5 Strange but Wonderful Landmarks from Around the World

You might have already known about the popular and beautiful landmarks like Statue of Liberty of the United States of America, The Eiffel Tower of France, The Leaning Tower of Pisa of Italy, The Great Sphinx at Giza of Egypt, The Great Buddha of Kamakura of Japan, and many more from around the world. Almost every town of a nation has monuments; most of these monuments have become a part of the scenery. We walk past them and barely even notice them, but there are some monuments that we can’t unsee. Let’s take a look at the 5 strange but wonderful landmarks from around the world.


Lumbini


Lumbini. Image Source: Nature

Lumbini. Image Source: Nature

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, is a Buddhist pilgrimage site located in (Nepal) the Nepalese town of Kapilavastu, district Rupandehi, near the Indian border. It is one of the reasons why Nepal is well known in the world. Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Maya Devi Mandir which is the main attraction of Lumbini, which preserves the traditional site of the Buddha’s birth.


Leshan Giant Buddha


Leshan Giant Buddha. Image Source: real.gs

Leshan Giant Buddha. Image Source: real.gs

Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71 metered (233 feet) landmark in China. The landmark which is said to be the largest modern statue and the biggest stone Buddha in the world is carved out of the sandstone cliffs in Sichuan province of China. The construction of Leshan Giant Buddha started when the confluence of three rivers took place. A monk named Haitong started the construction process hoping that it would calm the turbulent waters where the three rivers met.


Alton Barnes White Horse


The Alton Barnes White Horse. Image Source: Flickr

The Alton Barnes White Horse. Image Source: Flickr

The Alton Barnes White Horse is a chalk hill figure of a white horse located on Milk Hill of the village of Alton, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. In 1812, a local farmer named Robert Pile hired a painter named John Thorne (con man later caught and hanged for the crimes he had committed) to design and cut the enormous equine into the chalky hill. The design was carved out of the hill, with tons of soil scraped out and carted away. It was then packed with chalk so that it stood out in stark white against the green hills and could be seen from a great distance. The 180-foot-tall steed, which was modeled after the Cherhill White Horse, is now one of the country’s most beloved giant horse geoglyphs.


Georgia Guidestones


The Georgia Guidestones. Image Source: Google

The Georgia Guidestones. Image Source: Google

Written in four ancient languages –Ancient Greek, Babylonian, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, and Sanskrit, Georgia Guidestones was raised in March 1980 by an unidentified group of people to restore humanity.

Constructed from six huge pieces of granite, the stones have instructions for the survival of the human race. Among the commandments is the edict that population should be controlled, that reproduction should be “guided” to maintain the survival of the fittest, and that disputes between nations should be settled in a world court. The stones include a few basic astronomical features, such as a hole in the rock through which the North Star can be viewed and the capstone acts as a kind of calendar.


Hand of the Desert


Hand of the Desert. Image Source: Charismatic Planet

Hand of the Desert. Image Source: Charismatic Planet

In the midst of the Atacam Desert in Chile, you can find a hand that seems to be emerging from the hand. Sculptor Mario Irarrazabal put his latest artwork –Hand of the Desert measuring 11 meters (36 feet) high poking out of the dessert. The hand is said to represent all the victims of torture and injustice who suffered during the military regime in Chile and symbolize their invincible spirit and the power of love to triumph over evil.

So, there you go! These are the 5 strange but wonderful landmarks from around the world. How about rightfully using your holidays and make a visit?

 

Reference: Listverse