Travel
Top 7 Landmarks
A landmark is more than a famous building or a spectacular view. It can represent an empire, a revolution in engineering, a cultural identity or an idea that travelled around the world. This Top 7 brings together seven extraordinary places: from Paris’s instantly recognisable Eiffel Tower to the Great Wall of China, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and the marble perfection of the Taj Mahal. Rome’s Colosseum recalls the spectacle of the ancient world, Sydney Opera House shows how modern architecture can become a national symbol, and the Statue of Liberty stands as an enduring emblem of freedom and immigration. Each has a different story, and each rewards a closer look. These landmarks were built in different centuries, for different reasons and by very different cultures. What connects them is their ability to mean something far beyond their physical size. Which would you most want to see in person — and which deserves the number one spot?
Built for the 1889 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower was initially intended to be a temporary structure. Its engineering eventually made it too useful to lose: it was retained and later became one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks. Fun fact: when it opened, it was about 300 metres tall and became the tallest man-made structure in the world. Its exposed ironwork was controversial at first, but what once looked radically industrial is now inseparable from the image of Paris.
The Great Wall is not one uninterrupted wall built at a single moment. It is a vast system of fortifications constructed and rebuilt by different Chinese states and dynasties over centuries. Its mountain ridges, passes and watchtowers reveal how geography shaped defence. Fun fact: the total length of the various sections and associated structures is more than 21,000 kilometres, according to China’s official survey. The Mutianyu section is a particularly striking place to appreciate how the wall follows the contours of the mountains.
Perched high in the Andes, Machu Picchu combines carefully fitted stonework, agricultural terraces and remarkable mountain scenery. It is one of the most significant surviving legacies of the Inca civilisation, with its design closely integrated into the surrounding landscape. Fun fact: the archaeological site sits at roughly 2,430 metres above sea level, amid a landscape where the Andes meet the Amazon basin. The setting is not just a dramatic backdrop; the terraces, drainage and construction reflect sophisticated adaptation to steep, wet terrain.
Commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is both a mausoleum and a masterpiece of Mughal architecture. Its white marble, intricate stone inlays, gardens and carefully controlled symmetry make it extraordinary from almost every angle. Fun fact: the main mausoleum was completed in 1648, but the wider complex, including its gardens and outlying buildings, continued to be completed until 1653. The changing light also alters the appearance of the marble, giving the building different tones throughout the day.
Opened in the first century AD, Rome’s Colosseum hosted gladiatorial contests and other public spectacles on a vast scale. Its tiered seating, entrances and circulation systems demonstrate the organisational ambition of the Roman Empire. Fun fact: the amphitheatre’s design allowed crowds to enter and leave through a network of passages and numbered entrances — an ancient answer to the modern stadium crowd-management problem. Beyond the famous arena, the structure also reveals how Roman engineering combined concrete, stone and arches to create a building of extraordinary scale.
With its distinctive roof forms overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Opera House became an architectural icon before many people had ever seen its interiors. Danish architect Jørn Utzon’s winning design, selected in 1957, broke with conventional approaches to major performance buildings. Fun fact: its famous roof is made up of interlocking shell-like forms derived from sections of a sphere — a geometric idea that helped turn a complex design into a coherent architectural system. Inaugurated in 1973, it is both a working performing-arts venue and a landmark recognised around the world.
Gifted by France and dedicated in 1886, the Statue of Liberty became a powerful symbol of liberty and welcome to generations arriving in New York Harbor. Its design combines sculptural symbolism with an engineered internal framework. Fun fact: the statue’s familiar green colour is not its original colour. Its copper exterior gradually oxidised, creating the green patina seen today. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening the World, and the tablet in its left arm bears the date of American independence in Roman numerals.
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