13 Other Monuments More Impressive Than Stonehenge

When you talk about ancient wonders, Stonehenge often gets the spotlight, and it’s an iconic structure with plenty of mystery to boot. However, there’s a whole world out there with architectural marvels that often overshadow its stoic stone circle. Some monuments are just too big or too jaw-droppingly beautiful for Stonehenge to compete.

If you’ve ever wondered about Stonehenge, stood there, and thought ‘Is that it?’ then this article is for you. Let’s take a look at some awe-inspiring sites that are due for their time in the sun or moon, if you’re feeling it. If you’re looking for a reason to add something to your bucket list, you might want to grab it now.

Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last surviving miracle of the beyond, standing tall as a monument to human wants and know-how. It was built around 2560 BCE and was the tallest manmade structure for over 3,800 years. Its construction is one of mystery as it is estimated to have been made of 2.3 million blocks of Limestone and Granite, which each weighed up to 80 tons. The precision of the pyramid’s alignment with the true north is astonishing, even by today’s standards.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a place where your jaw drops. It sits perched among the Andes of Peru. The sprawling city of Machu Picchu was built shortly after the 15th century by the Inca and left behind during the Spanish conquest. Its terraced hills, ceremonial baths, and intricate stonework weren’t rediscovered until 1911, but they’ve been mesmerizing visitors ever since. Though it sits at an altitude, Machu Picchu is earthquake-resistant because of its dry stone construction technique.

Petra

Petra is a city carved, not built, hidden within the rose-red cliffs of Jordan. Thought to date back to around 300 BCE, this ancient Nabatean city is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the iconic Treasury building, seen in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, is just one of many sites. It’s a marvel of design and sustainability that adapted to its harsh desert environment.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, covers more than 400 acres in Cambodia. Its intricate carvings are complemented by the sheer grandeur of its building. Originally built as a Hindu temple in the 12th century and later converted to Buddhism, the temple’s moat and causeway are architectural feats.

The Colosseum

The Colosseum in Rome isn’t just an ancient stadium, it’s a symbol of entertainment, power, and innovation. This amphitheater was completed in 80 AD and was able to hold over 50,000 of those present for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. What’s more impressive? Its system of underground tunnels and elevators helped the action flow sweetly and never miss a beat.

Easter Island Moai

The Moai statues are mysterious and monumental pock-marking the landscape of Rapa Nui. The Polynesian inhabitants of the island made these stone figures between 1400 and 1650, some reaching up to 33 feet. Their purpose is unknown, but the people who built them, and did so using stone tools only, were clearly on another level. Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo found that the statues may have been ‘walked’ into place using a system of ropes, according to a study.

Tikal

Tikal was a Mayan city that was, once, a thriving city deep in the jungles of Guatemala. Temple IV, at 230 feet the tallest, towers above the treetops. Tikal is now a hub of culture and trade dating back around 200 AD. Its ruins today still ring with howler monkeys and exotic birds.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India isn’t a building – it’s a love story in marble. Built in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan in order to commemorate his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it is famous for its symmetry, and for being a museum of intricate inlay work. Poet Rabindranath Tagore called it the Taj – a teardrop on the cheek of time.

Chichen Itza

Once a high, imposing pyramid, El Castillo is the iconic pyramid of the Mayan civilization in Mexico, at Chichen Itza. The Great Ball Court is also part of this UNESCO World Heritage site, where games were played for high stakes — sometimes even life and death. The pyramid’s steps are an illusion of a serpent slithering down the side, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, showcasing the Mayans’ astronomical brilliance.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China, covering 13,171 miles, which is 21,196 kilometers, is by all accounts a barrier, but it’s also a symbol of resilience. This is one of the world’s most recognizable structures, with work begun in the 7th century BC continuing for centuries until the structure spans mountains, deserts, and plains. You can’t see it from space, but that doesn’t make it any less epic.

Borobudur

Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple, rises from the jungles of Java, Indonesia. Its 72 bell-shaped stupas house statues of the Buddha, and were built in the 9th century. The terraces of its climb are covered with more than 2,600 relief panels, and to walk up them is like walking through a Buddhist storybook in stone.

Lalibela Churches

Medieval ingenuity has carved these churches into the rocky hills of Ethiopia. In the 12th century, these monolithic structures were hewn entirely out of volcanic rock. A highlight for visitors is the Church of St. George, with its cross-shaped roof, which overwhelms the viewer with craftmanship.

The Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles in France is one of the few places that scream extravagance. It’s a 17th-century building with gilded halls, manicured gardens, and the famed Hall of Mirrors. VERSAILLES has dramatically preserved the extravagance of absolute monarchy from when Louis XIV, the Sun King, made it his place of abode. Nearly 10 million people drop by each year to soak up its luxuriousness and history.

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10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience

Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.

But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.

10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience