Famous World Monuments That You Must Visit

The world is full of exceptional architecture that has been evolving since time immemorial and the context behind these architectural marvels has led to a kind of emotional proximity for people all over the world. At the end of the day, that is what monuments are meant for; to commemorate a person, event or a remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage owing to their artistic or political significance. When we talk about the most famous world monuments, the purview includes the Seven Wonders of the World as well as the underrated ones.

Famous World Monuments with Remarkable History

Even wondered why everyone mentions these 7 famous monuments of the world? That’s because the ancient Greeks believed the number seven represented perfection.

Having said that, we are not confining ourselves to just these. There are several other awe-inspiring historical monuments of the world that need to be seen to be believed. In no particular order, here goes the list of the places to visit in the world: -

• The Great Wall of China
• Taj Mahal, India
• Petra, Jordan
• The Colosseum, Italy
• Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
• Chichen Itza, Mexico
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA
• Fatehpur Sikri, India
• Cesky Krumlov Castle

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world stretching up to 21,000 Km. It was built by several dynasties over hundreds of years starting in about 220 B.C. The Great Wall stretches from west to east in northern China making it one of the historical monuments of the world. A famous section of The Great Wall of China that you might take under consideration to visit are Shanhaiguan Pass also known as ‘First Pass under Heaven’ because it is the first pass along The Great Wall of China in the east.

Laolongtou Great Wall (Old Dragon’s Head) is where The Great Wall of China meets the sea resembling the Dragon drinking water from the sea. Jiayuguan Great Wall is a pass standing at the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It is different from the well-known sections built with stones and bricks rather it was built with rammed earth, making yellow its dominant hue and blending with the surrounding desert.

Dunhuang Great Wall was built more than 1,300 years earlier than the Ming sections. Due to natural disasters and destruction by mankind it is hard to find much of the original wall which is a reminder for us to preserve and maintain.

Taj Mahal, India

This spectacle was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the monument resides on the right bank of the Yamuna river that encompasses nearly 17 hectares in the Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. It was commissioned to be built in 1632 and took around 16 years and 20,000 workers to build. Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal commemorates Shah Jahan’s love for Mumtaz Mahal which serves as a symbol of perfection and unconditional love. Shah Jahan himself gazed upon this beauty until the very end of his days not as a ruler but as a prisoner when his son Aurangzeb seized the Mughal throne and imprisoned his father in Agra’s Fort which in itself is a World Heritage site and is considered as one of the historical monuments of the world.

Petra, Jordan

Petra is an ancient city that was carved out of rock in southwest Jordan. The biblical name of Petra is Sela, which was probably replaced by the Greek name Petra, meaning rock. Petra used to be an Oasis in the desert supporting the ancient city’s large population as the inhabitants were experts at surviving in the desert making it one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The Romans were eager to expand the boundaries of their empire and took over Petra in A.D. 106 the city lived without much change but the empire left an unforgettable mark on the ancient city.

The distinct Roman style can be seen all over Petra, in the monuments, sculptures, and public spaces and even in the city’s design. In A.D. 330, a constitutive event took place in the Roman Empire as the first Christian emperor, Constantine I, moved the main capital from Rome to the city of Byzantium presently known as Istanbul. Rulers of this new Byzantine Empire wanted to spread Christianity and over the years people of Petra abandoned their beliefs for this new religion. The city’s main Cathedral, the Petra Church became a symbol of the new era.

The Colosseum, Italy

The Colosseum, also named the Flavian Amphitheater was commissioned around A.D. 70-72 by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty, measuring some 620 by 513 feet was the largest amphitheatre in the Roman world. In A.D. Vespasian’s son Titus opened the Colosseum with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial fights and wild animal fights. After four centuries of use, the Colosseum fell into neglect however; the amphitheater has been marked as one of the famous landmarks in the world and remains a popular tourist destination.

Christ the Redeemer, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer is a statue located at the summit of Corcovado Mountain looking over Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The statue shows Jesus Christ with his arms spread out over the city. The statue is 30 meters tall and is considered one of the newest among the 7 famous monuments of the world.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Chichen Itza is an ancient Maya city occupying an area of 4 square miles in south-central Yucatan State, Mexico. Chichen Itza at its peak has been home to 35,000 people for all sorts of religious, military, political and commercial centres. The site first saw settlers drawn probably due to easy access to water in the region via caves and sinkholes in limestone formations known as Cenotes. A legendary tradition, “Chichen”, was the Cult of the Cenote that involved human sacrifice to the rain God Chacc. In this, the victims were thrown into the city’s major Cenote along with gold, jade ornaments and other valuables. In 1904, Edward Herbert Thompson, an American began scouring the Cenote and discovered skeletons and sacrificial objects which confirmed the legend.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu stands 2430 m above sea level in the middle of a tropical mountain forest in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It is probably believed to be the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its peak. There is also a hidden museum that no one goes to and visually Machu Picchu does not provide any information about the ruins which has an advantage in itself as the ruins remain uncluttered. The creation of the museum Museo de Sitio Manuel Chavez Ballon arose in the 1960s - 70s at the initiative of Dr. Manuel Chavez Ballon and was named in honor of its first founder. The museum is at the end of Machu Picchu’s base which is about 30 minutes of walk from the town of Aguas Calientes.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA

It is one of the best-preserved dwellings of the Native Americans in the country. For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built communities that thrived here on Mesas and on the cliffs of Mesa Verde. The park protects the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous people and has over 5,000 archaeological sites that take visitors into the past.

Fatehpur Sikri, India

It is located in Agra district in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Fatehpur Sikri was built during the second half of the 16^th Century by Emperor Akbar and was the capital of the Mughal Empire for about 10 years. The complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India known as the Jama Masjid. Apart from visiting the Taj Mahal, there are multiple good reasons for you to include world tour packages from India in your bucket list.

Cesky Krumlov Castle

The town of Český Krumlov is located in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Currently, listed as a national heritage site, the castle dates way back to the 13^th Century and still houses one of the world’s most completely preserved baroque theatres. The peaceful evolution around the region has left the architectural heritage of the castle intact.

We are in the constant pursuit of discovering such famous landmarks in the world and creating memorable holidays and group tours that cover the same. Stay tuned for more such enriching travel content.