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Ancient civilizations left behind awe-inspiring structures like the pyramids of Egypt, Greece's Parthenon, and Cambodia's Angkor Wat, which continue to captivate visitors with their grandeur and architectural brilliance.
In more recent centuries, iconic buildings such as the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and Empire State Building have become symbols of their respective cities and countries.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, built around 2600 BC as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu, was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years and remains the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still largely intact.
The pyramid contains "air shafts" leading from the King's Chamber to the exterior, which some believe had a ritualistic purpose associated with the ascension of the king's spirit to the heavens, rather than being for ventilation as was long thought.
The Parthenon, originally built as a temple to Athena in the 5th century BC, has served many roles over its long history, including as a Christian church and an Ottoman mosque.
In 1687, during a siege by Venetian forces, the Parthenon was being used as a gunpowder magazine by Ottoman troops when it was hit by a mortar round.
It caused a massive explosion that severely damaged the building and destroyed much of its sculptural decoration.
The Colosseum, completed in 80 AD, was Ancient Rome's largest amphitheater, hosting gladiatorial contests, animal hunts, executions, and even mock sea battles when the arena was flooded.
At its peak, this massive stone structure could hold up to 80,000 spectators and featured an elaborate underground system of tunnels and cages to dramatically raise animals and scenery into the arena—as well as a retractable awning operated by sailors to shade the crowds.
Originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 CE, Hagia Sophia has served as a church, mosque, museum, and mosque again over its nearly 1,500 year history.
It has survived earthquakes, conquests, and radical transformations.
At the time of its construction, Hagia Sophia's massive 180-foot high dome was an architectural marvel, and legend says that when Ottoman sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453, he was so impressed by the building that he punched a soldier who had begun destroying its mosaics, declaring that the structure must be preserved.
The Taj Mahal, commissioned in 1631 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, is an architectural marvel that took over 20 years and 20,000 workers to complete.
The iconic white marble structure has been turning yellow due to air pollution, and at one point during World War II, the entire monument was disguised with scaffolding to protect it from potential air attacks by the Japanese.
The Forbidden City, built in the early 15th century as the imperial palace of China, served as the home of 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties for nearly 500 years.
Its construction required over a million workers and used whole logs of precious Phoebe zhennan wood transported from distant jungles, as well as "golden bricks" specially baked in Suzhou, resulting in a massive complex of 8,886 rooms that now houses the world's largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures.
Notre-Dame de Paris, a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture, has stood as a symbol of Paris for over 850 years, surviving wars, revolutions, and a devastating fire in 2019.
The cathedral once hosted a competition for the best criminal to be pardoned on Easter Sunday. And during the French Revolution it was briefly converted into a "Temple of Reason" complete with a shrine to the Cult of Reason.
St. Peter's Basilica, one of the largest and most renowned churches in the world. It took over 120 years to build and involved the work of numerous famous Renaissance artists and architects including Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini.
The construction was partially financed through the sale of indulgences, which sparked controversy and ultimately contributed to the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther.
The Eiffel Tower, initially criticized as a monstrous eyesore by prominent French artists and intellectuals, has become one of the world's most recognizable landmarks since its completion in 1889.
Con artist Victor Lustig "sold" it twice as scrap metal in 1925.
And Hitler ordered it to be demolished during World War II but the German general in charge disobeyed the order.
The Empire State Building, completed in 1931 during the Great Depression, held the title of world's tallest building for 40 years and survived a B-25 bomber crash in 1945.
Surprisingly, it was nicknamed the "Empty State Building" in its early years due to low occupancy.
It features a spire that was originally intended as a mooring mast for dirigibles, though this proved impractical due to dangerous wind conditions.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 1997, transformed the city of Bilbao and generated about €500 million in economic activity within its first three years.
On the eve of its opening, two ETA militants attempted to attack the museum with grenade launchers but were thwarted by a Basque policeman, who was tragically killed in the confrontation.
The Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and opened in 1973, took 14 years to build and was completed 10 years late and 1,357% over budget in real terms.
In 1972, construction workers took control of the site for five weeks, implementing a 35-hour work week with improved morale and efficiency—ending their work-in only when management agreed to give them a 25% wage increase, the right to elect their foremen, and four weeks annual leave.
Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world, was built in the 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu before gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple.
Despite its massive size, constructed with 5-10 million sandstone blocks weighing up to 1.5 tons each, a myth persists that the entire complex was built in a single night by a divine architect.
Petra, the ancient Nabataean capital carved into rose-red cliffs, flourished as a major trading hub from the 4th century BC until its decline under Roman rule, remaining lost to the Western world for centuries until its rediscovery in 1812.
It had an intricate water management system that allowed it to thrive in the desert and was home to an estimated 20,000 inhabitants at its peak and featured a 4,000-seat theater carved directly into the rock face, yet managed to stay hidden from the outside world for over 1,000 years.
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