Natural and Man-made Points of Interest Around the World
Visit our sister site:
The World Heritage Site program catalogs, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. The program is run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
|
|
These twin temples were carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. Their relocation in the 1960's was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser.
|
|
|
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and ruins of a castle. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery in ancient times, and the garden and palace were built by King Kashyapa in the fifth century A.D.
|
|
|
Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, some reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern
|
|
|
Built by the Maya civilization sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries AD, "El Castillo" served as a temple to the god Kukulcan.
|
|
|
The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west. Some portions north of Beijing and near tourist centers have been preserved, but in many locations the Wall is in disrepair.
|
|
|
The Monastery of Horezu was founded in 1690 by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu. It is known for its architectural purity and balance, the richness of its sculpted detail, its treatment of religious compositions, its votive portraits, and its painted decorat
|
|
|
This is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) meet. It is also famous for its bell tower which is the home of Big Ben.
|
|
|
The Parthenon is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece. Its decorative sculptures are considered one of the high points of Greek art.
|
|
|
The ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire during the Achaemenid dynasty (558–330 BCE), the buildings at Persepolis include three general groupings: military quarters, the treasury, and the reception halls and occasional houses for the King.
|
|
|
This is an Ancient Egyptian temple complex in southern Egypt that originally stood on the island of Philae in the Nile. It was moved to the island of Agilkai by UNESCO in the 1970s to protect the temple and monuments from flood waters.
|
|
|
The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India after an invasion and failed uprising in 1959. Today the Potala Palace has been converted into a museum by the Chinese.
|
|
|
Baalbeck, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its height. Known as Heliopolis, the city was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire.
|
|
|
Dedicated to Margaret of Antioch and
originally founded in the 12th century by Benedictine monks, St. Margaret's was rebuilt from 1486 to 1523. It became the parish of the Palace of Westminster (Parliament) in 1614.
|
|
|
Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones and sits at the centre of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England.
|
|
|
This building is one of the best known icons of Australia. The Opera House covers 1.8 hectares (4.5 acres) of land. It is 183 metres (605 feet) long and about 120 metres (388 feet) wide at its widest point.
|
|
|
Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures, not just the white domed marble mausoleum that most people know.
|
|
|
Askia Mohammed was the first Askia emperor and greatly expanded the Songhaii Empire. Legend says that when he returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1495, he brought back with him the materials to make his tomb; all of the mud and wood come from Mecca.
|
|
|
This world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference.
|
|
|
Westminster Abbey is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and later British monarchs. It briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546–1556, and is currently a Royal Peculiar directly under the jurisdiction of the monarch.
|
