. In fact, a single slam of its entrance door reverberates off the domed structure for a full 15 seconds. Unfortunately, it recently lost its title after a team of acoustic scientists successfully created an echo in an underground fuel depot that lasted an ear-splitting 112 seconds. But even despite thid defeat, the mausoleum still remains a popular draw and is likely one of the few places in the world where tour guides actually encourage visitors to slam doors. Listen here.

From Whispering Galleries to Echo Chambers, These Five Architectural Structures Have Extraordinary Acoustics
Hearing things? Listen closely and you’ll begin to understand why

By Jennifer Nalewicki
MAY 16, 2017 1:26PM
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2 6 1 0 0 23
From the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops on a bedroom window to the loud honking of horns in the city, noises are all around us. However, there are certain places around the world where acoustic anomalies occur that deserve a closer listen. Here are five manmade structures that demonstrate fascinating acoustic phenomena, transmitting whispers across a room or transforming sounds into unrecognizable new tones.
Hamilton Mausoleum, Hamilton, Scotland

image: https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/eF_hOQo48T9F0YelCO6VS-AqnpU=/1024x596/

Hamilton Mausoleum, Scotland
Hamilton Mausoleum, Scotland (iStock/jgshields )

One of the most iconic buildings in the town of Hamilton, located 15 miles southeast of Glasgow, is the Hamilton Mausoleum. But it’s what takes place inside its walls that makes it so intriguing. Built in the mid-1800s as a burial tomb for the 10th Duke of Hamilton, the 123-foot-tall Roman-style building was long billed as home of the “longest-lasting echo of any manmade structure in the world” thanks to its sheer size and shape. In fact, a single slam of its entrance door reverberates off the domed structure for a full 15 seconds. Unfortunately, it recently lost its title after a team of acoustic scientists successfully created an echo in an underground fuel depot that lasted an ear-splitting 112 seconds. But even despite thid defeat, the mausoleum still remains a popular draw and is likely one of the few places in the world where tour guides actually encourage visitors to slam doors. Listen here.

Grand Central Terminal Whispering Gallery, New York City

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Throughout the day, Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan comes alive with bustling activity as commuters rush to catch their trains inside one of the city’s major transit hubs. Amid the noise, though, there’s one spot within the hundred-year-old building where it pays to be quiet. Located on the lower level near the Grand Central Oyster Bar, the “Whispering Gallery” has become a popular spot for visitors to engage in a moment of conversation that needn’t be at a shouting level. Thanks to the rotunda’s arched Guastavino tile work, two people can stand on opposite sides of the arch and, facing away from each other and towards each wall, hold a conversation at a muted tone despite being 30 feet apart. No one knows for sure if architects intentionally created the phenomenon, but it’s believed that the thin and tightly set terracotta tiles coupled with the ceiling’s curvature creates the ideal environment for this anomaly to occur. Listen here.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/worlds-weirdest-echoes-where-hear-them-180963307/#7bSRLAdIQJZk9zpy.99