I have been discussing buildings lately and therefore I decided to create a list that discussed ten of the most famous towers around the world. I am sure when I use the word tower; a lot of structures come to your mind. Well, let’s see if those structures are famous enough. You should know that towers have been with mankind since the prehistoric times. A tower is not necessarily a huge steel structure; it can be a watch tower, an observatory, a bell tower, a clock tower or even communication towers. So you see there are a lot of things to consider. Let us know if we miss any of your favorites out. Enjoy the read!
10. MINARET OF JAM
Minaret of Jam is located in Afghanistan and it was built around the twelfth century as part of a mosque. There was a flood, which took away the mosque with it and the sites around it were later cleared by Mongols. The only thing left was the tower and it is a miracle it survived. The tower now stands at a height of 65 meters and it is a beautiful site.
9. BELÉM TOWER
The Belem Tower is located in Portugal and was built in the early sixteenth century. It served as a defense for the city of Lisbon. The tower was commissioned by King John II and was built at the mouth of Tagus River. It is a very good example of the Portuguese architectural style. The tower was built from lioz limestone. Originally the tower stood in the middle of the river but after the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, the river was given a new direction. The tower now stands at the mouth.
8. QUTB MINAR
Qutb al-Din Aybak commissioned the Qutb Minar in India and it is rightly named after him. He was the first Muslim ruler of Delhi in the year 1193. He wanted the tower to surpass the Minaret of Jam that is in Afghanistan but he couldn’t do so because at the time of his death, only the base had been constructed. The rest of the tower was constructed by his successors and it was finally completed almost 200 years later in 1386. It stands at height of 72 meters and it has 379 steps. It is the tallest brick minaret in the world.
7. THREE PAGODAS
These are one of the best preserved Buddhist Structures around the world. They have been through many catastrophes both manmade and natural. They are located around 1.5 km northwest of the ancient city of Dali in China. The middle tower of the three was built during 824 and 840 AD. It was built by King Quan Fengyou and stood at a height of 69.6 meters. It happens to be one of the tallest pagodas in all of China. The other two towers were built almost a century later and both of them stand at a height of 42.19 meters.
6. CN TOWER
The CN tower is located in Downtown Toronto and happens to be one of the most famous landmarks in Canada. This is a communication tower and was built between 1973 and 1976. The tower was built by a railway company by the name of ‘Canadian National’ and it stands at a height of 553.33 meters. It was the tallest structure of the world for around thirty years but then it was surpassed by Burj Dubai.
5. SPIRAL MINARET
It is also referred to as Malwiya Minaret and it is a part of the Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq. The Great Mosque of Samarra is one of the largest in the world. The Spiral Minaret was initially connected to the mosque via a bridge. The minaret is made out of sandstone and was first build between 848 and 852. The minaret is unique because of the spiral design, which is quite creative considering the times. The tower stands at a height of 52 meters. It is sad that the top section of the tower was blown to crumbled brick and clay in the year 2005.
4. TOWERS OF SAN GIMIGNANO
The village of Sam Gimignano is located in Tuscany and it is famous for the fourteen stone towers. It is nicknamed as medieval Manhatten. Sam Gimignano was once was once rich and powerful and in order to defend the riches, more than 70 stone towers were built. But then came a plague in the year 1348 which took everything away from the village and ripped it of its power. Off the many towers built, only a few remain and they are well-preserved. I certainly hope you get a chance to visit.
3. BIG BEN
Big Ben is a clock tower and it is one of the most famous landmarks in London. In our list however, it takes its place on the third number. Sir Benjamin Hall is the one who ordered the bell. The bell was to be housed inside the tower and it weighs around 13 tons. The tower if named after Sir ‘Ben’jamin Hall. The Tower of Big Ben is the third largest free-standing clock tower in the world. If you remember, it is also listed under the top ten tourist attractions in London. If you are in London, do pay a visit. It is magnificent.
2. LEANING TOWER OF PISA
This famous tower was built over a period of about 177 years. The construction of the Tower of Pisa started in the year 1173. Soon after it, the tower began to sink because of the poor and weak foundation which is why it took such a long time to construct. The tower was completed in the second half of the fourteenth century. There are total of 296 steps in the tower that were opened in 2001 for the public to climb. The tower is still tilted, and it is the only tower of its kind.
1. EIFFEL TOWER
I am sure you are all familiar with this one. It happens to be one of the most famous landmarks of the world. It was built by Gustave Eiffel. It served as the entrance arch for the International Exhibition of Paris in the year 1889. It stands around 300 meters tall and was the tallest tower until the year 1930. The Chrysler Building in New York beat it. Since the construction of the Eiffel Tower, more than 200,000,000 people have visited it and that makes it the most visited monument in the world.
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