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Landmarks and Famous Sights Facts & Worksheets

Landmarks are structures that have significant historical, architectural or cultural meaning and have been given legal protection from alteration and destruction.

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A landmark can be a natural or man-made feature that stands out from its surroundings. Mountains and plateaus are examples of natural landmarks, whereas monuments and distinctive buildings used as a symbol of a specific area are examples of artificial landmarks. These landmarks became famous sights because of their constant use for navigation.

See the fact file below for more information about Landmarks and Famous Sights, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.

Key Facts & Information

Landmarks and Famous Sights

  • Landmark preservation laws vary by country, but they have the same primary purpose: to keep landmarks as close to their original condition as possible.
  • Once a landmark has been designated, the owner may not change the structure without the express approval of the government or lawful authority.
  • There are some famous landmarks that travelers are not allowed to photograph for commercial use. These include:
    • The Eiffel tower at night
    • The interior and exterior of The Louvre and I.M. Pei’s Pyramid whether day or night.
    • The exterior of Notre Dame de Paris. The interior may be photographed with permission.
    • Photographs of the Burning Man Festival, including the grounds, structures, and identifiable features within the temporary Black Rock City.
    • Las Vegas Hotels.
    • Photography of the Sydney Opera House is restricted unless it is part of a cityscape where it is visible.
    • Photography of Ayers Rock (Uluru and Kata Tjuta) is restricted.
  • The National Historic Landmark Program of the United States will list 2,597 designated landmarks across the country on August 21, 2020.

History

  • It was derived from the old English word landmearc, which was an object used to mark the boundaries of a territory.
  • Around 1560, the term came to refer to any object that stands out in a landscape.
  • Later, it evolved into a geographical feature that explorers used to navigate back or through an area, like the Table Mountain in South Africa, which aided sailors during the Age of Exploration.
  • In the United States, the term is now applied to tourist destinations with notable physical features and historical significance.
  • The term is used to give directions for simple navigation in the United Kingdom.
  • In general, the term refers to an object for verbal route instructions.
  • Some landmarks have become tourist attractions or popular attractions that people visit for pleasure and interest.

Famous Natural Landmarks

  • Most modern landmarks are man-made structures, whereas natural features are frequently used as tourist attractions.

Table Mountain in South Africa

  • It is a mountain in Cape Town that is known for its flat top.
  • Many tourists use cable cars if they do not want to hike to the top.
  • Its National Park is the most visited in South Africa, with an annual attendance of approximately 4.2 million people.
  • It has 8,200 plant species, which adds to the tourists’ interest.

Mount Ararat in Turkey

  • It is a dormant compound volcano in Turkey‘s east, consisting of the major volcanic cones Greater Ararat and Little Ararat, as well as a snow cap.
  • Greater Ararat is the highest peak in the country, standing at more than 5,100 meters, while Little Ararat stands at nearly 3,900 meters.
  • Friedrich Parrot, Khachatur Abovian, and four others were the first to reach the summit in 1829.
  • It lies outside the borders of modern Armenia, but it is the country’s national symbol, and its people regard it as a sacred mountain.

Uluru in Australia

  • It is a large sandstone formation, also known as Ayers Rock, located in the center of Australia, 335 kilometers southwest of Alice Springs.
  • It is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal people of the area.
  • Springs, waterholes, rock caves, and ancient paintings surround it.
  • It is one of the two main features of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, along with Kata Tjuta, collectively called the Olgas.
  • Since the late 1930s, it began being a popular tourist destination and also one of the most significant indigenous sites in the country.

Mount Fuji in Japan

  • It is the highest mountain, with an elevation of 3,776 meters, located on the island of Honshu.
  • It has the seventh-highest peak in the world.
  • It is often regarded as a mountain, but it is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1708.
  • Its symmetrical cone is covered in snow for five months each year.
  • It is one of the Three Holy Mountains of the country, the other two being Mount Tate and Mount Haku.
  • On June 22, 2013, it was listed among the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO under the Cultural Site category. It inspired many artists, poets, and pilgrims.

Grand Canyon in the United States

  • It is a steep-sided deep cleft carved by the Colorado River in Arizona.
  • While the Colorado Plateau was being uplifted, its tributaries cut their channels, deepening and widening the canyon.
  • It has a length of 446 kilometers, a width of 29 kilometers, and a depth of 1857 meters.
  • Native Americans initially inhabited it until the Spanish conqueror García López de Cárdenas discovered the site in 1540.
  • It started gaining interest and popularity and later became a pilgrimage site.
  • It was proposed for preservation by US President Theodore Roosevelt.

Famous Artificial Landmarks

Great Wall of China

  • It is a network of fortifications built along the northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China. It was primarily constructed to protect against nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe.
  • As early as the 7th Century BCE, several walls were built. It was followed by Qin Shi Huang, who reigned as the first emperor of China and the successive dynasties. Its best-known sections were the ones built by the Ming dynasty.
  • Watchtowers, barracks, garrison stations, and a path for a transportation corridor were added to the wall to improve its defensive capabilities.

Taj Mahal

  • It was built in 1631, as commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his wife named Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb was the centerpiece of the complex aside from a mosque and guest house.
  • It is an Islamic mausoleum constructed of ivory-white marble on the right bank of the Yamuna River in Agra.
  • Most admirers regarded it as the finest example of Mughal architecture, while others saw it as a symbol of the country’s history.
  • It was enlisted among the 1983 UNESCO World Heritage Site as a significant Muslim Art in the country that was universally admired.

Great Pyramid of Giza

  • It is the largest Egyptian pyramid where the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu was located.
  • It was built in the early 26th Century BCE, qualifying as the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, where it is the only surviving site.
  • It used to stand approximately 147 meters, but most limestone casing was removed over time, lowering its height to 138.5 meters.
  • It was built from an estimated 2.3 million large blocks, most of which are not uniform in size or shape. The exterior was bound together using mortar.

Eiffel Tower in Paris

  • It is a lattice tower made of wrought iron located on the Champ de Mars.
  • It was designed and built by a company owned by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, for whom the tower was named after.
  • It was constructed from 1887 to 1889 and was presented as the “La dame de fer,” French for “Iron Lady,” as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair.
  • It became a cultural icon of the country despite the criticisms of some leading French artists.
  • It was included in the 1991 UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Banks of the Seine of Paris.
  • In 2015, it recorded 6.91 million tourist visits.

Golden Gate Bridge

  • It is a suspension bridge across the 1.6-kilometer Golden Gate strait between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean that serves as one of the symbols of San Francisco and California.
  • Modern engineers highly regard it, and the American Society of Civil Engineers has named it one of the Modern World’s Wonders.

The Colosseum

  • It is a historic oval-shaped amphitheater in Rome, Italy.
  • Its construction began in 72 BCE under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 BCE by his successor Titus. During Domitian’s reign, changes were made.
  • The three emperors were from the Flavian dynasty, which gave rise to the amphitheater’s other name, Flavian Amphitheater.
  • It was constructed of travertine limestone, tuff, and brick-faced concrete and could seat more than 50,000 people.
  • It was originally used for gladiatorial contests, but it is now a tourist attraction and a symbol of Imperial Rome.

Christ the Redeemer

  • It is a statue of Jesus Christ designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by the Brazilian engineering team of Heitor da Silva Costa.
  • It was built in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1922 and 1931.
  • It stands 30 meters tall and has arms that stretch 28 meters wide.
  • It is now situated at the summit of Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca National Park.
  • It became popular among tourists as a Christian symbol and a cultural icon of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.

Landmarks and Famous Sights Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about worldwide Landmarks and Famous Sights across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Landmarks and Famous Sights worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about landmarks, which are structures that have significant historical, architectural or cultural meaning and have been given legal protection from alteration and destruction.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Landmark Facts
  • Beautiful Asia Letter Jumble
  • Touring Europe – I Guess
  • North and South Americas – I Paste
  • South American Landmarks
  • Exotic Australia – Locate!
  • African Sights – I Promote
  • Antarctic Land-marked
  • Cold Landmark
  • Reflection

Frequently Asked Questions

How many landmarks are there?

The National Historic Landmark Program of the United States will list 2,597 designated landmarks across the country on August 21, 2020.

What is a very famous landmark?

(Eiffel Tower in Paris) It is a lattice tower made of wrought iron located on the Champ de Mars. It was designed and built by a company owned by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, for whom the tower was named after. In 2015, it recorded 6.91 million tourist visits.

What is a landmark?

A landmark can be a natural or man-made feature that stands out from its surroundings.

What is an Indian landmark?

(Taj Mahal) It was built in 1631, as commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his wife named Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb was the centerpiece of the complex aside from a mosque and guest house.

What is a country landmark?

In the United States, the term is now applied to tourist destinations with notable physical features and historical significance. The term is used to give directions for simple navigation in the United Kingdom. In general, the term refers to an object for verbal route instructions.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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