The World’s 100 Best Landmarks

The railway station stands in the center of Antwerp, with a large dome over the main concourse and marble interiors. Visitors walk the grand hall, look up at the dome and staircases, and see platforms on several levels.

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The square in central Brussels is lined with gilded guildhouses and the Gothic Town Hall. Visitors walk the cobbles past cafés and souvenir shops.

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A square in central Nancy, France, named after King Stanislas Leszczyński and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors walk among the gilded wrought-iron gates, the town hall and the opera house, and watch the light show on the facades in summer.

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Built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, this semicircular brick and ceramic complex sits in María Luisa Park in Seville. People row boats on the canal, cross its four bridges and find each province among 48 tiled alcoves.

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The opera house in Buenos Aires opened in 1908 and has a horseshoe-shaped auditorium. Performances cover opera, ballet and concerts, and guided tours show the Golden Hall and the auditorium.

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The square in central Samarkand is framed on three sides by tiled madrasahs with blue domes and mosaic facades. Visitors walk the courtyards by day and return after dark for the light and sound show at 9 pm.

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A Neo-Gothic parliament building on the Pest bank of the Danube in Budapest, lit up at night and seen from river cruises. Visitors buy timed tickets for a guided tour of about 45 minutes with an audio guide, and see the Holy Crown.

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A white marble mausoleum in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, built by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Visitors walk through the gardens to the mausoleum, where the marble glows as the light changes through the day.

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A shell-shaped medieval square in central Siena, Italy, paved in red brick and edged by the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia. Visitors sit on the brick at sunset, take coffee at the cafés and climb the tower for the view.

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Laid out in the late 18th century on reclaimed marshland, this large elliptical square in Padua has a canal around a central island. People stroll the lawns past 78 statues of professors and artists, and a market fills the square on Saturdays.

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A rectangular square in central Isfahan, Iran, built under Shah Abbas I between 1598 and 1629 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Four monuments line the sides, and visitors walk the lawns, ride carriages and see the square lit at night.

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The square opens onto the Gulf of Trieste on one side, with the Town Hall, the Prefecture and Palazzo Lloyd on the other three. Visitors walk the seafront and see the square lit at night.

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A square in central St Petersburg, Russia, bordered by the Winter Palace, the General Staff Building and the Alexander Column. Visitors cross the open space through the General Staff arch, and in winter a large Christmas tree and an ice rink fill the center.

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The central square of Kraków's old town holds the Cloth Hall, St Mary's Church and the tower of the former town hall. Visitors walk around the square past restaurants and horse carriages and hear the hourly trumpet call from St Mary's church.

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A square in Vatican City, Rome, in front of St. Peter's Basilica, enclosed by a colonnade that Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed in the 17th century. Visitors cross the square to the basilica, pass the obelisk and fountains, and queue for security checks.

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A 828-meter tower in Dubai with observation decks on floors 124, 125 and 148. Visitors queue for tickets and lifts, then look over the city and desert, especially at sunset.

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A neoclassical opera house in Manaus, Brazil, built during the rubber boom with materials shipped from Europe. Visitors take a guided tour of the rooms, and attend shows and festivals in the hall.

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Opened in 1875, the opera house designed by Charles Garnier stands at the end of the Avenue de l'Opéra in Paris. Visitors climb the marble grand staircase and walk through the gilded Grand Foyer, and the auditorium ceiling holds a Chagall mural.

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A white marble monument in Piazza Venezia honours King Victor Emmanuel II. Visitors climb the steps to the terraces for views of the Forum and the Colosseum, and see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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The central square of Moscow sits beside the Kremlin walls and is framed by St. Basil's Cathedral, GUM and the State Historical Museum. People walk the cobbled square after dark, when the lights come on; in winter stalls and an ice rink fill it.

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A monumental statue of a woman with a raised sword on Mamayev Hill in Volgograd, built to commemorate the Battle of Stalingrad. Visitors climb the steps through a memorial park, pass the eternal flame and watch the changing of the guard.

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A water basin on Burj Lake stands beside Dubai Mall at the foot of the Burj Khalifa. Visitors gather on the promenade for water jets, lights and music shows that run every half hour in the evening.

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The square in front of St Mark's Basilica in Venice is framed by the Doge's Palace, the Campanile and the arcades of the Procuratie. Cafés with orchestras play in the evening, once the day crowds thin.

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The largest opera house in Italy stands on Piazza Verdi in Palermo. Visitors join a guided tour of the hall and boxes, or see a performance from seats with limited views of the stage.

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A Gothic building on the Market Square in Wrocław, Poland, built between the late 13th and 16th centuries. Visitors see the astronomical clock, drink in the Świdnicka Cellar in the basement, and visit the museum inside.

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A large public square in Maracay holds an equestrian statue of Simón Bolívar, gazebos and fountains. Visitors sit on the benches under the trees, watch the birds and iguanas, and photograph the Sindoni Tower.

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Designed by Louis Kahn, the national parliament building in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar was built from 1961 to 1982. The interior is closed to the public, so people photograph the concrete geometry from the lake shore.

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A cultural center in Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by Zaha Hadid, with a seamless curved building. Visitors walk through galleries of changing exhibitions, collections of carpets and dolls, and a vintage car museum.

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Spanning the Seine in Paris, the bridge named after Tsar Alexander III opened in 1900 for the Universal Exposition. It links the Esplanade des Invalides with the Grand Palais, and people cross it on foot to photograph the gilded statues and the Eiffel Tower.

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An arcaded square of pastel Renaissance houses in Telč, rebuilt after a fire in 1530. Visitors walk the length of the square under the arcades past shops and cafés and photograph the gables and the Marian column.

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A performing arts centre on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour has sail-shaped roofs designed by Jørn Utzon. Visitors join guided tours, attend a show, or walk the harbour edge for Harbour Bridge views.

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A square in the centre of Prague is bordered by Gothic and Baroque buildings and the spires of Týn Church. Visitors gather under the Astronomical Clock on the hour, and cafés fill the square.

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The Hallstatt Skywalk is an observation deck above the village of Hallstatt and its lake in the Austrian Salzkammergut. Visitors ride the cable car or walk up, then photograph the lake and village rooftops below.

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A pair of towers in Kuala Lumpur's KLCC district, Malaysia, stands attached to Suria KLCC mall. Visitors photograph the towers from KLCC Park, buy tickets for the Skybridge and observation deck, and return after dark for the lit facades and fountain show.

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A Safavid bridge over the Zayandeh River in Isfahan, Iran, built around 1650 under Shah Abbas II that doubles as a dam. Visitors walk its arches, and in the evening people gather under them to sing and play music.

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A stone lookout tower on Větrov hill near Velké Vrbno in the Jeseníky mountains, a replica of the tower on Sněžník. Visitors walk from the parking lot or the Paprsek cable car, pay 120 CZK at a machine, and climb to the viewing floors.

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A stone bridge on Nevsky Prospekt crosses the Fontanka River in central Saint Petersburg. Visitors stop at the four Klodt sculptures of men taming horses and walk the Fontanka embankment.

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A concert hall in Barcelona, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, is a landmark of Catalan Modernism. Visitors take guided tours of the stained-glass hall and its ceiling skylight, or attend concerts and flamenco shows.

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The central square of Toulouse has been a seat of civic power since the 12th century. Pink brick buildings and arcades surround the Occitan Cross set into the ground, and cafés line the square.

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At the historic center of Trujillo, Peru, colonial buildings surround a square with a Monument to Liberty at its center. People stroll the gardens and the wide esplanade, and the cathedral stands across from the square.

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The bronze equestrian statue of Atatürk by Austrian sculptor Heinrich Krippel stands in Atatürk Park in Samsun. Visitors photograph the rearing horse, walk the park and look at the reliefs on the base.

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A Gothic clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, on the banks of the River Thames. The tower is officially called Elizabeth Tower, and visitors photograph it from Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square.

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A large pedestrian square in Zaragoza lies in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. Visitors cross the open paving, sit on the terraces by the fountain and look at La Seo cathedral and the Lonja across the square.

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The lighthouse stands in the Gironde estuary, seven kilometers offshore from Le Verdon-sur-Mer, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Keepers lead tours up around 300 steps past a chapel and rooms to a view over the sea.

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A bronze monument in the Novgorod Kremlin, Russia, erected in 1862 for the millennium of Rurik's invitation to Novgorod. Its 128 figures of rulers, commanders and writers stand on a bell-shaped pedestal under a large orb, and visitors walk around the base to study them.

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The burial place of the 14th-century poet Hafez stands in the Musalla Gardens of Shiraz. Visitors walk the orange-tree gardens, read his poems beside the marble tomb under the copper dome, and draw fortunes from his Divan.

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A public square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in central Florence, Italy, with statues including a replica of Michelangelo's David and the Fountain of Neptune. Visitors walk the square among the sculptures, and the Loggia dei Lanzi adds more outdoor statues.

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A red-and-white lighthouse on the North Sea coast at Westerhever in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, surrounded by salt marsh. Visitors walk 30 to 45 minutes along dike and marsh paths from the car park, or cycle, then climb the wooden stairs in provided shoes.

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The opera house stands on Theaterplatz in the Old Town of Dresden and stages opera, ballet and concerts. Guided tours cover the foyer and auditorium, and the building is lit at night.

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A 14th-century stone bridge over the Vltava River in Prague, Czechia, linking the Old Town with Malá Strana and lined with Baroque statues. Visitors cross on foot at sunset, see Prague Castle across the river and stop at the Old Town tower.

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The square in Pisa holds four white marble buildings: the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Camposanto cemetery. Crowds are thinnest early in the morning, and the ticket office line can run long.

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On a bluff above the Pacific in an Oregon Coast state park, the lighthouse sits at the end of a half mile uphill trail. Park hosts at the base explain the lighthouse, and the stairs to the lamp are closed.

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A neo-Gothic town hall on the Ringstrasse in Vienna, Austria, built between 1872 and 1883 by Friedrich von Schmidt, with its tower topped by the Rathausmann figure. Visitors photograph the facade from Rathausplatz and join guided tours inside.

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A royal square in central Lalitpur, Nepal, lined with Newari temples, palaces and carved wooden windows, part of the UNESCO-listed Kathmandu Valley complex. Visitors walk the brick square, enter the Patan Museum and look at stone and wood carvings.

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A suspension bridge over the Golden Gate strait, completed in 1937, joins San Francisco to Marin County. Visitors walk or cycle the east side or view the span from Battery Spencer, Crissy Field and Hawk Hill, where fog often covers it.

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A contemporary art museum by Frank Gehry stands on the riverbank in Bilbao, Spain. Visitors walk around the building and its outdoor sculptures, then see exhibitions inside.

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The monument to the Argentine flag stands on the riverbank in Rosario, with a statue of Belgrano at the top. Visitors take the elevator to a viewpoint over the river and the city.

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A UNESCO World Heritage palace square in Bhaktapur, Nepal, with temples, carved wooden windows and old brick buildings. Visitors walk the narrow streets and courtyards, see the 55-Window Palace and Nyatapola Temple, and buy pottery and handicrafts.

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A steel viewing platform on the Krippenstein mountain above Obertraun, Austria, reached by cable car and a walk of about 20 to 40 minutes. Five walkways jut out over a 400-meter drop, and visitors look over Lake Hallstatt and the Dachstein range.

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A brutalist concrete monument on the Shumen Plateau in Bulgaria, opened in 1981 for the 1300th anniversary of the Bulgarian state. Visitors climb about 1,300 steps or drive up, then see the figures of khans and a view over the city.

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A lighthouse on the rocky coast of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, looks out over the bay and islands. Visitors walk the cliff paths, eat from food trucks and visit the small museum.

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A two-arched stone bridge crosses the Verzasca River in Lavertezzo, Ticino, Switzerland. In summer, people swim in the green water below and jump from the rocks and the bridge.

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A Roman bridge over the Tagus River in Alcántara, Extremadura, Spain, built under Emperor Trajan. Visitors park at the entrance, walk across the arches and look down at the river gorge, while a new bridge is built nearby.

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A rooftop observation deck at the top floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square tower in Tokyo, reached by lift from the 14th floor. Visitors book timed tickets, leave bags in lockers and walk the open-air deck for 360-degree views over the city.

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A cable-stayed toll bridge over the Gulf of Corinth, it links Rio on the Peloponnese with Antirrio on the mainland and opened in 2004. Drivers pay a toll, while visitors walk the sidewalks or take a ferry at about half the price.

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The red suspension bridge crosses the Tagus between Lisbon and Almada, with cars on the upper deck and trains below. Visitors photograph it from the Cristo Rei viewpoint, the riverside at Alcântara and boats on the water.

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An Art Deco skyscraper at 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, with a steel spire. Visitors see the marble and mural lobby, where staff keep them to the walls, and the upper floors are closed.

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The central square of Cusco, Peru, bordered by colonial stone churches, carved wooden balconies and arcades with restaurants and tourist agencies. Visitors sit on the benches, walk the square at night and see the lit mountains above the city.

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Sphere-topped towers stand on the Arabian Gulf shore in Kuwait City. Visitors ride the rotating sphere for views of the city and the sea, eat in the restaurants and buy tickets online.

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The Rathaus is the seat of Hamburg's Senate and parliament, standing on Rathausmarkt square in the city center. Visitors walk into the courtyard with the fountain of the goddess of Health and see the facade with its green copper roof.

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A Confucian academy near Andong built by disciples of the scholar Toegye Yi Hwang and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. Visitors walk past the Seodang, where Yi Hwang taught, and the shrine behind it, with the Nakdong River in view.

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The tower stands on Sarangkot hill above Pokhara, beside a Shiva temple and a large Panchmukhi Ganesh statue. Early morning visits give the view of Annapurna, Machhapuchhre and Phewa Lake, though clouds often hide the peaks.

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A steel arch bridge across Sydney Harbour links the city centre with the North Shore. Visitors walk the pedestrian path, join guided bridge climbs, and watch the harbour and the Opera House.

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The square on the site of the Roman forum in central Verona is lined with palaces, towers and cafés. Market stalls fill it by day and terraces by evening, with the Torre dei Lamberti and the Madonna Verona fountain at its centre.

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Four rulers on horseback surround a tall black sword on a cape above the Yantra River in Veliko Tarnovo, opened in 1985. Visitors cross the bridge from the old town and stand on the terraces.

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The memorial stands over the wreck of the battleship USS Arizona, which sank in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Visitors take a Navy boat from the visitor center, then walk above the hull and read the names on the wall.

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An observation tower about 32 metres high at the Kirkilai karst lakes in Biržai district, Lithuania, shaped like a crescent or a boat. Visitors climb to a platform for views over the lakes and walk the trails and floating bridges around them.

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A concrete monument on Buzludzha peak in the Balkan Mountains, built in 1981 as the headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, is now abandoned. Cars can drive to the foot of the building, but the interior is closed and parts of the roof have collapsed.

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A fountain basin on the Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, with views towards Plaça d'Espanya. Visitors sit on the steps and benches around the basin to watch the free water, light and music show in the evening.

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A road bridge over Lake Paranoá in Brasília, with three asymmetrical arches, that links the Plano Piloto to Lago Sul. It opened in 2002, and visitors walk its paths, see the lake from the shore, and watch the sunset.

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A statue of Christ stands on Corcovado Mountain above Rio de Janeiro. Visitors ride the train or a van up and look over the city, beaches and Guanabara Bay from the top.

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A wooden viewing platform on a cliff above the Aurlandsfjord in Norway, reached by a narrow mountain road from Aurland and Flåm. Visitors walk out to a glass pane at the end of the platform and look down over the fjord and surrounding mountains.

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A gate in the wall of Old Sana'a, Yemen, that dates back more than a thousand years. Visitors pass into markets selling spices, coffee, silver, daggers and textiles.

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The tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, the twelfth Nguyen ruler, sits on Chau Chu Mountain outside Hue, built from 1920 to 1931. Visitors climb 127 steps past stone officials, soldiers and elephants to Thien Dinh Palace, where ceramic and glass mosaics cover the walls.

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On Eje Central in Mexico City, a marble arts center built to replace an earlier National Theater holds murals, exhibitions and concerts. People view the murals and attend ballet and orchestra concerts in the hall.

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A bronze equestrian statue in the middle of Macedonia Square in Skopje, officially titled Warrior on Horseback and widely known as Alexander the Great. Visitors photograph it from the fountains and cafés around the square after dark.

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The Trevi Fountain is a monument in central Rome, set in a square packed with visitors. Crowds gather to see the sculptures and the water, and to photograph the basin from a paid area close to the water.

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An observation space in One Vanderbilt in Midtown Manhattan, New York, arranged over three floors with mirror rooms and installations. Visitors go one way through the floors, photograph the skyline, and watch the sunset from the outdoor terrace.

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The deck on floors 58 to 60 of Abeno Harukas sits at the top of a 300 metre tower in Osaka. Lifts reach the 60th floor, where floor-to-ceiling glass shows the city, Osaka Bay and the night lights.

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A complex of statues, sarcophagi and graves stands in Treptower Park in Berlin, honouring Soviet soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin. A large bronze of a soldier carrying a child dominates the grounds, and entry is free.

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A concert and opera house in Muscat, Oman, opened in 2011 under Sultan Qaboos. Visitors join a guided tour of the foyer, main hall and musical instrument gallery, or attend a performance.

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A circular monument with tiled murals stands on the Georgian Military Road above Gudauri, built as a Soviet-era symbol of friendship. People climb to the observation deck for Caucasus views, while paragliding, horse riding and drone filming are offered on site.

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A lighthouse on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay. Guided tours climb the tower for sea views.

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The mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, stands in Ankara's Çankaya district. Visitors pass security, walk the Lion's Path and watch the changing of the guard.

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A glass-roofed arcade in central Milan, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was built from 1865 to 1877 to a design by Giuseppe Mengoni. Visitors pass luxury boutiques and cafés under the dome, then turn on one heel over the mosaic bull on the floor.

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A working lighthouse on cliffs at the southwestern tip of mainland Europe, near Sagres, Portugal. Visitors watch the sunset from the cliff edge, buy food and souvenirs from stalls, and see the lighthouse from outside, since it is closed to visitors.

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A central square in Madrid, Spain, ringed by arcades and red-brick buildings that took shape in the 17th century. Visitors sit at the bars and terraces, watch street performers in costume, and visit the Sunday coin and stamp market.

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A pink quarry stone aqueduct in Morelia, Mexico, with 253 semicircular arches over more than 1.7 kilometers. Visitors walk along the arches, and the aqueduct is lit at night.

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The 26 metre observation tower stands on a hill above the Nemunas river near Merkinė in Lithuania. Stairs climb to several platforms, and the top sways in wind while views cover the river, forest and island.

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A public plaza in the center of Caguas, Puerto Rico, shaded by trees and set with a floral clock, fountains and sculptures. Families spend time there, and the carousel runs on weekends.

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