Landmarks Facts
Landmark facts that will tour you through the famous spots of the world. Know more about the history and significance of these famous landmarks through these facts.
- The Kremlin in Moscow is home to the biggest bell in the world.
- Surrounded by 5-19 m high walls, Kremlin covers a total area of 27.7 hectares and has 20 towers.
- Moai statue site in the Rapa Nui National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
- Facing away from the ocean, the Moai statues face towards the village to “look after the people.”
- The arches and ceiling of the Rajabai Tower feature the native flora and fauna of India.
- The Leaning Tower of Pisa did not always lean in one direction.
- Seven bells, each representing a musical major scale note, hang inside the Leaning Tower.
- The Sydney Opera House holds the record for the world’s biggest column-free chamber.
- It took 14 years to build Sydney Opera House, a 10-year leap from the proposed 4 years.
- As high as it stands, Christ the Redeemer only ranks 5th among the largest statues of Jesus.
- Part of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.
- London Big Ben has no elevators, requiring 334 steps for a guest to reach the top.
- The Big Ben clock tower is a survivor of the 1941 German bomb.
- Under the Arc de Triomphe lies the tomb of an Uknown Soldier from World War 1.
- In 1851, the smock mill Achlumer Mole was built to drain the Achlumer Noorderpolder.
- The London Eye honored the 60th coronation of Queen Elizabeth II by naming a Coronation Capsule in 2013.
- Glutinous rice binds the bricks and stones of the Greatest Wall of China.
- Extremely cold weather makes the Eiffel Tower shrink by around 6 inches.
- Fallen pieces from the post-earthquake Colosseum took part in building St. Peter’s Basilica.
- In Paris, the Sacre Coeur is second only to Eiffel Tower in terms of height.
The Washington Monument used to be the tallest building in the world.
However, it lost its title to the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The Washington Monument is a landmark standing in the National Mall between Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol.
It took years for the Monument concept to become a reality.
In 1783, the old Confederation Congress passed the proposal. The next steps only followed in 1833 when the Washington National Monument Society pushed through. By 1836, a public competition for the monument’s design was held.
Construction only began in 1848.
However, lack of funds and the American Civil War halted the progress of the Washington Monument in 1854. Construction resumed in 1879 and finished in 1884.
Mount Rushmore features 60-ft high chiseled faces of 4 presidents.
High-grade granite makes up the South Dakota landmark, Mount Rushmore at 1,745 meters above sea level. Panning southeast, the faces get supreme sun exposure.
Over 400 men worked on the Mount Rushmore project.
Construction took more than 40 years, starting from 1927 and only finishing in 1941.
Despite the dangers of the construction, the Mount Rushmore project recorded zero fatalities.
Unfortunately, their labor in the Black Hills exposed them greatly to silica dust. The incident took its toll later on in their lives when they suffered from lung disease silicosis.
The Golden Gate Bridge is 8,981 feet long.
The Golden Gate Bridge set the record for being the first major bridge with one-way toll collection in the world. This landmark is located in San Francisco, Marin County, California.
Contrary to what its name suggests, the Golden Gate Bridge is not golden in color.
The name for its color is International Orange. Its location over the Golden Gate Strait is the reason behind its name.
Golden Gate Bridge is both a popular tourist spot and a top suicide location in the area.
Thankfully, the authorities have been exerting efforts in preventing such tragic events. Eleven crisis counseling phones line the bridge and plans of building a net under the bridge are underway.
Cast iron, copper and stainless steel are the materials that make up the Statue of Liberty.
The world-renowned landmark, Statue of Liberty stands 305 feet or 93 meters high on Liberty Island, New York, USA.
France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the USA.
It is a representation of Libertas, a Roman Goddess. The 7 spikes above its head represent the world’s 7 seas and continents.
In the late 19th century, the Statue of Liberty stood as a symbol of immigrants.
Aside from its general meaning as a monument of freedom, US immigrants of the late 19th century see the landmark as a freedom achievement.
The construction of the Space Needle was in dedication to the 1962 World’s Fair.
In 1962, the observation tower Space Needle was built in Seattle, Washington.
The Space Needle stands 605 feet or 184 meters high.
A huge foundation on its bases balances the enormous structure. The concrete foundation goes 30 feet or 9 meters deep. However, its base only covers a land area of 120 by 120 feet, the original purchased plot size for the tower.
The Legacy Light or ‘Skybeam’ lighted from the Space Needle in New Year’s Eve 1999.
The powerful beam of light powered by 85 million candela lamps celebrated the new millennium to come.
Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro boasts of three volcanic cones.
Kibo stands at 19,340 feet high, Mawenzi at 16,893, and Shira at 12,112 feet. Upon Kibo’s rim is the Uhuru Peak, the highest point which is also a crater.
Five different ecosystems thrive in Mount Kilimanjaro.
Villages, forests, and jungles make up the lowest levels of Mount Kilimanjaro, the dormant volcano. However, plant and animal life appear lesser the higher the location is or the nearest it is to the summit.
A few sad Mount Kilimanjaro facts tell of the people who did not survive their voyages.
Among the main causes of death among climbers are acute mountain sickness, hypothermia, and falls. Some of them failed to take proper precautions for the acclimatization while others were not prepared enough for the great variations in degree temperatures.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is at least 5,000 years old.
The Great Pyramid of Giza has been towering over west of Nile and south of Cairo, Egypt for at least that long. However, there has been no concrete evidence of their exact age.
The design of the Great Pyramid resembles a tomb.
Inside the structure lies 3 burial chambers. Not only does it house Khufu, but it also keeps the treasures that he would take with him in the afterlife.
The Great Pyramid holds the record for the oldest and only surviving ancient wonder in the world.
Located in Al-Giza Desert, Egypt, the site is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. What makes it more amazing is that it is the only masterpiece that lived on until the modern age.
In Rome, the Trevi Fountain stands amid the crossing of three streets.
Its name ‘Trevi’ originated from the Latin word ‘Trivium’ which references the crossing on its location. These three streets are the Via Poli, Via De’ Crocicchi, and the Via Delle Muratte.
The Trevi Fountain is the largest Roman fountain.
The Trevi fountain has a height of 86 feet and a width of 161.3 feet.
Thanks to funding from the Roman Lotto game, the Trevi Fountain Project came true.
Today, the fountain collects up to 3,000 Euros worth of coins from the visitors wishing upon it. The collected money benefits the needy Roman families through the association of Caritas, a catholic charity.
Another name for the London Eye is ‘The Great Wheel.’
This model got inspiration from the original Chicago Ferris Wheel. Opened for public access in March 2000, the London Eye stands 308 feet or 94 meters high and has a diameter of 270 feet or 82.3 meters.
London’s Great Wheel has 32 capsules but numbered 1-33.
No capsule bore the number 13, which is considered as a triskaidekaphobic tendency. The 32 capsules of the London Eye represent each of the 32 districts of the city.
Upon completion, the London Eye was the tallest of its kind in the world.
However, it went down the list to 4th place with new creations through the years. The Star of Nanchang beat it at 520 feet/158 meters in 2006 which was also surpassed by the Singapore Flyer at 541 feet/165 meters in 2008. In 2014, the Las Vegas High Roller at 550 feet/168 meters officially claimed rank 1.
Materials used in building the Stonehenge are bluestone and sarsens.
Found in Wiltshire, England, all 83 stones of the Stonehenge stand with an average height of 30 feet. Their alignment matches with the midwinter sunset and the midsummer sunset. Likewise, the stone formations also align with the most northerly and southerly rising of the moon.
Stonehenge facts reveal how the monument has a perfect geometric formation.
Amidst the mysteries of the landmark, one thing is sure: the placement of the stones was not at random. The shape, height, width, orientation, and distance apart of the stones have mathematical configurations.
Charles Darwin executed one of the first recorded excavations on the Stonehenge in the 1880s.
He concluded his research that the earthworms in the area were one of the main reasons why the stones were sinking into the soil. It also caused some of the Stonehenge stones to fall.
The Eiffel Tower features 72 names on its surface.
These are of all the people who contributed to the construction of the world-famous tower – engineers, mathematicians, and scientists.
Strong winds could cause the Eiffel Tower to sway about 2-3 inches.
The original plan was to dismantle the tower 20 years after completion. Thanks to its purpose as a wireless telegraph transmitter, the Eiffel Tower continues to stand as a famous landmark until today.
The Eiffel Tower commemorated the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.
It mainly served as the main exhibit at the 1889 World’s Fair or ‘Exposition Universelle’ in French.
Soft ground and shallow foundation birthed the infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Clay, sand and other deposits from the Tuscan rivers Arno and Serchio compose the soil beneath the tower. However, this variety was too unstable to uphold such a building even its construction’s early stages.
During WWII, the German army made the Leaning Tower a prime lookout site.
They disregarded how the tower could appear as an easy target due to its optimal surveillance edge over the flat terrain around it.
Calculations predict that the Leaning Tower of Pisa could only remain stable for the following 200 years.
Still, experts are putting in extra efforts to prevent further ‘leaning.’ Leaning Tower of Pisa facts give until early 23rd century for slow tilt resume, but only if all variables remained constant.
Christ the Redeemer holds the record as the world’s largest art deco.
Discounting its 26-foot pedestal, the statue stands 98 feet high while its arms stretch 92 feet across.
The Christ the Redeemer statue stands as an icon of Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro.
Its location is in the Tijuca Forest National Forest which situates atop the Corcovado Mountain.
Money from Brazil’s Catholic Community funded the construction of the Christ the Redeemer.
They chose the statue to represent Christ’s love for all and how He embraces everyone who comes to Him.
Stones that composed the Christ the Redeemer hail from Sweden.
The material varieties include reinforced concrete and soapstone. Statue pieces had to be constructed downtown first before being carried up the mountain for erection.
To reach the Mount Fuji summit, hikers have 4 different trail options.
Aspiring Mount Fuji hikers can choose among Fujinomiya, Gotemba, Subashiri, and Yoshidaguchi. Each trail has 10 designated stations that provide climbing people with emergency rations and reserves.
Japan’s highest point is atop the Mount Fuji.
This active volcano has 8 peaks. Walking around the crater to reach all the summits would take around 2 hours.
Mount Fuji is home to 2 other active volcanoes.
Aside from its own giant conical volcano being, Mount Fuji also has Komitake at the bottom and the Kofuji in the middle. The main volcano is the one at the top.
Hagia Sophia translates to ‘Shrine of the Holy Wisdom of God in Greek.’
The word ‘Sophia’ is the Greek term for ‘wisdom.’
The construction of the Hagia Sophia was in dedication to Logos.
Logos or ‘Christ’ is the second character in the Holy Trinity. Anniversary of the dedication occurs every December 25th, the birth of Christ.
Hagia Sophia has 40 windows, and they are famous.
They produce mystical light reflecting around the nave. Its dome is 31 meters in diameter, making it just a bit smaller than the Pantheon in Rome.
Taj Mahal was built with the purpose of creating a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal.
It sits in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632 and only ended in 1653.
The Persian and Arabic term Taj Mahal translates to "Crown of Palaces."
Mourning his deceased third wife, Shah Jahan appropriately named the mausoleum.
Since its completion, the Taj Mahal has stood as a symbol of love.
Without Jahan’s love for Mumtaz Mahal, the reality of the landmark would not be possible. Even the tiniest details of the idyllic edifice and garden summed up to the romance of the place.
In the Chinese language, the Great Wall of China translates to "Changcheng."
Its whole formation crosses 9 Northern China provinces.
The Great Wall of China holds the record for the world's longest wall.
At 21,196.18 kilometers long, it is almost half the length of the Equator.
The Great Wall has about 7,000 lookout towers spread across its length.
This landmark’s highest point is in Beijing at Heita Mountain, while the Jiankou section is the most dangerous section.
The Three Gorges Dam is the largest power station in the world.
This hydroelectric dam stands in Sandouping, Hubei in China.
This dam has the potential to extend an average day up to 0.66 microseconds.
As a reservoir, the Three Gorges Dam could hold an average of 85 trillion pounds of water. That amount could produce a worldwide moment of inertia, thus the day extensions.
To make way for the Three Gorges Dam, around 1.3 million people had to be relocated.
It roughly covers up to 1,600 villages, 140 towns, and 13 cities.
Sydney Opera House was originally a fort.
Sitting along Bennelong Point, this landmark earned its name from Governor Macquarie. It later served its purpose as a tram shed.
The topaz color of its glass is unique to the Opera House.
It was specially made to order by Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel in France.
The Sydney Opera House has 7 performance venues.
They are the Concert Hall, Drama Theater, the Forecourt, Opera Theater, Playhouse, The Studio, and the Utzon Room.
Blood Falls is home to a unique ecosystem isolated from the rest of the world for 1.5 million years.
Hypersaline water flows from this landmark in Victoria Land. However, the unique natural feature of iron oxide-tainted ice produces blood-colored outflow.
The Brahma Statue is home to the golden Phra Phrom statue.
Phra Phrom is the four-faced Thai version of Hindu god Brahma. This Erawan Hindu shrine sits in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand.