Every single place in the world have a specific landmark that make them recognize easily. Landmarks can be manmade or natural, tourism make them popular by time. The manmade landmarks reveals about a specific culture and history of a place. Followings are 10 most popular landmarks in the world.
10 Sydney Opera House, Australia
Sydney opera house is the most recognizable and icon of Australia, located in Bennelong point of Sydney harbour. Sydney opera house hosts more than 1500 performance every year, one of the busiest art centers in the world. This art center includes a concert hall with 2700 seating, drama theatre, playhouse, fore court and studio. It is estimated that over 7 million people visited this site every year, also listed on UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
As it is situated within the focal point of Sydney, near to harbour it can viewed from all directions and became one of the main attractions of Australia. It took 15 years for the construction of Sydney opera house, started in 1957 and completed whole works in 1973. It was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon. The white roof shell shaped sails design of the site make it as a architectural icon of the country.
9 Golden Gate Bridge, California
It is the most recognizable landmark of California, a suspension bridge that connects San Francisco Bay and Marin country of North California, between golden gate strait in the State. The bridge is three miles in length and about one mile in width. The golden gate bridge opened in the year 1937 and for next 27 years it remained as longest suspension bridge in the world.
It took four years for the construction of golden gate bridge. The ‘international orange’ color was used for this bridge, about 38 painters perform regular maintenance on this bridge. The two main cables within golden gate bridge was made up of 27000 strands of wire. Today more than 40 millions of vehicles passes between this bridge every year and remained as one of the most photographed bridges in the world.
8 Stonehenge, England
One of the most popular sites in the world, located in Salisbury in England. This prehistoric monument consist of number of standing stones and hundreds of burial mounds. Archaeologists estimated that stonehenge was built between 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The actual purpose and the methods used for bringing huge stones to the site still remain as a mystery.
Two types of stones called sarsen and blue stones are used for it’s construction. Sarsen stones are 25 tons in weight and 18 feet in height, bluestones weighs up to 4 tons. Archaeologist found the closest place where these stones found is 240 miles away from stonehenge, but the method used by ancient for bringing huge stones to this site still unknown to modern world.
It took at least 15000 years for construction of stonehenge. This site is also aligned with midwinter and midsummer sunset. Today stonehenge protected and managed by national trust and English heritage of the country.
7 Big Ben, England
It is actually a huge bell of clock of Westminster palace in London. Big ben is world’s largest chiming clock with four faces and third tallest standing clock tower i the world. It is named after Benjamin Hall, one of architect of this clock tower who known for his huge body. The 316 feet high clock tower built between 1848 to 1853, not open for public. But it remained as one of most prominent attraction of United Kingdom.
The Big Ben is 7 feet in tall and about 3 tons in weight. The minute hand of the bell is 12 feet in tall and 250 pounds in weight. Suring second world war the main military officers of Britain found chimes of Big Ben as a broadcast system, each bell inform the whole world that the country not been defeated in the war.
6 Colosseum, Rome
It is the largest amphitheatre in the world, from Roman empire. It is also the most popular tourist attraction and iconic symbol of Rome. It was built in 70 AD by Vespasian empire. It was used for hosting gladiator contest, animal hunts and dramas. The gladiatorial fights took place in Colosseum until 435 AD. It can accommodate 50000 viewers at a time and have 80 entrances at different sections.
Such events in ancient Rome last for 100 days. It is estimated the Colosseum used for 390 long years for hosting gladiatorial fights. The damages seen in Colosseum of Rome today caused by earthquakes of 847 AD and 1231 AD.
5 Eiffel Tower, Paris
It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world, located in capital city of Paris in France. It was named after Gustave Eiffel, the engineer in charge of it;s construction. The 324 meters tall tower weighs 10100 tons and opened in 1889. For the next 41 years it remained as tallest building in the world. There are 1665 steps in Eiffel tower to reach the top, bring beauty of entire city. Seven millions of people visited this monument every year.
4 Taj Mahal, India
The most popular historical monument of India, located in the city of Agra. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Mughal, Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles are used for construction of Taj Mahal. It took 17 years for the construction of Taj Mahal starting from 1632. It is listed on UNESCO’s world heritage sites, millions tourists visited this site every year.
The four sides of this 171 meter monument are perfectly identical. 28 different types of precious stones are inlaid in tomb of Taj Mahal. It also features different coloring at different time period of a day.
3 Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Pyramids of Giza are oldest and largest pyramids in the world. Also one of magnificent man made structures in the world. These pyramids are built as tombs for ancient Egyptian kings. These royal tombs also reflects the power and wealth of ancient civilization in Egypt.
The great pyramids of Giza are more popular than any other pyramids in the world, located in the west part if Nile river. Upon them the great pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest one, built as tomb for ancient Egyptian king Khufu. It have a height of 481 feet and built back in 2560 BC. It was about 2.3 million blocks of stones are used for it’s construction.
The second and middle pyramid in Giza was built for Khafre, son of King Khufu. It was built in 2592 BC, the great sphinx was built as a part of it. The 240 feet long guardian statue have head of human and body of lion. The third and Southernmost pyramid in Giza was built for Menkaure, son of King Khafre. Because of historical importance millions of people visited pyramids of Giza every year.
2 Great Wall of China
China’s most popular tourist attraction, one of seven wonders of medieval world. It is the longest man made structure in the world, stretches around 6300 kilometers. The construction of first part of Great wall started by emperor Qin Shi Huang in 7th century, other parts are added by following emperors in later time. Great wall of China is not at all continuous one, made up of number of different sections.
Stones, bricks, tamped earth and woods are used for the construction of great wall. More than 1 million of people lost their lives during it’s construction and became longest cemetery in the world. the highest point of great wall if 8 meters tall and widest part measures about 9 meters.
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1 Statue of Liberty, New York, United States
Statue of liberty is recognized as universal symbol of freedom, a colossal sculpture located in Manhattan of New York City. The statue actually representing Roman goddess of freedom, A gift from people of France to United States. It also commemorate declaration of American independence.
It was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated to United States on 28th October 1886. The original torch within the hand of this statue was replaced by a new copper touch in the year 1984, also features a golden leaf. The statute actually made up of copper and now appears in green color due to oxidation. It is about 4 millions of tourist visited statue of liberty every year but climbing to top of this statue closed for the public.
