Journalism of Courage
Every year, travel website TripAdvisor gives out its Travellers' Choice awards to the best destinations, hotels, restaurants, beaches, etc., as voted by their users, contributors and experts. The list is based on votes from millions of travellers worldwide. This list consists of historical as well as relatively modern man-made landmarks, with almost all being major religious centres in their regions. Here are the Top 10 landmarks in the world that made it to the list for 2016.
10. Duomo Di Milano, Milan Italy: Duomo Di Milano is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan and took nearly six centuries to complete. It is one of the world's largest churches and boasts of a dazzling white front facade. (Source: Paul Bica/Flickr)
9. Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Washington DC, District of Columbia: Long, large and rectangular in shape, the largest of Washington DC's many reflecting pools is lined by walking paths and shade trees on both sides. It's construction is such that depending on the viewer's vantage point, it dramatically reflects the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall's trees and/or the expansive sky. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
8. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain: A palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain, the Alhambra has seen many patrons and been built and rebuilt several times over the years to its present form today. It has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
7. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St Petersburg, Russia: This church was built on the spot of the assassination of Emperor Alexander II in 1881. Both the interior and the exterior of the church — whose construction was funded by the Imperial family and thousands of private donors — are decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics. It is also known as The Church of the Savior on Blood, The Resurrection Church and The Church of the Resurrection of Christ. (Source: Hendrick Terbeck/Flickr)
6. Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain: This mosque — a blend of Moorish and Christian architecture — contains 850 coloured granite jasper and marble pillars in total. Combined with the artificial light from the thousands of small oil lamps, the sunlight streaming in from the windows creates interesting effects. (Source: Fernando Mandujano)
5. Taj Mahal, Agra, India: Taj Mahal is considered to be the most beautiful and iconic ode to love, commissioned to be built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The ivory-white maosoleum was accorded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". (Source: Nedim Chaabene Flickr)
4. St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy: St Peter's Basilica — an Italian Renaissance church in Vatican City — is considered to be the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and is one of the largest churches in the world. According to Catholic tradition it is believed that the Basilica is the burial site of the first Pope and St Peter — one of Christ's twelve disciples. (Source: Roy Luck/Flickr)
3. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia: Angkor Wat — a temple complex in Cambodia — is the largest religious monument in the world. Angkor Wat began as a complex dedicated to Hindu Gods and gradually turned into a Buddhist centre of worship in the 12th century. It has been built in the classical style of Khmer architecture. (Source: Pixabay)
2. Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE): Located in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Mosque was established as a structure which would unite the cultural diversity of Islamic world and the historical and modern values of architecture and art. It can be visited by more than 41,000 people during Eid and being a center of learning, also houses a library storing classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects such as Sciences, Civilization, Calligraphy, the Arts, coins and includes some rare publications dating back more than 200 years. Its design has been inspired by Persian, Mughal and Moorish mosque architecture. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
1. Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu, Peru: The Machu Picchu citadel is the most familiar icon of Inca civilization. It was a declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll in 2007. It remained unknown to the outside world until American historian Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
