Landmark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other senses of this word, see landmark (disambiguation).
Originally, a landmark literally meant a geographic feature used by explorers and others to find their way back or through an area. In modern usage, it is anything that is easily recognizable, such as a monument, building or other structure. In American English it is the main term used to designate places that might be of interest to tourists due to notable physical features or historical significance, even if only well-known locally, whereas in British English it tends to be reserved for identifying structures visible or significant due to size or history, without as much emphasis being put on it as a visitor attraction.
Landmarks in the British English sense are often used for casual navigation, such as giving directions. This is done in American English as well. Examples of landmarks include the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, Taj Mahal in Agra, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, Mount Fuji in Japan, Stone Mountain near Atlanta, CN Tower in Toronto, Machu Picchu in Peru, Kremlin in Moscow and Sydney Opera House in Sydney.
A variant is a seamark or daymark, a structure usually built intentionally to aid sailors navigating featureless coasts. An example is the tower at Walton-on-the-Naze.
Landmarks can also be split into two distinct categories - those naturally occurring (i.e. earth physical features such as waterfalls and mountains), and those structures constructed by man.
A list of the ten most recognizable man-made landmarks across the world today is as follows:
1. Great Pyramids, Cairo, Egypt
2. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
3. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
4. Taj Mahal, Agra, India
5. Red Square/Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
8. Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA
10. The Great Wall of China, China
Taipei 101, the world's tallest building (509m)since its completion in 2004, is located in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan) |
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City |
The National Palace Museum, one of the noted museums in Asia, in Taipei City , Republic of China (Taiwan) |
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Some buildings including Legislative Council Building are landmarks in Central, Hong Kong |
