150 Landmarks Flashcards
Statue of Liberty
Located on Liberty Island, an exclave of Manhattan (one of the 5 boroughs in NYC), NYC, New York. It was a gift from the French to America and was designed by a Frenchman and built by the same man behind the Eiffel tower in France. In her left hand is a tabula ansata, a tablet, with the inscription 7/4/1776. It is currently maintained by the National Park Service in the US.
Eiffel Tower
Located on the Champ de Mars, a large public greenspace in Paris, France. It is an iron lattice tower, useful for electricity transmission, as a radio tower or an observation tower. The eiffel tower was designed as an entrance to the 1889 Worlds Fair, a celebration during the 100th year after the storming of the bastille, representing the dawn of the french liberation. The Worlds fair event was packed full of events and attractions including a highly racist “Human zoo” exhibition displaying what was then considered uncivilized people from around the world from non-european countries. The eiffel tower itself stands as one of the tallest structures in the world, at 1063 ft. It is the most visited pay for landmarks in the world.
Big Ben
Big ben is a nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north of the Palace of the Westminster (the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the U.K. Commonly known as the House of Parliament ), its name is derived from the nearby Westminster Abbey. The tower which holds big ben was originally called ‘the clock tower’ but is now called the Elizabeth tower.
Big ben is a british cultural icon and represents parliamentary democracy.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning tower is considered to be a campanile, or a freestanding bell tower or a tower that is built to hold a bell but might not. It is located in city of Pisa in the region of Tuscany in Italy. The tower leans at 3.99 degrees, and it stands at 185.93 feet on the highest side.
Colosseum [ new 7 wonders of the world member ]
The Colosseum also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, located in the center of Rome, Italy, and is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The three emperors under which the colosseum was built are known as the flavian dynasty. The colosseum could hold up 50,000 to 80,000 spectators, but on average 65,000. It was used to hold events like gladiatorial battles, plays based on classical mythological stories, mock sea battles, re-enactments of famous battles. In the early medieval period it was then used for housing, workshops, a christian shrine, etc.
The colosseum is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world (7 monuments out of 200 monuments). Damage to the colosseum was from damage caused from stone-robbers and earthquakes. Every good friday the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession that begins at the Colosseum.
Empire State Building
A 102 story Art Deco building in the middle of Midtown Manhattan, NYC, NY, the westside of Fifth Avenue, and between West 33rd and 34th streets. It stands at 1454 feet tall, and was once the tallest building in the world.
“Empire State” is known as New Works nickname. It originated as the Woldorf-Astoria hotel, which had 86 rooms and was meant to be the tallest building of its time, it was torn down years later to make way for the empire state building. It was the tallest building in NYC till the northern half of the twin towers, world trade center was built, but after the attacks on 9/11 it regained its mantle.
There are at least 9 buildings taller than the empire state building today, the tallest being the Burj Khalifa in dubai at 2717ft, seconded by the Shanghai Tower.
Golden State Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, a one mile strait connecting San Francisco bay and the Pacific Ocean, from San Francisco to Marin County. At the time of its creation it was the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris meaning “Our Lady of Paris”, also known as the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Notre-Dame, is considered one of the finest French Gothic buildings existing, with its use of rib vault and flying buttress, colorful windows and sculptural decoration. It was completed in 1260, but suffered desecration during the French revolution when much of its religious art was destroyed. After the famous book by Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was released it won a newfound public favor.
Tokyo tower
A communication and observation tower in the Shiba-koen district of Minto, Tokyo. It is 1092 feet tall, just over 30 feet taller than the Eiffel tower. It makes money from tourism and antenna leasing, mostly by radio stations. It was completed in 1958 and stands as an iconic tokyo landmark. It was once the highest viewing point in all of till the Shard building superseded it.
London Eye
The London eye is a circular, giant ferris wheel in the south bank river of the River Thames in London. It is the most popular tourist attraction in the U.K. It was opened to the world in 2000 and was the tallest ferris wheel in the world.
St. Peters Basilica
The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican or simply St. Peters Basilica is an Italian Renaissance church in Vatican City, Rome. Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michaelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, it stands as the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world. It is the burial site of St. Peter, chief apostle among Jesus’ apostles. There is some question as to whether Peter ever did travel to Rome.
Sagrada Familia
The Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, (expiatory is the act of appeasing a diety, earning its favor or sparing its wrath) is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It should be complete by 2032.
The Little Mermaid (statue)
The statue depicts a mermaid, it is 4.1 feet tall, based on the popular storybook and has been a popular tourist destination since 1913. It has come to symbolize the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Great Wall of China [ new 7 wonders of the world member ]
The wall is built from the east to west line of the northern Chinese borders to protect against eurasian groups. Several walls were built since the 7th century, eventually joined and now represent the great wall. It also serves as border control. It is considered to be one of the new 7 wonders of the world. It stretches for more than 7 million feet, though the wall is not contiguous in every part!
Sydney Opera House
A multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The building has three resident companies: Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre company, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. So you have a concert hall, a drama theatre, a recording studio and more. It was home to the 2000 Sydney Australian Olympic Games.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
The Saint Basil’s cathedral, otherwise known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, and officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or the Pokrovsky Cathedral, is a church and/or museum in Red square, Moscow, Russia, and is one of the most popular landmarks in Russia. It was built in 1551-1561, under command from Ivan the Terrible and commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. It was the second tallest building in Russia after the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600, inside the Moscow Kremlin. St Basils cathedral should not be confused with the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the St. Basils cathedral is colorful where the Ivan the Great Bell Tower is mostly white and gold.
As part of Russias state-atheism movement the church was confiscated from the orthodox church as a division of the State historical museum of Russia, when it became a secularized and a museum as opposed to a church.
Hollywood Sign
Situated on Mount Lee, on the Hollywood hills in Santa Monica, the Hollywood sign is a cultural staple. Originally an ad for a local real estate development. originally erected in 1923 and read Hollywoodland., it was meant to name the segregated whites-only housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district in L.A.
Arc de Triompe de L’Etoile
The Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile, or translated Triumphal arch of the star, is a famous Neoclassical monument in western Paris. It must not be confused with a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Triumphal arch of the star sits at the intersection of 12 roads.
The Arc de Trionphe de l’Etoile honors those who fought and died for France in the French revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, with the names of the French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer walls. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown soldier from WW1.
Its iconography pits heroically nude French Youths against bearded german warriors in chain mail, setting the tone for the patriotic message. The Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile was inspired by yet another arc, the original Arch of Titus, in Rome.
Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall is a ‘wall’ that divided East and West Berlin from 1961-1989. The wall surrounded all of east Berlin and was meant to keep its inhabitants from leaving, claiming to protect the east from fascist elements of the west that would prevent the eastern people from living in a socialist state. Many fled this ‘socialist freedom’ to the west and many died trying.
Willis Tower, Sears Tower
The Willis tower, or Sears tower is a 1,450 feet tall bundled tube building, built by a Banlgedishi-american architect, in Chicago Illinois. Willis Group, its namesake, is a London based insurance group, other future tenants are American Airlines and in 2019 Morgan Stanley. It was originally commissioned by the Sears company but they were far too optimistic of their future growth, they no longer inhabit the building.
Stonehenge
A prehistoric (period between use of the first stone tools and writing) monument in Wiltshire, England ( also in the U.K., since the United Kingdom is a sovereign state that contains England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales ). Each standing stone stands at 13 feet in height, 7 feet wide, and weigh 25 tons.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Known as the tallest mountain and volcano in all of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania. It has 3 volcanos with one still active, and is prone to periodic eruptions.
Uluru
Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in central Australia. It is sacred to the aboriginal people in the area. The rock is known to change colors during different times of day and year but most notably it glows red at dawn and sunset.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum (a free-standing monument enclosing a burial site) in the Indian city of Agra, on the south bank of the Yamuna river. It was built by an emperor to house the body of his deceased favorite wife, who was named Mumtaz Mahal. In todays value the structure would have taken 827 million to build. It is a symbol of muslim art and Indian history.
Great Pyramids of Giza
The Giza pyramid complex is an archeological site (location where historical activity is preserved and can only be investigated using the discipline of archaeology) on the Giza plateau, in Giza, Egypt.
Capitol Hill
Make sure not to get Capitol Hill confused with the Capitol building, Capitol hill is a metonym (figure of speech) for the U.S. congress, but refers to the largest and oldest historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. It is also densely populated. It is home to 4 types of buildings: the Capitol, the Supreme Court building, library of Congress, and the Congressional office buildings.
The Great Sphinx
The Great Sphinx of Giza (English: the terrifying one, Literally: Father of Dread) is a limestone statue of reclining sphinx. It stands on the Giza Plateau, on the West bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. It is said to represent the pharaoh Khafre. It as cut from the bedrock, and stands as a monolith, much like the Uluru or Ayers rock in Australia.
The Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge is a blue and white combined suspension bridge (like the Golden gate bridge) and bascule bridge (bridge that allows for movement of boats and maintains ). It is not to be mistaken for the famed London bridge. It’s colors are blue and white.
Forbidden City, China
The Forbidden City is a palace complex in central Beijing, China, and was the former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420-1912). The palace exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and served as a home, ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the worlds tallest mountain, located in the Himalayas - the international border between Nepal and Tibet, China run across its summit point. Its current elevation stands at just over 29,000ft.
The Grand Canyon
Steep sided canyon carved by the Colorado river in Arizona. Its about a mile deep, 18 miles wide, 277 miles long. The area was considered by Native Americans to be sacred, and Theodore Roosevelt was known to frequently visit the canyon to hunt and sightsee.
Neuschwanstein Castle
A castle in Bavaria, germany, bought by Ludwig II of Bavaria, and was paid for by loans and personal wealth rather than from state funds. The king lived in the castle till his death, after which it was turned to a tourist destination. Also called New Swanstone Castle.
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn is a mountain in the Alps straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy. It’s interesting because its peak looks similar to a pyramid and its summit is 14692ft. It is considered one of the deadliest peaks in the world with over 500 people having died trying to climb it.
Pompeii
Pompeii is an ancient Roman city near Naples, Italy. Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash and volcanic rock in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, many of the inhabitants were buried before they could escape. The city has been largely preserved due to lack of air and moisture, with dead bodies replaced by plaster to give a horrific reminder of what took place.
Florence Cathedral
Florence Cathedral, known formally as the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, Cathedrale di Santa Maria el Fiore, is a Cathedral in Florence, Italy. The Cathedral complex is located in Piazza el Duomo and represents one of the most visited parts of Italy. It includes three sites, the Cathedral, the Florence Baptisery or the Baptisery of St John (a religious building and minor basilica) and Giottos Campanile (a free-standing campanile ). The cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence.
Edinburgh Castle
A historic citadel or fortress that dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position on Castle Rock. It is known as “the most besieged place in Great Britain d one of the most attacked in the world”. It was one of the most important strongholds in all of Scotland.
Machu Pichu
Machu Picchu is a 15th century citadel or fortress located in southern Peru. It is the most familiar icon of the Inca civilization. The Incas built it around 1450 but abandoned it during the Spanish Conquest. It wasn’t known to the Spanish during the colonial period and would be later “discovered” by an American explorer and historian.
Christ the redeemer
Art deco statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Created by french sculptor and built by one brazilian and one french engineer. The state stands 98ft high and the arms stretch out 92ft wide. It is a symbol of christianity around the world. The statue was funded by urging of catholics who believed a landmark needed to be made in opposition to the godlessness of Brazil at the time.
CN Tower
Concrete communication and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing at 553.3ft high. It was the tallest free-standing structure for some 35 years till other structures like the burj khalifa took that title.
Mannekin pis
Small bronze sculpture in Brussels, that served as a symbol of the sense of humor of the people of Brussels and their independence of mind.
Acropolis
An Acropolis (translates to city on the highest ground). Acropoleis served as a nuclei of large cities of classical antiquity, such as Ancient Athens and were chosen for purposes of defense.
The White House
Official workplace and residence of the POTUS, since John Adams. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue NW, in Washington D.C. It was designed by an Irish-born architect and is neoclassical. The southern facade is circular, the northern facade is triangular.
Brooklyn Bridge
A hybrid suspension and cable-stayed(one or two towers support deck with cables) bridge connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan in NYC, spanning the East River. It was the worlds first suspension bridge and one of the oldest bridges in the US.
Times Square
Times Square is a major tourist destination, entertainment center and commercial intersection, and living area in the midtown manhattan portion of NYC, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. It is nicknamed the “Crossroads of the World”, “the Center of the Universe”, ”the Heart of the Great White Way”, and “the heart of the World”. it is the hub of the Broadway Theater District (area where most Broadway theaters are located). It is not a geometric square, more of a town square.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles was the principal royal residence of France under Louis XIV until the start of the French Revolution. It is located in southwest of the centre of Paris.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi fountain is a fountain in the Trevi district, Rome, Italy. Standing 86ft high and 161.3ft wide it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world, making its way into numerous movies.
Burj Al Arab Hotel
The Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel in Dubai, on an artificial island. It is the third tallest hotel in the world even though 39% of it is uninhabitable. Its 689ft tall and is meant to look like the sail of a ship.
Buckingham Palace
The Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the monarch of the U.K., located in the city of Westminster, an inner London borough.
Louvre Museum
The Louvre stands as the world largest art museum. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built as the Louvre Castle in the late 12th to 13th century. The famous Venus de Milo is hosted here, as well as other great art pieces. The louvre pyramid is considered a controversial addition to the environment.
Saint Mark’s Basilica
Saint Mark’s Basilica is he cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It represents Venetian wealth and power, and was called the Church of gold.
Niagara falls
Niagara falls is a combination of three waterfalls that straddle the border of New york state and the Canadian province of Ontario. The combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America. Niagara falls, located in the Niagara River, drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario.
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa, also known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010 is a skyscraper in Dubai, a city in the United Arab Emirates. It is 2,722 ft tall. It is the tallest building in the world. It was designed by an American architect whose firm designed the Willis/Sear Tower and the One World Trade Center. The ruler of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa, would lend his name to the building after donating to it during a hard financial strait.
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially called Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It was built by William the conqueror, and was used as a prison for over 850 years. Many public figures including at least one queen was “sent to the Tower” in their time.
Royal Palace of Madrid
The royal palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the city of Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace and instead live on the outskirts of Madrid, in a more modest palace.It is an opulent and baroque style palace.
Mont st Michel, France
Le Mont-Saint-Michel or Mont Saint Michel is an island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. Much like the tower of london the Mont St Michel was converted to a jail at some point. It is one of France’s most recognizable landmarks.
Las Vegas
City in Nevada, US.
Windsor Castle
A royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is known for its long association with the English (England) royal family and later British royal family. It was built after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror, and it became the longest-occupied palace in Europe.
Sacre Coeur, Paris
The Sacra-Coeur is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris, France, is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second most visited monument in Paris (second to the Eiffel tower I’m sure).
St Paul’s Cathedral
A St Paul’s Cathedral, London, is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is dedicated to Paul the Apostle.
Central Park
An urban park in Manhattan, New York City, located between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side, bounded by Fifth Avenue on the east. It is one of the most filmed locations in the world. In terms of area it is the fifth largest park in NYC.
