Every country and city has a monument, landscape or natural landmark that draws people from around the world. With the winter holidays coming up or if you’re planning your next out of country trip, it is the perfect time to revisit that bucket-list and use the opportunity to cross off some of the world’s most famous monuments, one flight at a time!
These landmarks are not unknown to most, but knowing and reading cannot be compared to the feeling of actually physically being able to truly experience their splendour.
Here are our top landmarks that should definitely be a part of your bucket list and itinerary!
Mount Fuji, Honshu Island, Japan
The famous Mount Fuji and its significance are entangled with Japan and its culture. Although climbing Mount Fuji isn’t for the faint-hearted, you definitely don’t need to be a trained mountaineer to achieve it. The official climbing season is in July and August while, if you don’t mind the cold, there are still guided tours you can take up until mid-October or when Mount Fuji receives its first sprinkling of snow. Although climbing Mount Fuji has been likened to making a pilgrimage, any unusual experiences you have are more likely to be due to lack of oxygen at high altitude and overexertion than connections with religious deities. No, climbing Mount Fuji might not be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.
The Pyramids of Giza
and The Sphinx, Egypt
If you’ve ever dreamt of becoming an archaeological treasure hunter, riding a camel through the desert and uncovering ancient artifact, The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx await you.
The monumental tombs are relics of Egypt’s Old Kingdom era and were constructed some 4,500 years ago. There is something completely timeless about these two famous Egyptian landmarks that defy explanation. It’s estimated that as many as 100,000 workers (10 percent of Egypt’s population at the time) toiled on the 4,500-year-old monoliths. Amazingly, the Great Pyramid remained the tallest man-made structure in the world until the advent of modern skyscrapers.
The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
The arena that is famously known for its ancient gladiators (or the depiction of them in the movie), once you get down into the arena of the Colosseum in Rome, you’ll probably be so overwhelmed by the size of the amphitheater and reconsider the “cool” Russell Crowe gladiator lifestyle. The amphitheater is large enough to have held an audience of around eighty thousand which is well on par with most modern Olympic stadiums. Take an underground tour of the tunnels and feel the prickle of ghostly goosebumps crawl across your skin in sympathy for all the gladiators and animals who preceded you, but weren’t fortunate enough to come out again and end their day snacking on pizza.
Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Probably one of India’s most famous monuments, the Taj Mahal is famous for not only its architectural finesse but also the story behind it. The famous Mughal ruler Shah Jahan decided to display his love for his wife and constructed this monumental structure in the memory of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. An ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river, it is located in the Indian city of Agra. There’s just something amazingly special about monuments which have been built for love. Whether it’s the extra details that are added or just the idea itself, but when Shah Jahan set himself the task of building the Taj Mahal in India, he really went for it.
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
If you’re in search of the most romantic landmark in the world, then you’ll have found it in the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This iconic structure of metal girders for some reason epitomises love and has inspired many a man to drop down on one knee on the observation deck to make a marriage proposal. Constructed from 1887–89 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, it was initially criticized by some of France’s leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but it has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. What is it about the Eiffel Tower in Paris that causes that effect on people? It could be the pure, Frenchness of the vibe in the Paris air at altitude or it could be the glass viewing floor sixty metres above ground level. Put the Eiffel Tower in Paris on your list and go and discover its magic for yourself.
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