Lifestyle

6 Tourist Attractions That Everyone Knows

While not everyone is a travel enthusiast or a geography geek, there are some places in the world that every person just knows – even if they can’t pinpoint their locations on the map. 

If you’re curious and want to check them out in person, it’s simple: get your passport ready and hop on a plane. If that’s not your style and you’d prefer to be traveling in motorhome and visiting spots closer to home instead, well, that’s also an option.. And you can always visit these attractions virtually, like from lists such as ours. It’s almost like being there.

The Great Wall of China

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Most people know that The Great Wall of China is a man-made barrier in northern China, which was built to protect the Chinese Empire from the invasion of other nomadic groups. However, few people know that it is actually an extensive network of walls and fortifications, which were built over the course of more than 2,000 years. 

The first of its walls was built during the 3rd century BC. It was made out of rammed earth, wood and stone. It was repaired and extended during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), and during the early 20th century. The Great Wall of China has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Did you know that you can also cycle or horse ride along it?

The Eiffel Tower

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The Eiffel Tower, or La Tour Eiffel, is a wrought-iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel. Construction started in 1887 and finished in 1889. The tower stands 324 meters (1,063 ft) tall, and it’s the most-visited paid monument in the world. Did you know that it was almost torn down after World War I? After all, it was perceived as a symbol of war. However, due to its significance in radio communications, it remained standing.

The Colosseum

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The Colosseum is a Roman amphitheatre in the center of Rome. It was initially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was built between 72 and 80 CE, and it remained in use for more than 450 years. It could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators and was used for gladiator contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles and dramas based on Classical mythology. 

It is probably best known for its role in Nero’s persecution of Christians in 64 AD. As the legend goes, this is where the Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul were executed (or at least imprisoned), though that myth has largely been debunked. It was converted into a fortress during the Middle Ages, when it was captured by Muslim raiders in 846 CE. 

The Statue of Liberty

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The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata inscribed with “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” (July 4, 1776). This statue has become an iconic symbol of freedom worldwide. 

It was sculpted by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and it was dedicated on October 28th 1886. It was exhibited in Paris for six months in 1884 at the Centennial Exposition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence then it was given to the United States as a gift from the people of France.

The Shwedagon Pagoda

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The Shwedagon Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa located in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (previously known as Burma). It is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Burma/Myanmar, and in fact, is considered to be one of the holiest places for Buddhists across Southeast Asia. 

This Shwedagon Pagoda is considered to be about 2,500 years old and is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa.

Machu Picchu

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Located in southern Peru on a nearly 8,000-foot (2,500-metre) mountain ridge, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century former inca citadel and now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

It was dubbed the “lost city of the Incas” as it had become overgrown with the surrounding jungle and essentially buried in vegetation, hiding it from Spanish invaders. It was only discovered by German explorers at the end of the 19th century. Today, it is anything but lost or hidden. In fact, it is estimated that over 2,500 people visit Machu Picchu a day, more than half a million per year.

It is either a marvel of ancient engineering or a testament to sheer determination, as this city was built high in the jungle-clad mountains. In any case, it is truly a unique and breath-taking sight.

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