221 Amazing Monuments Around The World

The Elephanta Caves are a network of carved caves built on Elephanta Island, in the Mumbai Harbour, India, between the 5th and the 8th century. Comprising of two groups of caves made in a rock-cut architectural style, the caves are carved from solid basalt rock. The first 5 caves are dedicated to Lord Shiva, one […]

Khajuraho is a group of Hindu and Jain temples built in Madhya Pradesh, India, mostly between 900 and 1130 AD. Khajuraho temples comprise 20 existing temples spread across 6 square km near water. The Hindi mandala design principle of square and circles is present in the temple-layout. Dedicated to different deities, these temples are representative

The Lal Qila or Red Fort was built in Delhi, India, in 1648. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed the Lal Qila, and it stayed as the residence for Mughal Emperors for almost 200 years. Built in red sandstone, the fort represents the epitome of Mughal architecture with strong reflections of Timurid and Persian traditions.

The Qutub Minar is a brick minaret built in Delhi, India, in 1200 AD to 1220 AD. Made of red sandstone and marble, the Qutub Minar is a complex tapering tower. The Qutub Minar is nearly 73 metres high and tapers from a 15-metre diameter base to a mere 2.5 metres at the top. Initially,

The Stupa of Sanchi was built in the town of Sanchi, in Madhya Pradesh, India, between the 3rd century BC and the 12th century AD.The oldest stone structure in India, the Stupa is known as an extraordinary work of the Buddhist art and architecture. The Stupa is a dome-like structure measuring approximately 12.29 metres in

The Thiruvalluvar Statue is a stone sculpture built in Tamil Nadu, India, between 1990 and 2000. The statue is a monument of a Tamil poet and philosopher of the same name, built in stone upon a small island near the southernmost tip of the Indian sub-continent. 29 metres in height, the statue stands upon an

The Erawan Museum was built in Samut Prakan, in Thailand, in 2000. The Erawan Museum is named after the enormous 29-metre high copper structure of a three-headed elephant, Airavat (known as Erawan, in Thailand). The museum is divided into three floors, the underworld, earth and heaven, based on Hindu mythology. Amazing Fact: While the lower

The Merlion is a statue that is more of a marketing icon, built in Singapore, in 1972. The statue signifies a ‘sea-lion’ and has half a body of a lion and half of a fish. Often used as a mascot and national representation for Singapore, the Merlion Statue measures 37 metres in height and is

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a statue built in the Sichuan Province, in China, between 713 and 803. Made of stone, the idea of the statue as initially conceived by a monk, who hoped that the Buddha would help calm the turbulent river flowing beneath it. 71 metres in height, the statue (the largest stone

The Guanyin is a Bodhisattva Avlokitesvara statue built in the Hainan province, in China, between 2000 and 2005. Standing on a golden lotus-shaped pedestal, the pristine white statue has three sides, one of which faces inland while the other two face towards the South China Sea indicating blessing for China and the entire world. All

The Valle de los Caidos is a monument built in Madrid, Spain, between 1940 and 1959. The Valle de los Caidos was built to honour those who fought in the Spanish Civil War, along with Spanish general Francisco Franco. The monument comprises a basilica, an a abbey, guesthouse, four cylindrical monoliths (from the 16th century)

The Big Buddha is a statue of the Buddha built in the Ang Thong province, in Thailand, between 1990 and 2008. Made entirely of concrete, the statue is painted gold. A 92-metre high statue of the Buddha in a seated posture of meditation, it is the tallest statue in Thailand and the ninth tallest statue

The Motherland Calls is the name of a statue in Volgograd, Russia, and was built in 1967. The statue is placed on a hill with 200 steps (signifying the 200 days of Battle of Stalingrad) leading to the statue. The figure of the statue measures 52 metres in height, while the entire statue is 85

The Batu caves are built in Selangor, Malaysia, in 1891. The cave site was promoted as a place of worship from 1890, when a consecrated statue of Lord Murugan was installed in the main cave. Comprising of a main ‘Temple Cave’ and two smaller caves, the entire complex, which is 100 metres above ground, also

The Ten Directions Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is a statue built on Mount Emei, in the Sichuan Province, China, in 2005. The Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is situated in front of the Golden Summit Temple. 48 metres in height, the statue is made from copper-casting and gold plating, and sits atop a white elephant with six tusks. Known for