The emptiness of Ground Zero.
All this way and no one’s mentioned the Pyramids? There’s just no way to prepare people adequately for how big the damn things are. Here’s an idea. Those a fairly big buildings in the foreground and they’re dominated by these massive stone things. The view from the top is great and climbing inside (at least a few decades ago) is something everyone should do if opportunity presents.
Ditto that. I was maybe 13 or 14 the first time I saw it and I remember thinking 'Damn, those are BIG beams.
I would second Anaamika on the Taj Mahal - seeing the marble change colour as the sun sets is the most romantic thing in the world.
As far as impressive buildings go, it can only come in second place as compared to the Blue Mosque in Isfahan , which is an absolutely stunning feat of “interior decoration”. - Don’t know if it is really hyped all that much. Deserves to be, though.
Absolutely. My hubby and I went there on our honeymoon and the way it’s designed just knocked me on my ass.
You notice your image, and those around you, reflected in the granite, in an all-at-once moment of discovery which adds to those gradual effects you mention.
HEY! YOU!
I’m gonna visit you next time I visit Buffalo/Niagara Falls.
I’ll add another vote to the Vietnam Memorial.
I don’t know if this is technically a landmark, but the Holocaust Museum was incredible. I think I was in one long gasp during the whole tour.
When I went to England, we went to The Tower of London. I thought it would be really boring, but it was really interesting! I mean, the building itself isn’t overwhelming or anything, but I went in having on a vague idea of what it actually was (figured it would be like the mission in Texas. “look, here’s an oven made out of rocks. look, here’s a wooden cot. Here’s another oven made out of bricks. check it out, another cot. oh look, a church!”) but it was cool.
Same with Dover Castle. On the ride there, I was expecting some ugly rubble and probably a few “this is what it looked like” room setups. The castle itself took my breath away the second it came into view. Up on a hill, and… like… well, a real castle! It was the first real castle I ever saw. And then you get up to the top and you can see England and France and it was just… I never ever wanted to leave. Some things you realize were incredible in hindsight, but this was one of those times when, right that second, I was like, “this moment is absolutely perfect”
all of England was actually pretty amazing to me. I mean, I’m used to living in the US where we don’t really have anything old. I mean, like 250 years old, but that’s it. Stuff in England is so old that it’s like… stuff that seemed like it was just stories is real and tangible. It was something I kind of expected to be boring because I’m bored to tears by the Alamo and Gettysburg and that kind of stuff, but it was awesome.
Wow we have Macchu Picchu and Taj Mahal travelers! I’m impressed! (And jealous…)
I know it’s already been mentioned several times but I never would have thought that Niagra Falls was so awesome until I saw it in person. I tried to shut out all the tourist trap surroundings and just focus on the power of the falls. Standing so close to it I can understand how some people want to jump in…it’s nearly overpowering!
I was also shocked how many people mentioned the Grand Canyon as “underwhelming” in the other thread. Photos do not do it justice, it is truly a wonder of the earth.
From the overrated thread:
Also, a lesser known landmark, but Taormina in Sicily is spectacularly beautiful. Its a Greek amphitheater built on top of a big hill, which is impressive in its own right. But you can see the beautiful Sicilian coast stretching off into the distance. Most spectacularly of all, Etna and its foothills just loom over everything. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been in my life.
Pic: http://mi.eng.cam.ac.uk/~gmf26/TaorminaTeatroGreco.jpg (Although this picture does it no justice.)
In terms of sheer natural beauty, I can never decide between Ireland and Hawaii. Both are these beautiful green jewels that just rise out of the blue ocean.
I figure I’ll chime in and say the VWM blew me away, too. It is probably the most magnificent, solemn, and appropriate war memorial that has ever been constructed anywhere by anyone; since seeing it, other memorials often seem garish and silly now.
Every aspect of it was carefully planned. The surface is highly polished and reflective so that the observer’s image is mixed in with the names, to create a visual connection between you and the brothers and sons who were lost in Vietnam. The walls point towards the Washington and Lincoln memorials, to tie it in physically with the history of the country. It is a work of staggering artistic genius. The park service does a great job too, keeping it tidy and clean. When people leave little things for their lost relatives at the wall, like teddy bearts or notes or pictures - which they do almost every day - anything that’s not flowers or little flags is taken away and carefully stored. They can’t be traced to their owners, of course, but they store them because it wouldn’t be right to throw them away.
It’s not often remembered now, but the design of the Memorial was widely criticized at the time because it isn’t like other war memorials in that it doesn’t have big heroic statues, patriotic platitutes, and waving flags, and the designed was a 21-year-old kid with an Asian name (Maya Lin); at the dedication of the memorial they didn’t even mention her name, presumably hoping erveryone would think it was designed by someone named “Casey F. Applepie” or something.
Of course, after it was built it was obvious to everyone how brilliant and wonderful and sad it was, and now it’s pretty much the apex of war memorials.
The addition of the “Three Soldiers” and Women’s Memorial statues came later. Individually they’re also excellent works, but frankly I think they take away from the Memorial a bit. It would be better with just the granite walls.
I’ve been there a few times. Both times, the MAll was teeming with people, but as you approached the Memorial, everyone just became quiet, unbidden, even the kids and German tourists. Boths time there were a few men there, who obviously had served in the war, overwhelmed with emotion. One was there with his children, and they obviously didn’t know what to do with their big, strong Dad crying over this wall of granite.
It was heartbreaking. But then, that was the point.
If you are going to invite yourself for a party, let me know when. I’m on the west end of the state too.
How the heck has anyone forgotten that? It just went on and on and on and on… once the design was finalized, it suddenly had the proper name, The Controversial Vietnam War Memorial. The whole period from the selection to unvieling that’s what it was. Then when people started going to the memorial it was still controversial. There were people who just wouldn’t let the controversy die.
I think it took about ten years after the memorial opened before I stopped hearing Controversial as part of the official name.
This if more geography than a “landmark,” but the Badlands in South Dakota. Good god, the grassland just drops away into nothing with no warning, and then there are these bleak, beautiful canyons with walls that look like sand paintings.
I love the Vietnam memorial for all the reasons mentioned. The Korean war memorial is also excellent, and frankly scared the hell out of me walking through it at night. It is eerie.
Another big vote for the Pyramids!!
All of the monuments in Washington. I don’t know whether it was the history behind them, the fact that I’d seen photos of them all my life, or whether they really are that awesome. I found them all to be surprisingly “people-sized,” but also awe-inspiring. I also enjoyed the Marine Corps monument, Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, Tomb of the Uninowns, all of 'em.
Gateway Arch is just stunning. It dominates the skyline as you cross the Missouri on I-64.
Golden Gate Bridge lived up to its billing, too, in large part because the evening we crossed it, fog was coming in, and when we first saw it from across the way (is that Marin?) the tops of the bridge towers were obscured in the fog. Breathtaking!
Petra was every bit as cool as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade made it out to be. The long walk through the crevasse, which opens up right in front of the Treasury, was just awesome.
Not surprising, since the local structural engineers told the Pisa city government the same thing. They’ve knocked themselves out to get that thing to stay up. For a couple years (IRRC) you couldn’t go in it, it was so dangerous.
Ok, upon further review, the public was banned for about ten years.
Angkor Wat is truly spectacular. Words and pictures can’t do it justice.
I’m also a big fan of the Taj Mahal. I was there on a perfect day - 70-something degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I gasped as I came through the entrance.
I’ve never spent more than a couple of hours at the Grand Canyon, but for me it was one of those things that you can’t really believe exist unless you’re standing there.
Lots of mention of the Vietnam memorial. I’ve been in DC for, um, 7 years now and haven’t been - I guess I should go the next time I’m on the Mall. But, the only war-related site that has really done it for me was a tiny POW museum in Kanchanaburi, Thailand (location of the bridge over the river Kwai).
I love the St. Louis Arch, too, but I grew up there, so I knew it well before I knew there was any hype about it.