Places everyone dreams of visiting cultured person. Experts from the world's largest travel website have compiled a ranking of 25 cultural sites that were most highly rated by tourists from around the globe. In general, if you have not yet decided on your plans for the next 25 vacations.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, recognized as one of the New Wonders of the World, is located in modern Peru, on the top of a mountain range at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. It is called the “city in the sky” or “city among the clouds”, sometimes called the “lost city of the Incas”. Some archaeologists believe that the city was created as a sacred mountain retreat by the great Inca ruler Pachacutec around 1440, and functioned until 1532, when the Spanish invaded the Inca Empire. In 1532, all its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the six largest mosques in the world. Named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Nations United Arab Emirates. Unlike many other Muslim temples, everyone is allowed into it, regardless of faith.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The Taj Mahal Mausoleum is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The structure was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love.
Mezquita, Cordoba, Spain
Walls decorated with intricate patterns, mosaic ornaments, hundreds of thin openwork columns - this is how the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba appears today. Many centuries ago, there was an ancient Roman temple on this site, then it was replaced by a Visigothic church, and in 785 the Mezquita appeared. It became the second most important mosque on the planet, and the pilgrimage to Cordoba was even equated to the obligatory hajj to Mecca for every Muslim. But then the Catholics replaced the Moors, and Mezquita was turned into a Christian temple.
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Italy
The heart of the Vatican and everything Catholic world, St. Peter's Basilica is one of the main attractions of Rome. Here you can view ancient Rome from a bird's eye view, admire the interior of the cathedral from the top of the dome, celebrate Mass and even receive the blessing of the pontiff.
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Cambodian temple Angkor Wat is the largest religious building ever created, the history of which goes back almost 9 centuries. Even its name speaks about the monumentality of the temple complex, because Angkor Wat literally translates as Temple City. It covers an area of 200 hectares and is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide. This colossal structure is dedicated to the god Vishnu, revered in this area.
Bayon Temple Complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Bayon is one of the most amazing temples located on the territory of Angkor Thom and was its religious center. The “highlight” of Bayon are the towers with many faces carved from stone, silently looking from above over the vast territory of Angkor Thom, and during the heyday of the state, over the entire Khmer Empire. Initially, there were 54 towers, which symbolized the 54 provinces under the rule of the king. Today, only about 37 towers remain.
Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Savior on Blood, became the only Russian attraction on Trip Advisor's list. The Savior on Spilled Blood attracts tourists from all over the world not only with the splendor of its domes and interiors, but also with its unusual history, which has given rise to many legends and speculations. Many of them are related to the fact that the temple was erected on the spot where on March 1, 1881, the Narodnaya Volya member I. Grinevitsky mortally wounded Alexander II, who was popularly called the Tsar Liberator for the abolition of serfdom.
Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg National Military Park is not a park in the traditional sense. Here you will not find shady alleys and flowering flower beds. This is the site where an important battle took place in 1863 civil war in the United States.
Walls of the old city, Dubrovnik, Croatia
In 1979, UNESCO declared Dubrovnik's Old Town a World Heritage Site, including a significant portion of the city's ancient walls. They surround the city on all four sides and contain a venerable collection of historical monuments, including towers, fortresses, churches, monasteries, squares and streets, schools, museums and galleries. Built for defensive purposes, these stone walls have protected its citizens since the founding of Dubrovnik in the 6th century.
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar
Shwedagon Pagoda is the tallest spiritual building in Myanmar, or, as it is also called, the Land of Pagodas. The entire complex of the giant pagoda occupies more than five hectares of land, on which, in addition to the main structure, there are many smaller spiers and countless sculptures of mythical and real animals : golden griffins and elephants, dragons and lions. The Shwedagon Pagoda became what it is today in the 15th century, during the reign of Queen Shinsobu. It was then that the gigantic temple was finally given the shape of an inverted begging bowl and sheathed in gold from top to bottom.
Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Washington, DC
The Lincoln Memorial is a majestic temple made in the ancient Greek style and somewhat reminiscent of the Parthenon. It is supported by 36 white marble columns, representing the number of states that belonged to the United States at the time of President Lincoln's death. In the center of the temple is a statue of the world's most respected American President sitting in a chair. Its height is 5.79 meters.
Ancient City of Petra, Petra/Wadi Musa, Jordan
In the very heart of Jordan, in the Wadi Musa valley, deep in the sandy mountains, there is the most amazing ancient city of Petra. Petra was originally a temporary refuge for the nomadic Nabatean tribes. From several fortified rock caves, it gradually grew into a large fortified city. There is only one way to get to the city - through the narrow Siq gorge, which was once the bed of a mountain stream. Petra still belongs to the Bedouins, who warmly welcome guests to their land.
Section of the Great Wall of China Mutianyu, Beijing, China
On no other section of the Great Wall of China were restoration work carried out as well as on the Mutianyu section. This site, with 22 watchtowers that have retained their original appearance, is a true architectural masterpiece. The phrase Mutianyu with Chinese language translates as “valley in which you can admire the views of the fields.” Among all the sections of the Great Wall of China, Mutianyu is the longest fully restored section open to tourists.
Ancient city of Ephesus, Selcuk, Türkiye
The largest and best preserved ancient city on the shores of the Aegean Sea and second in importance after Pompeii in the Mediterranean, ancient Ephesus is the most visited attraction in Turkey. Legends connect the appearance of the city with the name of Androcles, the son of the ruler of Athens, Codra, who, on the advice of an oracle, arrived in these places to found the temple of Artemis. The city got its name from the Amazon Ephesia, Androcles' lover.
Alhambra, Spain
The Alhambra (Arabic: Al Hamra - literally "Red Castle") is an ancient palace and fortress of the Moorish rulers of the province of Granada in southern Spain. The castle occupies the top of a rocky plateau on the southeastern border of Granada. The name Alhambra probably comes from the color of the sun-dried clay or bricks from which the castle walls are made. However, some historians suggest that the name came from the “red flame of torches” that illuminated the many years of construction of the castle, which went on around the clock.
Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
The Australian War Memorial is the main memorial dedicated to the memory of soldiers killed during the First and Second World Wars. Today it is considered one of the most significant monuments of its kind in the world. The memorial is located near the Parliament building, from the balcony of which a 360-degree panorama of the monument opens.
Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy
According to the chronicles, at the beginning of the 13th century, the inhabitants of the city-state of Siena, which acted as the main competitor and adversary of Florence, “called upon their leaders to build a temple more magnificent than that of their neighbors.” So, between 1215 and 1263, on the site of the old temple, the Duomo of Siena was founded according to the plan of the Gothic master Niccolò Pisano. Today this majestic temple is the main attraction of the city.
Milan Cathedral (Duomo), Milan, Italy
The most important place in Milan is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente (Duomo), a pearl of Italian Gothic architecture, which was built from 1386 to the beginning of the 19th century. The third largest Catholic church on the planet can easily be considered one of the wonders of the world. Its hundred-meter spiers tower over the center of Milan, and the golden statue of the Madonna on the longest spire (four meters high) is visible from many parts of the city.
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world: its construction began almost 150 years ago and continues to this day. Although Antonio Gaudi initially had nothing to do with the construction of this temple, a year after the start of work he headed this project. Gaudi built the temple for 30 years until he died. The reason for such a long construction period is that the Sagrada Familia is built solely on donations from parishioners.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
If you look at the map, you can understand why the bridge (not golden at all, but red) is called a gate. The main local attraction “let” the Pacific Ocean into the San Francisco Bay, connecting the city with Marin County. This grandiose structure was built from 1933 to 1937. At the time of its opening, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world.
Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro
The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most famous and popular monuments in the world. Every year, millions rise to its foot, from where a stunning panorama of the city and the bay opens with the picturesque Sugar Loaf Mountain, the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and the huge bowl of the Maracana Stadium.
Teotihuacan, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico
The name of the ancient settlement of Teotihucan is translated from the Aztec language as “the city where people become gods.” According to legend, after the Great Flood, the gods returned to Teotihuacan to re-create the world. Modern researchers believe that the area of this ancient settlement was 26-28 square kilometers, and the population was about 200 thousand people. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Western Hemisphere, the exact age of which is still unknown.
Golden Temple - Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India
Harmandir Sahib is one of the oldest and most revered temples in India and is the Mecca of the Sikhs. Its upper tiers are covered with gold, which is why it is also known as the “Golden Temple”. The road to the entrance to the temple goes along a narrow marble bridge over a pond, the water of which is considered healing. Pilgrims believe that it consists of the elixir of immortality and holy water. The road over the bridge symbolizes the path from the sinner to the righteous.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Its architect was the Dane Jorn Utzon. Having designed the original roofs, somewhat reminiscent of shells, he gave Sydney a magnificent gift - a symbol of the city. Today, every tourist planning to visit Australia definitely includes an excursion to the majestic opera house in his travel itinerary.
The sights of the world are a huge number of popular and little-known ancient and modern, man-made and natural objects of history, culture, architecture, archeology, scattered across various centers of deceased and existing civilizations on planet Earth.
How to choose and see the most famous sights in the world? Here you need to be guided, first of all, by your own taste, knowledge of the history and culture of mankind. Here are just some of the sights that played a significant role in the history of their region and the whole world.
Sights of China
This is a symbol of China, which is included in the famous UNESCO list. People who love China and its history simply must visit this gigantic creation of human hands. This defensive structure was built under different dynasties and over many centuries. In addition to protection, in some areas the Wall was and is still used as a road.
The Great Wall of China was built to protect against attacks by the Mongols and other barbarian tribes from the north even before our era. Its main part was built during the Qin Dynasty. It has a length of about 21 thousand km and is clearly visible from space. Even today, its fortifications are extremely difficult to overcome.
Forbidden City
This is the ancient part of Beijing, one of its main attractions. The official residence of the Chinese emperors was located here; his family, entourage and servants lived here. Everyone else could not enter this huge palace complex under pain of death. Today the Forbidden City is simply called Gugun or Former Palace.
The Forbidden City began to be built at the beginning of the 15th century, and was built in 15 years. A significant part of the rich interior decoration of his palaces has survived to this day. In 1924, the last Chinese emperor was deposed and the Forbidden City was opened to all Chinese and travelers. Today it is a state museum.
Summer Palace
The Chinese Emperor and his family vacationed in this palace in the summer. The Summer Palace was built relatively recently - in the 18th century, but in the middle of the next century it was burned to the ground by the French and Russian troops who conquered Beijing. Empress Dowager Qix later restored this architectural masterpiece.
Like all Chinese attractions, the Summer Palace has its own gigantic specimens. For example, Long corridor(more than 700 meters), walking along which you can get an impression of the history, mythology, and literature of this amazing country based on paintings and sculptures.
This is another giant Chinese landmark. After the death of the first emperor of the Qin dynasty in the city of Siam, several thousand statues of his soldiers with real weapons in their hands, horses and chariots made of baked terracotta clay were buried near the tomb.
This amazing burial was discovered only in the seventies of the last century. It became another man-made miracle of the era of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, in addition to the Great Wall of China and the Grand Canal, testifying to the greatness of China and its ancient history.
Jade Buddha Temple
This attraction is the calling card of the second Chinese capital of Shanghai. As you know, Confucianism and Buddhism predominate in China. This Shanghai temple is famous for its Buddha statue made from solid jade. Buddha sits with eyes closed and meditates.
Interestingly, this is an active Buddhist temple; monks live next to it in the monastery. And at the same time it is a museum for which tickets are sold. And to look at the meditating jade Buddha, you still need to pay extra. But the monks never allow tourists to attend their meditations.
Actually, Mao is also the great Chinese emperor, only red. And after his death he was given imperial honors. In Beijing, in Tiananmen Square, anyone can visit Mao's Mausoleum. This is one of the famous attractions of China, telling about the history of this country in the 20th century.
As in a Pushkin fairy tale, Mao rests in a crystal coffin on the first floor of his Mausoleum, and on the second floor there is an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Chinese revolution and the Chinese Communist Party.
Sights of Egypt
Great Egyptian Pyramids at Giza
No less great and ancient history has Egypt. Three pyramids of times Ancient kingdom and today continue to amaze tourists from all over the world with their gigantic size. As you know, they can also be seen from space.
Three pharaohs who ruled Ancient Egypt back in the 3rd millennium BC were buried in these pyramids. If desired, tourists can go down inside the pyramid and see the Heavenly Boat, on which the pharaoh, after death, must travel across the sky, heading to his Egyptian gods.
Most of the tombs of ancient pharaohs have been plundered over the past centuries and millennia. And in Luxor, in the middle of the last century, in the Valley of the Kings, the entire tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, who ruled in the New Kingdom and died at a very young age, was found.
Since then, this tomb has become overgrown with many legends and falsifications. Just look at the famous “curse of Tutankhamun”, thanks to Hollywood, and the declaration of the Egyptologists who discovered it as fraudsters. However, today it is the most popular attraction in Egypt, adored by tourists.
Mount Moses
And this is the main attraction of Sinai. In accordance with the Old Testament, the Jews are convinced that the elder of their family, the prophet Moses, received the Tablets on this mountain in which God gave his commandments to humanity.
Today there is a belief that whoever climbs this mountain at sunrise and asks for mercy from God will receive remission of all sins from him. There you can also visit the monastery of St. Catherine, which has existed since Byzantine times.
Sights of Italy
The Colosseum is the most famous amphitheater Ancient Rome, well preserved to this day. He was saved even in the Middle Ages, when everything non-Christian was considered the product of Satan. Its construction began at the very beginning new era, after the death of Nero and the accession to the throne of Emperor Flavius.
Russia is a great and diverse country, its vastness is amazing. There is everything here: from stunning architectural monuments to all sorts of natural attractions, stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean. What can you see in Russia, what are the most interesting and unusual places that attract tourists from all over the world?
Moscow and St. Petersburg, Siberia, the Dolny East, the Volga region, the Krasnodar Territory, the Russian North, the Caucasus and the Urals are the most famous regions where the most famous ones are concentrated.
A selection of the best sites in Russia will help you get to know the history and culture of the country, which ranks first in the world in terms of territory.
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin is perhaps the main attraction of Moscow. This architectural and artistic ensemble is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The unique museum complex includes museum-cathedrals, the Patriarchal Chambers of the 17th century, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Armory Chamber - a museum-treasury.
The Kremlin museums display unique exhibits. Among them are royal carriages, icons, weapons and armor, state regalia and much more. The residence of the President of Russia is located on the territory of the Kremlin.
Visit to the Moscow Kremlin paid, ticket price 500 RUB, children under 16 years old - free.
If you stay in the city for more than a day, you should take care of overnight accommodation. .
Red Square
Red Square is located in the very center of Moscow and is the heart of Russia. There are unique attractions here. What is the Lenin Mausoleum worth with a solemn guard, Execution place, Kazan Cathedral.
The square is the main place for ceremonial parades. This is one of the main attractions of Moscow.
Photo source: raskalov_vit.livejournal.com.
The area of the square is not intended for cars, it is a pedestrian zone.
Tretyakov Gallery
The most famous art museum in Moscow is the Tretyakov Gallery. The museum's collection includes more than 100 thousand works of art. Here is the world's largest collection of Russian visual arts. The museum was founded in 1856 by merchant P. M. Tretyakov. The facade of the museum building is made according to the sketches of the artist Vasnetsov.
Entrance ticket: 400 RUB.
Kizhi Island
The open-air Kizhi Museum-Reserve is on the list of the most visited attractions in Russia. 89 unique monuments of wooden architecture are collected here: ancient houses, chapels, mills, churches, barns and other buildings.
The most famous building of the museum is the Church of the Transfiguration, 1714. Its height is 37 meters and it is decorated with 22 domes. different sizes, descending to the ground. And this entire structure was made without a single nail.
Kizhi Pogost is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The island is located on Lake Onega, 68 km from the capital of Karelia, Petrozavodsk.
Photo source: nice-places.com.
Motor ships run to the island, the cost of a two-way trip is 2750 RUB, departure from Petrozavodsk.
Saint Sophie Cathedral
The Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod is rightfully considered the most outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture. He is only a few years younger than Sophia of Kyiv, it was she who served as the prototype of the Novgorod shrine. The construction of the temple was carried out by the Novgorod prince Vladimir, the son of Yaroslav the Wise.
The cross of the central dome of the cathedral is crowned with a figure of a dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and while he is there, the city is under his protection.
Photo source: dic.academic.ru.
The cathedral is located on the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin, entrance to the temple free.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
The St. Isaac's Cathedral Museum-Monument in St. Petersburg is one of the best cathedrals in Europe, and is also one of the main attractions of Russia.
Famous masters of the mid-19th century worked on the interior decoration of the cathedral, including Karl Bryullov, Fyodor Bruni, Vasily Shebuev, Ivan Vitali. Of particular interest are the mosaic paintings, there are about 60 of them. The stained glass windows are no less beautiful - their area is about 28.5 sq.m.
It is possible to climb to the colonnade of the cathedral dome; from a height of 43 meters a beautiful view of the city opens.
Photo source: kvartirka.com.
Comprehensive ticket to the cathedral and to the colonnade - 400 RUB.
For an overnight stay in St. Petersburg you can use.
Curonian Spit
The Curonian Spit National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located on the Baltic coast. The nature of the spit is diverse and unique; there are deserts and meadows covered with moss and lichen, pine and deciduous forests, swamps and moving dunes.
Photo source: amigo-tours.ru.
The length of the spit is 98 km, the width ranges from 400 to 3800 meters.
One-time pass to visit the park: 250 RUB.
Peterhof Museum-Reserve
Another unique attraction of St. Petersburg. The Peterhof State Museum-Reserve is a palace complex with fountains, gardens and parks. The amazingly beautiful palace and park complex is most famous for its fountains; there are more than 150 of them.
The complex consists of the Upper Garden, the Palace and the Lower Park. One of the main attractions is the Great Cascade, in the center of which is the figure of Samson tearing the jaws of a lion.
Another decoration of the park - White Nights, they last from mid-May to almost mid-July. The museum is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is also recognized as one of the wonders of Russia.
Photo source: tonkosti.ru.
Peterhof is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, 30 km from St. Petersburg.
Museum admission fee: from 70 to 520 RUB.
Kazan Kremlin
The Kazan Kremlin is the main attraction of Kazan. On the territory of the museum-reserve, Tatar and Russian architecture coexist - this is the Annunciation Cathedral and the main mosque of Kazan Kul Shalif, the Governor's House and the leaning tower of Syuyumbike.
The Kremlin is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Photo source: gelio.livejournal.com.
Entrance to the Kremlin territory free. The fee is charged only for visiting museums: from 150 to 250 RUB.
There are a lot of accommodation options in Kazan. .
Sochi Arboretum
The Sochi Arboretum is a monument of landscape gardening art; it houses a unique collection of subtropical plants brought from different parts of the planet. The rose garden is especially popular.
There is a cable car in the park, you can look at all this splendor from a bird's eye view. In 2012, the park celebrated its 120th anniversary.
Photo source: foto.glavbukh.ru.
Admission ticket: 250 RUB.
Lake Teletskoye
The amazingly beautiful Lake Teletskoye is the pearl of Altai. This is one of the deepest lakes on the planet with pure water, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Photo source: rossija.info.
Local peoples consider the lake sacred. The incredible beauty of these places is mesmerizing; the waterfalls are especially interesting - the most visited is Korbu, its height is 12.5 meters. The entire right bank is part of the Altai Nature Reserve.
Steller Arch
Steller Arch - unique monument nature of the Kamchatka region. It is a symbol of the Komandorsky Biosphere Reserve, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean between Poludennaya and Gladkovskaya bays. The height of the arch is 20.6 m, formed as a result of natural erosion of the rock.
Photo source: photokamchatka.ru.
Named after its discoverer, the traveler Georg Wilhelm Steller.
Novgorod child
The Novgorod Kremlin (Detinets) is the oldest Kremlin in Russia, its age has exceeded 970 years. It was included in the list of the best attractions in Russia.
On the territory of the Kremlin there is the most ancient temple Russia - St. Sophia Cathedral, the Vladychnaya (Faceted) Chamber, the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia, the Church of St. Andrew Stratelates and other buildings. The total area of the Kremlin is 12.1 hectares.
Photo source: etotam.com.
The Novgorod Kremlin is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Entry price: 190 RUB.
Kungur Ice Cave
The Kungur Ice Cave is the largest karst cave in Russia; it ranks seventh in the ranking of the longest gypsum caves in the world. Its length is 5600 meters, there are up to fifty grottoes and more than 60 lakes.
The air temperature in some grottoes does not rise above zero degrees. The approximate age of the cave is 10-12 thousand years, located in the Urals in Perm region. The length of the route equipped for tourists is 1500 meters.
Photo source: russia.ksio.ru.
Entrance fees: from 600 to 1000 RUB.
Dombay
Dombay is one of the oldest ski resorts Russia. It is located at the foot of the Main Caucasian ridge at an altitude of 1620 meters in the valley.
Photo source: a-tours.com.
Beautiful nature and fairly developed infrastructure attracts numerous tourists; the season lasts from November to May.
Boxwood Falls
The picturesque Boxwood Falls attract many tourists every year. The waterfalls are located on the Eastern Dagomys River, surrounded by relict forests. The river flows through the gorge, forming cascade waterfalls. Near each of them there are depressions with clear water in which you can swim.
Photo source: openarium.ru.
The highest waterfalls reach a height of 5 meters. The waterfalls are located a few kilometers from Sochi, near the village of Baranovka.
Diamond quarry "Mir"
Yakutia is home to one of the world's largest diamond quarries, Mir. The giant crater, 525 meters deep, is literally mesmerizing, and the quarry is especially impressive from a bird's eye view.
Photo source: free-eyes.com.
Diamonds have been mined here for more than 50 years, the largest was found in 1981 - 324.5 carats. In 2001, development was stopped and the quarry was mothballed.
Krasnoyarsk pillars
The Krasnoyarsk Pillars Nature Reserve is located in the spurs of the Eastern Sayan Mountains on the right bank of the Yenisei. Local rocks resemble pillars, they are narrow and high: from 60 to 600 m. In total, there are about a hundred pillars of gray-pink granite, most of of them have their own names.
Photo source: feelek.livejournal.com.
The approximate age of the pillars is from 450 to 600 million years.
Elbrus
Mount Elbrus is the most famous and high peak Russia. Its height is 5642 meters and is part of the Caucasus Range.
You can reach the top by cable car to a level of 2950 meters, from here an amazing panorama of the Caucasus opens.
Photo source: outdoorukraine.com.
This is a great place for ski lovers; there are slopes of various difficulty levels.
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Architectural monuments are objects that were created, usually in honor of significant event or important person. The age of some is estimated at tens of years, while others remember the Egyptian pharaohs. This review contains the most famous architectural monuments about which the history of mankind can be written.
1. Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram) 
The Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram) is a cube-shaped building located in Mecca
The Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram) is a cube-shaped building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is considered the holiest site in Islam, as well as the oldest and most famous cultural monument in the world. 
Muslim shrine of Kaba.
The Koran says that the Kaaba was built by Abraham (Ibrahim on Arabic) and his son Ismail, after the latter settled in Arabia. A mosque, Masjid al-Haram, was built around this building. All Muslims around the world face the Kaaba during prayers, no matter where they are. 
Pilgrims at Kaba.
One of the five fundamental laws of Islam requires that every Muslim perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in his life. In this case, you need to walk around the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise (when viewed from above).
2. Taj Mahal 
White marble mausoleum located in Agra, India.
The Taj Mahal ("Crown of Palaces") is a white marble mausoleum located in the city of Agra, India. It was built by the king of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan, in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely known as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the internationally recognized masterpieces of the world's heritage." The area of the Taj Mahal is about 221 hectares (38 hectares are occupied by the mausoleum itself and 183 hectares of protected forest around it).
3. Egyptian pyramids 
Egyptian pyramids.
A total of 138 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt. Most of them were built as tombs for pharaohs and their wives during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. These are some of the oldest famous cultural monuments. 
View of Egyptian pyramids above.
The earliest known Egyptian pyramids were found at Saqqara, northwest of Memphis. And the oldest of them is the Pyramid of Djoser, built in 2630 - 2611 BC. e., during the third dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect Imhotep and are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental brick-faced structures.
4. The Great Wall of China 
The great Wall of China.
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, rammed earth, wood and other materials built along China's historical northern borders to protect the country from invasion by various warlike peoples. 
Sculptures on the Great Wall of China.
Several walls were built as early as the 7th century BC, and were later expanded to form what is today known as the Great Wall. Particularly famous is the part of the wall built between 220-206 BC. the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (very little remains of her).
By the way, in the Celestial Empire there are still many beautiful and interesting places China, which are worth seeing with your own eyes.
5. Angkor Thom (Greater Angkor) 
Capital of the Khmer Empire
Angkor Thom is a 3 square kilometer walled royal city that was the last capital of the Khmer Empire. After Jayavarman VII recaptured Yashodharapura (the previous capital) from Champa invaders in 1181, he built a new imperial capital on the site of the destroyed city. He started with existing surviving structures such as Baphuon and Phimeanakas and built a magnificent walled city around them, adding an outer wall with a moat and some of Angkor's greatest temples. There are five entrances (gates) to the city, one for each cardinal direction and a Victory Gate leading to the Royal Palace area. Each gate is topped with four giant faces.
6. Acropolis of Athens 
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens, also called "Cecropia" in Athens, is the most important site of the city and one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. It is a major landmark of ancient Greek culture, as well as a symbol of the city of Athens itself, as it represents the apogee of artistic development in the 5th century BC.
7. National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial
The National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is famous monument and a local landmark erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, former president Republic of China. It is located in the Chinese city of Taipei. The monument, surrounded by a park, was built in the eastern part of Memorial Square. To the north is the National Theater, and to the south is the National Concert Hall.
8. Potala Palace 
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is located in the city of Lhasa in Tibet. It is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara. The Potala Palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959.
Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the fifth Great Dalai Lama, began construction of the Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisors, Konchog Chopel, noted that the site between the Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa was an ideal location for the government. The Potala was eventually built on the remains of an earlier fortress called the White or Red Palace, built by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet in 637. Today the Potala Palace is a museum.
9. Statue of Liberty 
Statue of Liberty in the USA.
The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States of America, and it is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was unveiled on October 28, 1886, and was recognized in 1924 National Monument.
10. Sultan Ahmed Mosque 
Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque in Istanbul, largest city Turkey and capital Ottoman Empire from 1453 to 1923. It is also popularly known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles that line its walls. 
Mosque interior.
The mosque was built from 1609 to 1616 during the reign of Ahmed I. Although it is still used as a mosque, the site has also become a popular tourist attraction.
While people involved in construction and design celebrate their professional holiday - World Architecture Day, we will present the most interesting and unusual works of modern architects and their predecessors.
Habitat 67 Quarters, Montreal
The unique residential complex was built in 1967 for the Expo exhibition. 354 houses connected to each other are not located in a random order, but so that all apartments receive the maximum sunlight. The style of this object - brutalism, by the way, became popular in the USSR.
Friedensreich Hundertwasser projects
It is very difficult to choose just one work by this iconic architect, because they are all amazing in their own way. His “fairytale” style does not fall under any of the classical concepts - the great Austrian designed “good” and even “kind” houses. Here, for example, is an ordinary residential building, which everyone simply calls the Hundertwasser house. It is not surprising that the author of such architecture always wore different socks.
Ideal Palace, France
The unremarkable town of Hautrives was made famous by the local postman at the beginning of the 20th century. Ferdinand Cheval spent 33 years building his own palace from scrap materials - stones that he collected during work. Ferdinand had absolutely no understanding of the canons of architecture and used all the styles that he could see. Therefore, in the “Ideal Palace,” as the author himself called it, there are elements from the Ancient to Gaudi.
Lotus Temple, India
In 1986, one of the most unusual in the world was built in New Delhi. The giant marble lotus leaves look like they are about to bloom. They even created almost natural conditions for the flower - the temple, like a real lotus, rises out of the water. Although it is a religious building, there are no icons, frescoes or paintings inside: these attributes are not important in the Baha'i teachings.
Cologne Cathedral, Germany
A canonical example of Gothic, known far beyond the “architectural circles”. Of course, we will not describe the numerous details of the huge building. Let's limit ourselves to one fact: in 1880, when the next stage of construction was completed, the cathedral became the tallest building on the planet for four years - 157 meters. But even today, surrounded by low-rise buildings in the center of Cologne, the cathedral still looks impressive.
Burj Khalifa, UAE
In recent decades, the title of the tallest building in the world has literally been a challenge: now Taipei, now Kuala Lumpur. Of course, the Emirates could not pass up such a competition and decided to set their own record. Along the way, “” won in more than ten nominations, for example, as the owner of the fastest elevator and the highest nightclub (on the 144th floor).)
Temple of the Dancing God, India
The famous Indian temple of Brihadeshvara, which recently celebrated its millennium, is dedicated to Shiva. In total, there are 250 statues of this god inside the temple, and they all depict different poses of magical dance. Previously, the temple was also a fortress, therefore, in addition to elegant statues, there are also serious defensive structures. The ditches and walls guard the legendary wealth that pilgrims have brought to Shiva for centuries.
Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing
The Olympic Games are an excellent chance for architects to make their dreams come true: the authorities do not skimp on bold and expensive projects. From the 2008 Olympics they got a stadium for 80,000 people with a completely unusual shape. Although it is not even the shape that is remarkable, but the construction of giant iron beams - the airy translucent structure can withstand an eight-magnitude earthquake.
Chrysler Building, New York
One of the best examples of Art Deco and the tallest skyscraper in the mid-20th century was built by order of the Chrysler automobile company. It became the tallest thanks to the irreconcilable rivalry of two architects: the author of this building, at the last moment before the completion of construction, agreed on the installation of a 40-meter spire, thereby overtaking the new Trump Building. And the unusual arcs on the facades upper floors imitate car rims.
Capsule house, Japan
The combination of Japanese minimalism and love for new technologies gave the world a unique project - a capsule residential building. All modules (apartments and offices) in this building are completely replaceable and are attached to the metal base with just four bolts. Despite the visual flimsiness of such a system, there have been no accidents since its construction in 1974.
Ring houses, China
Unusual round fortress houses appeared a long time ago, but they stopped building only in the 1960s. Before this, housing was built on the principle of a closed system in many areas. The lack of land and the ability to defend together pushed people to settle in communes in several such houses. And the microclimate inside protected from heat and cold.
Southernmost Orthodox Church
This building is not distinguished by its design or size, but solely by the location where it is located. Not far from the Russian Antarctic station Bellingshausen, the wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was consecrated in 2004. And the logs for the church probably traveled the longest route in the history of construction materials logistics: Altai Mountains-Kaliningrad-Antarctica.
The most secret office building, USA
The most inaccessible office building in the world is also the largest. This is the famous Pentagon - the building of the Ministry of Defense. The huge pentagonal building has 28 km of corridors, and the area of all five floors is 604,000 sq.m. This giant was built in the 1940s, so a small incident arose: there are twice as many toilets in the building as needed - separately for blacks, separately for whites. True, by the end of construction the old rules were canceled and they didn’t even have time to hang signs.
Pool in the sky, Singapore
The three towers of the Marina Bay Sands hotel support a truly unique architectural structure - a huge platform shaped like a ship. On the “deck” there is a living garden and a giant swimming pool. By the way, the entire hotel design is officially approved by Feng Shui experts.
City on the Rock, Sri Lanka
The real fortress city was built by ancient architects on the steep 300-meter cliff of Sigiriya. King Kasapa I ordered his residence to be built at such a height for protection, but he did not forget about comfort. Covered terraces, benches for relaxation, trees and even an artificial pond made Sigiriya a luxury retreat. In addition to the official historical monuments, there is also an interesting tradition, so beloved by our compatriots: starting from the 7th century, guests of the palace left inscriptions on the rocks like “Vasya was here, 879,” only in verse.
