Western-style modern gated housing development with security guard and barriers, Yichang, China

An armed policeman outside the House of Commons, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

An armed policeman outside the House of Commons, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Museum of national history, Bishkek (Frunse), Kyrgyzstan

Road with crash barrier Umiartortut Aqqulaa leads to colourful houses in settlement Ammassalik Eastgreenland

Memorial Guenter Litfin for the first person shot dead at the Berlin Wall, Kieler Strasse street at the Berlin-Spandau Schifffahrtskanal channel, Berlin, Germany, Europe

Memorial Guenter Litfin for the first person shot dead at the Berlin Wall, Kieler Strasse street at the Berlin-Spandau Schifffahrtskanal channel, Berlin, Germany, Europe

Memorial Guenter Litfin for the first person shot dead at the Berlin Wall, Kieler Strasse street at the Berlin-Spandau Schifffahrtskanal channel, Berlin, Germany, Europe

Memorial Guenter Litfin for the first person shot dead at the Berlin Wall, Kieler Strasse street at the Berlin-Spandau Schifffahrtskanal channel, Berlin, Germany, Europe

Historic night watchman in front of half-timbered house with lantern, horn and lance at night Rinteln Germany

Rescue cabin on Copacabana beach at a tropical sunset on Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, Brasil, South America

Statue of Hermes, patron god of travellers and merchants, Romanushaus, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, Europe

Old historic fort and colonial guardhouse with cannon pointed to the sea in the city of Salvador in Bahia, Brasil

Stone guardhouse on the walls of an old colonial-style fort on the seafront of Salvado in Bahia, Brasil

Guardhouse and lookout in an old historic fortress in the city of Salvador in Bahia, Brasil

Old iron cannon and guardhouse on the strong walls of the historic fortress of Farol da Barra in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

View from the Posten tower to the village with the evangelic church St.Peter the gotic Werner chapel and the castle Stahleck, Bacharach on the Rhine, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Cute dogs their houses waiting be adopted

An excursion boat passes the harbor entrance, Rhodes town, Rhodes island, Greece, northern part, Aegean Sea, Southern Europe, Europe

Village of Ushguli, UNESCO World Heritage Site, in front of Shkara Mountain, Svaneti, Caucasus, Georgia, Middle East

The Round Tower of Andernach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe

City walls with Torwaerterhaeuschen house of the gate guard, Horb am Neckar, Black Forest, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

House attached to a watchtower, Sighisoara, Sighisoara, Romania, Europe

Reichenbacher Turm tower, Obermarkt market, Goerlitz, Saxony, Germany, Europe, PublicGround

Stadtturm guard tower, Straubing, Lower Bavaria, Germany, Europe

The Hauptwache or main guard building at the Domplatz or Cathedral Square in Wetzlar, Hesse, Germany

Donisl, Pub zur alten Hauptwache, the old guard house, detail view of the front, Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Frohlichs tower, Mals, village of Glurns, Upper Vinschgau, South Tyrol, Italy

Brunnenwaechter, statue of a guard on the market fountain of Biberach a.d. Riss, Swabia, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Overlooking the old town with the Hertelsturm and Krugsturm towers, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Dettelbach town wall, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

City walls with Torwaerterhaeuschen house of the gate guard, Horb am Neckar, Black Forest, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Cochem on the Moselle River with Reichsburg Castle, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe

Port of Bardolino with the ruined tower of the Scaliger castle, the Hotel Catullo and the city council, Bardolino, Lake Garda, Veneto, Italy, Europe

Dettelbach town wall, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

City tower, Im Winkel, and half-timbered houses, historic town centre, Luegde, Bad Pyrmont, Teutoburg Forest Park, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

The Tylenturm tower, Korbach, Hesse, Germany, Europe

The Malakoff tower on Rheinau port, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Overlooking the old town with the Hertelsturm and Krugsturm towers, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Clock Tower, old town, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sighisoara, Transylvania, Romania, Europe

Katharinenkirche church, Hauptwache guard house, Eurotower, Commerzbank headquarters, Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany, Europe

Overlooking the old town with the Hertelsturm and Krugsturm towers, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Overlooking the old town with the Hertelsturm and Krugsturm towers, and the Noerdlinger Tor gate tower, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Noerdlinger Tor gate tower, old town, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Clock Tower and Draculah building, old town, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sighisoara, Transylvania, Romania, Europe

Noerdlinger Tor gate tower, old town, Dinkelsbuehl, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Guard of the harbor police in the Hafencity district, Hamburg, Germany, Europe

Sterntor gate, Bonn, Rhineland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Guard tower at the Maxtormauer walls, Nuremberg, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

CHINA/Beijing/National Aquatic Center/17June2008:A soldier stands guard outside the National Aquatic Center at night. Designed by Australia's PTW Architects, its facade appearing as a cube of soap bubbles, it seats 17,000 people. The exterior is made from a high-tech lightweight translucent plastic that is also very energy efficient in saving an estimated 30% in power consumption by comparison to a traditional design. It houses 5 pools - one able to create it's own waves. It's outer surface looks like soap bubbles. It will host all swimming and diving events at the 2008 Olympics.