Holding the title of “longest human-made structure in the world,” The Great Wall of China, running from Mount Hu in Liaoning province to Jiayu Pass in Gansu province, is 5,500 miles long, up to 21 feet wide and nearly 33 feet tall at its highest point.
Built nearly 400 years ago as a statement of love, the Taj Mahal features a white marble exterior and an interior mausoleum with the tombs of its designers underneath. Despite its beauty, the Taj Mahal has suffered years of decay.
One of Italy’s most well-known relics, the Colosseum was once the height of entertainment for its famed gladiator contests. It seated 50,000 spectators, more than twice the capacity of New York’s Madison Square Garden, which is only one small reason it’s such an architectural marvel.
Petra, known as the Rose City for the red rock it’s built from, this ancient Jordanian city was once part of a major trade route. Going by its Greek name meaning “Rock,” Petra was even referenced in the Bible by the name Sela.
Located in the jungles of Mexico, toward the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, is the abandoned ancient city of Chichén Itzá. More than two million people visit the archaeological site annually to get a glimpse into the art, architecture, and science of the Mayan culture.
Sometimes called the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu is thought to have been a royal retreat for the Incas in the 15th century before it was mysteriously abandoned. Machu Picchu went largely unnoticed by European and American explorers for about 400 years.
When you go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, look up. Standing 2,300 feet above the city at the peak of Mount Corcovado is the hard-to-miss Christ the Redeemer statue. It’s 98 feet tall from head to toe and 92 feet wide from fingertip to fingertip of the sculpture’s outstretched hands.
Image credit: Wikipedia