The world’s most iconic human-made structures

May 24, 2011 9:45:52 AM

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The world is full of incredible buildings, but what about those that have become truly iconic, the instantly recognisable ones that have come to symbolise a destination or even a period in time?

Let’s take a global tour of those enduring structural wonders — all of them worthy contenders for your travel bucket list:

Taj Mahal, India

Image by Rameshng

This beauty was 23 years in the making (1630-53) and is remarkable for its perfect symmetry. The Taj was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife, Arjumand Banu Begum (also known as Mumtaz Mahal). Made from white marble, this majestic mausoleum features intricate details that were inlaid with precious lapis lazuli — pilfered in the 19th century. Its exterior reflects the changing colours of the day, and its beauty on a full-moon night is legendary.

Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt

Image by doneastwest

For the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, back in 2560 BC, the notion of digging your own grave transposed elaborately into constructing the Great Pyramid. Around two million stone blocks, each weighing 2 tonnes, were brought together to serve as his tomb. The Great Pyramid is the planet’s original tourist attraction — counting Antony (Cleopatra’s beau) and Napoleon among its many early visitors — and keeps company with three other pyramids and that other illustrious attraction, the Sphinx.

Great Wall, China

Image by exfordy

Hordes hit the Wall, as they have for centuries. Built from the end of the 15th century to the start of the 16th (using an existing wall dating back 2000 years), it stretches an incredible 6350km (3946m). Though not really visible from space, its jagged, snaking presence across the mountains between China and Mongolia always impresses, and is a tribute to the manic energy we apply to systems of war and defence. The touristed parts of Badaling are not recommended; try instead a walk from Simatai to Jinshanling.

Eiffel Tower, France

Image by trixnbooze

How many electricians does it take to change a light bulb on the Eiffel Tower? A whole team is required to maintain the 10,000-odd light bulbs that illuminate the 324m (1060ft) tower. Built in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition and to celebrate the French Revolution, Paris’ tower was designed by Stephen Sauvestre and was named after Gustave Eiffel — who specialised in iron construction including the Statue of Liberty and portable bridges sold around the world in kits.

Chrysler Building, USA

Image by Marc_Smith

Architect William van Alen planned the dramatic unveiling of New York City’s Chrysler Building‘s ornate tower by assembling it inside the building. Made of stainless steel and modelled on the hubcaps used on Chrysler cars of the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, the Art Deco building’s 77 floors and ornamental top made it the world’s highest structure — not just scraping the sky but piercing it at 319m (1046ft).

Big Ben, England

Image by exfordy

‘Big Ben’ is the common name for the Palace of Westminster‘s clock and bell tower in London, and speculation reigns as to just which Benjamin was big enough to give his name to it. Perhaps it was Ben Hall, the Chief Commissioner of Works when it was built in 1888. Or maybe Ben Caunt, a heavyweight prizefighter — in reference to the heavyweight bell within: 13.76 tonnes. The tower has a slight lean — approx 22cm (8.7in) northwest — due to ground conditions.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Image by Oisin Mulvihill

The ‘Lost City of the Incas’, Machu Picchu (literally ‘old peak’) sits at a lofty elevation of 2350m (7710ft) and is invisible from below. The secret city contains the ruins of palaces, baths and temples, and is believed to have served as a country retreat for Inca royalty. Rediscovered in 1911, construction of this ancient city is thought to have started in around 1440. Partly constructed without mortar, the precise joins won’t allow even a credit card between them.

Mount Rushmore, USA

Image by dean.franklin

In the Black Hills of South Dakota, this massive monument marks the first 150 years of American history. Carved into a mountain face are the 18m (60ft) faces of four former presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. The brainchild of Doane Robinson, the original concept was to immortalise figures of American folklore. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum (a student of a Rodin) thought devoting his life’s work to folklore too trivial – hence the resulting busts, built between 1927 and 1941.

Stonehenge, England

Image by Margaret Anne Clarke

No one knows exactly why these 50-tonne stones were dragged from South Wales 5000 years ago. What we do know is that it would have taken about 600 people to move one more than half an inch, and that the complex was constructed between 2500 BC and 2000 BC. Consisting of a ring of stones topped by lintels, an inner horseshoe, an outer circle and a ditch, Stonehenge likely had dual astrological and religious purposes.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Image by tylerdurden1

This temple complex, built early in the 12th century by a succession of Khmer kings, formed part of a larger administrative and religious centre. Built to honour the Hindu god Vishnu and abandoned in the 15th century, many of the stone structures have since been grasped by giant banyan tree roots or covered by the surrounding forest. Apparently the layout of the temples architecturally mirrors the constellation Draco in 10,500 BC to harmonise the earth and the stars.

Further reading: The world’s most beautiful buildings.

This list came from an edition of our adrenaline-inspiring Best in Travel guide.

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Comments

5 April 2011 7:16PM lynettesker Report this comment
I hope you can also add The Banaue Rice Terraces from the Philippines..its a 2000 year old UNESCO world heritage site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banaue_Rice_Terraces
10 April 2011 12:52AM runawaybrit Report this comment
I think the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur are beautiful.
http://runawaybrit.com/2011/04/05/natural-and-man-made-wonders/
12 April 2011 2:18PM theaxisoftheearth Report this comment
I think that some of the structures in Prague are a lot more impressive than the Big Ben.
17 April 2011 4:16AM mostinterestingman Report this comment
On a smaller scale, nothing beats perfection...Michaelangelo's David!!!
3 May 2011 1:52PM suzywatusi Report this comment
What about La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, folks?
3 May 2011 2:04PM ahogenauer Report this comment
A reasonable list indeed, but how many of you have gone to each of the ten WITHOUT using an airplane, that is, surface-connecting all ten?
See http://www.cheklist.com!
3 May 2011 2:06PM ahogenauer Report this comment
And add all of the above-named sites, except the Rice Terraces, which are "on the list," as one of the 23 remaining ASCE landmarks left to visit!
3 May 2011 2:49PM bluerusso Report this comment
Mt Rushmore can be viewed as massive vandalism of a sacred mountain. Still, it's unique, worth a half hour.
London's Houses of Parliament are a marvel, almost the only in its style, and the vast edifice coordinates with Westminster Abbey and incorporates Westminster Hall, which is worth a trip to London by itself.
Chrysler Building is the loveliest of New York's skyscrapers. But I wonder whether it can rank with any of the top hundred or so architectural marvels of Italy, including the entire city of Venice?
The Dutch landscape is unique and might be considered a single "man-made structure."
Probably the finest man-made ensemble I've visited is the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. A modest budget, a hundred years, and good taste.
The pre-industrial Japanese moved rivers. Could a remodeled river be a landmark? Early Americans built agricultural landscapes of canals and ridges, temples, moats, and causeways with no metal tools and no wheeled carts or wagons.
3 May 2011 3:04PM sltbiz Report this comment
Wow - I did pretty good and am happy to say I've had the pleasure of visiting 7 of 10. Many good suggestions in the comments too and so I'd like to throw the Sydney Opera House into the ring as a contender.
3 May 2011 3:48PM pinoygladiator Report this comment
To me, an "icon" is a symbol or representation of whatever is beautiful, powerful or meaningful, including people, values and things that you hold dear. It is an embodiment of strong feelings like courage, love, etc.
My Top 10 Icons:
1) Taj Mahal (India) - beauty, love 2) Great Wall (China) - courage, ingenuity 3) Eiffel Tower (France) - vindication: hated before, loved now 4) Pyramids (Egypt) - history, ancient achievement 5) Machu Picchu (Peru) - awe, ancient achievement 6) Statue of Liberty (USA) - the one thing that represents USA best 7) Christ the Redeemer (Brazil) - grandeur over a beautiful city 8) Angkor Wat (Cambodia) - artistry, ancient achievement 9) St. Peter's Basilica (Italy) - history, architecture 10) Sydney Opera House (Australia) - unique, modern icon of the Land Down Under
3 May 2011 5:08PM sippy Report this comment
As well as the sites on the list,the Monastery at Petra was the thing that took my breath away (it's also a hard climb)for the beauty and sheer size.
3 May 2011 10:15PM travelinchen Report this comment
Stonehenge is on the list but not the statues on Easter Island? Hmm..
3 May 2011 10:17PM travelinchen Report this comment
Also agree that the Sagrada Familia should be on -- it's absolutely unique
3 May 2011 10:22PM vkapustova Report this comment
I definitely miss Lalibela here, a man-made complex of 13 churches, which play an important part in the history of rock-cut architecture. Most of the churches are thought to have been built during the reign of Lalibela, namely during the 12th and 13th centuries. I consider it much more amazing than Eiffel Tower or Big Ben...
3 May 2011 10:27PM enepi Report this comment
The list is very weak and to western.
Take out Big Ben, Stonehenge and Mount Rushmore and include Petra for example.
3 May 2011 10:43PM kadish Report this comment
Mount Rushmore? Chrysler Building? Are you kidding? Who has made this weak and non sense list? Do you know La Alhambra, Lalibela, La Sagrada Familia by Gaudi, wichever of the marvelous Spanish or French Castles or Palace.... Explain me the why Mount Rushmore and Chrysler Building. L0nely Planet....you are loosing control!!
3 May 2011 11:32PM das1951 Report this comment
One nice thing about any such list is the comment and protest it elicits. Of course it is exclusive and a personal list. Take the Palace of Westminster in London (incl Big Ben). I agree that there are vaguely similarly beautiful structures, a notable one being the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest (which I love). But is it 'iconic' as recognized as the Big Ben? No, in my view.
I also think that some of the omitted objects mentioned in the comments may be beautiful, but are they as recognizable?
In ten years' time the Petronas Towers may well displace one of the objects even on the above list.
The Golden Gate Bridge is 'missing'... one can really go on... it is so personal...
3 May 2011 11:55PM cartrip4 Report this comment
I'd like to add one more in my bucket list. ;)
4 May 2011 12:21AM sloopington Report this comment
I'm not sure what the purpose of these lists are, really. Two things immediately spring to mind ... 1. It's a pretty lazy list - as a Brit, 2 in England & no other pre-20th century architecture anywhere else in Europe (the Eiffel Tower is unique). 2. These are all on the world's Backpacker trail ... surely LP can be a bit more original - Ethiopia's Lalibela churches? Djenne's Mosque in the Dogon region of Mali? Several of the temples in Central America, not including the usual Chichen Itza & Tikal, so, for example, Lamanai in Belize or Kohunlich in Mexico? Petra in Jordan? Crak des Chevaliers in Syria?
Unfortunately, LP slips to the lowest common denominator encapsulated along a set of already-trodden paths.
4 May 2011 12:29AM fairypowderpuff Report this comment
The oldest standing buildings in the world dating back to 3,000BC should be listed here too! - Ggantija Temples in GOZO and a little younger 2,500BC Mnajdra and Hagar Qim Temples in MALTA
4 May 2011 1:15AM sjraar84 Report this comment
how about the terracotta army in Xi'an? Also an incredible structure!
4 May 2011 2:31AM kadish Report this comment
MADRID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 May 2011 3:15AM mvaraya Report this comment
You forget the "Moais" on Easter Island, Chile!!!
4 May 2011 3:23AM ret921 Report this comment
You missed Bagan....but then again, most people won't consider going to Burma. Mt. Popa (from a distance) not too far behind either.
4 May 2011 3:26AM peejiferous Report this comment
What a bunch of whiners! It's a great list.
4 May 2011 6:00AM mister_d Report this comment
The article is called MOST ICONIC, not most beautiful, most wonderful, or most worth visiting. As such, Statue of Liberty is much more iconic than Crysler Building (even though the latter is a wonderful work of architecture).
The Colosseum, Acropolis, Sydney Opera House, Burg Dubai, Mecca Mosque, Notre Dame Cathedral, Little Mermaid, Hoover Dam, Red Square... are just a few that belong on this list.
"Iconic" to me means that when you see a picture of it you instantly know what it is, where it is, and get a sence for its locale. You don't have to like it. You just have to recongize it.
4 May 2011 6:16AM digitravel Report this comment
Have a look at the Albanian Coast, you might not recognize the places at first, but you will definitely recognize them after the first visit. (@ http://www.digi-travel.com @)
4 May 2011 7:41AM linkaa Report this comment
Mount Rushmore....seriously boring. I think the rest of the list is pretty good, but I went to Rushmore and it really is just a tourist trap. The Pantheon or The Roman Coliseum are more iconic than Mt. Rushmore in a heartbeat. La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona as well as the entire city of Venice, Italy & the Sphinx to name a few.
4 May 2011 10:02AM deebee11432 Report this comment
Angkor Wat is my number one favorite! A must see!
4 May 2011 3:17PM naja9 Report this comment
mister_d is dead right!! I couldn't agree more! And of course, I would surely include Parthenon and all monuments on the Acropolis, since it's a symbol of the thriving of Democracy at its best, it was built with outstanding architectural ideas and building methods that had never been used before. It's iconic since, when someone sees it, they know where it is and what it symbolises. The same goes for the Colosseum, la Sagrada Familia, Venice, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Statue of Liberty in NYC, the Mermaid of Copenhagen, and so many other structures that belong to smaller countries (for example, the Dragon of Ljiubljana on one of its bridges), but, still, they are all man made (anyway - how else could it be?) and recognisable for the people that have been there before. I guess this list is about the 10 iconic structures that the author has visisted. I'd suggest he/she visit some new places as well...
4 May 2011 4:02PM mister_d Report this comment
...Mona Lisa, VW Beetle, Coke bottle, space shuttle, Ipod, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Bavarian 1-liter beer mass, Boing 747. Russian nesting dolls... Icons all, though not necessarily structures.
4 May 2011 6:01PM jhsimex Report this comment
You guys are so biased. It is headache for you to mention the beautiful creation of Mankind ever from one single rock, Lalibela; Ethiopia. You always try to outshine the westerns heritages. Shame on you
4 May 2011 9:01PM dsalvoni Report this comment
Ok, but I'd like to add these emotional places: 1) Saint Peter' Basilica - Vatican State 2) Parthenon - Greece 3) Colosseum - Italy 4) Chartres Cathedral - France 5) Bamiyan Buddha - Afghanistan 6) World Trade Center Towers - USA
5 May 2011 1:15AM mamerito1 Report this comment
Come on Guys, there's this man-made lake constructed on orders of a king in Uganda (Kabaka Mwanga from 1885 - 1888. Its the ONLY man-made lake in East Africa & 2nd to Lake Nasser in Egypt.
Kabaka's/King's Lake lies 3km on Mengo hill (one of the 7hills of Kampala).
The lake harbors great number of water birds and aquatic life. See link http://bit.ly/mjkEuV
5 May 2011 4:08AM mister_d Report this comment
The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel: that's an icon.
5 May 2011 12:51PM jjneto2 Report this comment
It is a pity that such a good publication as LP still thinks that USA is the center of the solar system. In every list it always presents 20% of places in USA.
I don´t know if it is a marketing strategy, a narrow minded editor, or a careless writer, but it makes your opinion poorer every time.
Mount rushmore???? Crisler Building??? As everybody above listed, I could make a list of more 20 places more iconic than this ones, such as Petra, Jordan, Panama Canal, Panama, Cristo Redentor in Rio, Brazil,
5 May 2011 10:29PM barbyurrita Report this comment
What about Mayan temples, Petra, Colosseum, Acropolis, Cristo Redentor...... Chrysler building, Mount Rushmore?? are you kidding?
6 May 2011 7:30AM travel_everywhere Report this comment
I'd include the Colosseum in Rome and Cologne cathedral in Germany.
6 May 2011 5:38PM naja9 Report this comment
Of course, yes! The Cologne Cathedral! I just loved the view of Cologne and the Rhine from its top early on a rainy morning. I was up there all alone, the first visitor of the day and it's engraved in my heart! Beautiful Cologne! Let's not forget the Ponte Vecchio Bridge (you know, the one with all those stores) in Florence!
6 May 2011 8:55PM afarji Report this comment
The Chrysler Building ... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ???? What about Petra, Chichen Itza, St Sofia, La Alhambra, Abu Simbel... endless better than ... the Chrysler Building .... you've got to be kidding me !
7 May 2011 10:00PM joeyb1959 Report this comment
Gee, there's so much negativity in the comments, so far. Any list will be subjective. Many of the suggestions offered in the comments are structures the masses may not even have heard of, more less recognize as "iconic." Just because your favorite shrine, in some off-the-beaten-path part of Africa, didn't get a mention, is no reason to see red.
Although the Crysler Building isn't one of my favorites, I can understand why it might be mentioned. It's style is very unusal for a skyscraper. I love the Statue of Liberty, however, it isn't unique, as there is a smaller duplicate in Paris. Maybe that's why the author didn't include it. Overall, I think it's a suitable list for the masses. Every stucture on it I recognized and knew where it was. Those of us in the 1% of travellers, who have explored more of the Earth and seen more of its treasures, should realize that Lonely Planet can't make a business out of only appealing to us. Lighten up! Smile. It's a good day to be alive.
9 May 2011 12:50AM rcbg Report this comment
Nasca Lines (Southern Peru) gets my vote. Goodness knows when I watched 'Chariots of the Gods' in black and white on tv, but that planted the inquisative travel seed for me.
9 May 2011 3:52AM richardmalpass Report this comment
Not sure I would have placed the short term pleasures of Big Ben over the days full of exploration and jaw-dropping architecture in Petra, Jordan.
18 May 2011 6:26PM theknowerofstuff Report this comment
Pretty standard list (note: not saying thats bad, just saying...)
Some others I might add: -Any of the big mosques in Istanbul (The Aya Sofia, The Blue Mosque, The New Mosque, Süleymaniye [my favorite], etc.) -Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna (ESPECIALLY for classical music fans, for obvious reasons) -The National Mall in Washington DC (You've got the Washington, Lincoln, WWI and WWII monuments along with the White House at one end, the Capital and Supreme Court at the other and the Smithsonian Museum lining the sides. Awesome ;)
I also find it humorous that people keep referring to the entire city of Venice as one structure...
3 July 2011 11:54PM cosmopolitan_person Report this comment
Well, if we are listing the most iconic structures in the world I am surprised that neither the Leaning Tower of Pisa, nor St Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow, feature above.
18 September 2011 6:06PM amats Report this comment
The acropolis is the most iconic structure next to the pyramids. Not sure how the Parthenon missed the list over Rushmore and the chrysler bld. Ha ha! Just saying....
4 January 2012 8:55AM hristinab Report this comment
I couldn't agree more with the comments about the Parthenon not making the list.
All in all, a pretty unimaginative list.