The Danish architect Jorn Utzon started the Sydney Opera, which has become a symbol of Sydney and Australia, in 1959. Once you see the white shell-domes, which look like sails full of wind you will never forget them. The original project...

St. Vitus Cathedral is the most remarkable masterpiece of the Czech gothic style. It was conceived as the major Czech cathedral and the burial-vault of kings. The construction works began in 926 and have lasted for more than 1000 years....

It is thanks to King Charles that The Charles Bridge appeared. In 1357, Peter Parlerz, the architect of St. Vitus Cathedral, started the construction. The bridge is well-known for its numerous sculptures. On its two sides there are big...

The aluminum spheres of the Atomium are recognized all over the world. This intricate monument was constructed for the World exhibition of 1958, and according to the idea of its authors it symbolizes the human knowledge of atom’s...

The symbol of Rio is a huge stone statue of Christ, which stands on its highest peak - the Corcovado Mountain, which is 704 m high. With his hands stretched out, Christ seems to bless and to guard the city. In 1922, the year of 100th anniversary...

The biggest orthodox temples in the Balkans and one of the most honored orthodox temples in Europe, the Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia is a monument of gratitude of Bulgarian people to two hundred thousand of Russian soldiers that...

St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica legally belong to the Vatican City. The place is one of the biggest squares in Europe; however, the Red Square in Moscow, the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg and the Senate Square in Paris leave...

The Big Ben, called the voice of the city, shows the exact time since 1859. The building of the tower, which is 320 feet high, began in 1837 when Queen Victoria entered the British throne. At that time the Houses of Parliament were under...

Westminster Abbey is said to be the tallest building in the British Isles. As in many other prominent churches, its plan represents a cross. It was William the Conqueror who in 1066 approved the Abbey to be the place of royal coronation....

The best project for the Tower Bridge was proposed in 1884 by the London architect Horas Johnson. Constructing took eight years and required five general contractors and 432 workers. A massive pier was put into the river-bed to support...

Frauenkirche (the Church of Our Lady) was designed by George Bahr, who died without having seen the completion of his greatest work, and built in the years 1726 to 1743. The dome, called the 'Stone Bell' towered over the city of Dresden...

A treasure of Cologne, a masterpiece of gothic architecture, Cologne Cathedral of the Saints Peter and Maria amazes by its greatness and solidity as well as by lightness and elegance. It is the biggest cathedral in Germany and one of the...

Athens has preserved treasures that refer to various periods and cultures. However, there is one place that is recognized as true Greek - the Acropolis. A 150-meter hill where it stands is a natural fortification itself. The Acropolis has...

Every city has its own symbol and Copenhagen does not make an exception. By the seaboard on a granite rock there sit a Little Mermaid looking thoughtfully to the sea. This delicate statue was commissioned to the Danish sculptor Edward Eriksen...

Kronborg Castle stands near the town of Elsinore at the narrowest point of the Oresund, the sound between Denmark and Sweden. Elegant sharp towers covered with copper dominate over solid castle walls. The castle's rich history is also a...

A true visiting card of Egypt is its numerous pyramids, which are big and small, graduated and straight, preserved almost intact or heavily ruined. The most famous are: Khufu's Great Pyramid, Khafre's pyramid and Menkaure's pyramid known...

The Sinai Peninsula has always been a transitory territory of several empires, being captured by Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Arabs and Turks. However, it is widely known as a biblically significant site where the Jews have been wandered...

The Dome of the Rock is a famous Islamic shrine in Jerusalem and is the oldest remaining Islamic sanctuary and the third important holy place after Mecca and Medina. It is sometimes called the Mosque of Umar, though it is not a mosque -...

The Coliseum of Rome is said to be the most recognized monument of the world, although it does not make part of the Seven Wonders. When coming to Rome for the first time, everyone wishes to see this grandiose amphitheatre and to recall...

It is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal and probably the most famous in the city. Originally it was made of wood, and after it had collapsed in 1444 under the weight of a crowd watching a boat parade, it was rebuilt in wood again....

St. Mark's Square has an irregular A-line shape. Stretched for 175 meters long, it is dominated by the Basilica, the Dodge's Palace, and by the Basilica's campanile. St. Mark's Basilica, which was started to be built a thousand years ago,...

The Leaning tower was designed as a campanile of Pisa's cathedral. It is sometimes said that the leaning was deliberately done by the constructors to demonstrate their architectural skills; however, it does not seem to be true. More realistic...

No other architect has changed his city and made it famous as Antonio Gaudi did for Barcelona. His buildings, which seem to be naturally created from stone, sand and colorful pebbles have neither angles nor straight lines. Citizens of Barcelona...

The world known Alhambra is a treasure of Andalusia. It is a marvelous Arabic palace located within the city of Granada. Alhambra is the most important, and the best preserved Arabic palace of those times. Its name is translated as 'something...

Nobody knows exactly when a minaret of major mosque of Seville, known as Guiralda, was laid. The tower got its name in 16th century when a turning figure of an angel was fixed on its top. The Spanish word 'girar' (which means 'turn') was...

A lime hillock situated on the left bank of the Vistula is a historic center of city of Krakow. The Royal Caste situated on the hill is a place of great significance for the Polish people. Inside the castle walls there are a pre-roman Rotunda...

Montelbaanstoren tower is one of the most famous sights of Amsterdam. It was constructed in the 16th century and after a short time got a nickname 'Silly Jacob' due to the tower clock that never showed the right time. ...

In Roman times, deep marshes stretched along the coast of the Netherlands. Local peoples have been struggling with nature for land for ages having invented windmills. The first windmill dates middle 16th century. A device that could pump...

State Opera House of Vienna built between 1891 and 1869 is one of the most famous world opera stages. During the World War II it was almost ruined, so only the front staircase of the present building is original.

The famous Trakai castle, which occupies an island in Galva Lake, is the main sight of the ancient capital of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. It is worth noting that the Trakai is the only one island castle in Western Europe. Moreover, it...

In 647, by order of Gaozong, the third emperor of Tan dynasty, a pagoda modeled from an Indian temple was built. Originally, it consisted of five floors, but during multiple reconstructions more stories have been added. The pagoda was built...

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening into the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The idea of constructing the bridge appeared in 1872, although was brought into life only in 1937. It...

Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, which stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, is the most famous monument of the city. The statue was given to the US by France on July 4, 1884 and opened to...

A public observatory at the top of the Empire State Building offers impressive views of the city, and is a popular tourist destination. This 102-story building is the second highest construction in the US after Scans Roebuck in Chicago,...

El Djem used to be a Roman settlement in Tunisia called Thysdrus. It was the largest city in the African province and an important center of olive oil manufacturing and trade. Its amphitheatre is said to be one of the biggest buildings...

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic architecture. It was designed by the architect of the Sultan Ahmed, Sedefhar Mehmet Aga, and built within seven years between 1609 and 1616. The mosque is...

Saint Sophia Cathedral is an outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus' and the principle cathedral of Kievan metropolitan. The cathedral was constructed in 1037-1044 under the prince Yaroslav the Wise. It achieved its present Ukranian...

The Helsinki Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral. Until the independence of Finland in 1917, it was called St. Nicolas' church. The cathedral was built in 1830-1852, representing the neoclassical style. It was originally designed...

The cathedral was laid in 11th century by the bishop Foulbert in the place of an ancient druid temple. After the fire of 1194, the cathedral was rebuilt, the ancient Foulbert crypt was built into the foundation, and the gothic facade of...

The building was originally a railway station, ordered in 1898 to Victor Laloux by the Paris-Orleans railway, and completed in 1900 to the opening of World's fare. It closed in 1939 and was abandoned and even subject to demolition. In...

The Eiffel Tower is nowadays the most famous landmark and symbol of Paris and France. Named after its designer, engineer Gustav Eiffel, it is a premier tourist destination, with over 5.5 million visitors per year. The structure was built...

For many centuries, a unique historic and architectural ensemble has been developing. Historic part of the city is represented by a pentagonal walled in fortress with square and round soaring towers that date 14-16th centuries. Mincheta...

Tallinn City hall dominates the City Hall Square and symbolizes the Old City. The building toped with a famous 'Old Tomas' weathercock dates 15-16th centuries. Nowadays, the City Hall remains important for the city as it houses official...

A Buddist temple Ginkaku-ji is one of Japanese treasures built in eastern Kyoto 1483 under the Shogun Ashikaga. The name of the temple means 'Temple of the Silver Pavilion'. This is a two-storied temple with a hipped roof, toped with a...

Taj Mahal is the name of a monument located on the river Jamne, in 2 km from Agra, the former capital of the Mongol Empire. Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Mungal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife, Mutmaz-ul-Zamani. It took...

Borobudur is located on the Indonesian island of Java. The name 'Borobudur' is translated as monastery hill. Actually, the monument represents a hill covered with stone stupas from bottom to top, with all its eight levels opened to the...