Humans have been building towers since the dawn of time. Ancient Jericho’s walls, one of the first city walls ever built, were topped by a stone tower. Later civilizations frequently included watchtowers in their fortifications to provide a high, safe vantage point from which a guard could survey the surrounding region. Bell towers, clock towers, minarets, and communication towers have all been constructed throughout the last two millennia.
Let’s check the Most Famous Towers in the World.
1: Leaning Tower of Pisa
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The world-famous Pisa Tower was constructed over a 177-year period. The tower began to sink soon after construction began in 1173 due to a shoddy foundation, and it was abandoned for over a century. Engineers erected higher floors with one side taller than the other to compensate for the tilt when construction restarted, and the tower was finally completed in the second half of the 14th century. Since 2001, tourists wishing to climb the 296 steps of Pisa’s famed tower have been able to do so once more.
2: Eiffel Tower
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The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris and France, as well as one of the world’s most famous landmarks. Gustave Eiffel designed the tower as the entrance arch for the 1889 Paris International Exhibition. It remained the world’s tallest structure until 1930, when the Chrysler Building in New York was constructed, with a height of 300 metres (984 ft). The Eiffel Tower has been visited by over 200,000,000 people since its construction, making it the world’s most visited paid monument.
3: San Gimignano
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San Gimignano, sometimes known as the mediaeval Manhattan, is a Tuscan village known for its 14 stone towers. More than 70 towers were built to defend San Gimignano against enemy attacks at the height of the town’s wealth and strength. San Gimignano’s influence diminished after the plague decimated the city in 1348, which kept foes at bay and maintained many of the city’s iconic towers.
4: Big Ben
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The Big Ben Clock Tower, which is celebrating its 150th birthday this year, is one of London’s most famous tourist attractions. Big Ben refers to the 13-ton bell housed within the clock tower and is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the man who first ordered the bell. It is the world’s third largest free-standing clock tower.
5: CN Tower
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The CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable icon, standing in the center of Downtown Toronto. The communication tower, which stood 553.33 meters (1,815.4 feet) tall and was erected by the railway firm “Canadian National” between 1973 and 1976, was the world’s highest structure for over 30 years until it was exceeded in height by the Burj Dubai.
6: Three Pagodas
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The Three Pagodas, located 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) northwest of Dali, are one of China’s best-preserved Buddhist buildings, having survived various man-made and natural disasters. The middle pagoda, which was built by King Quan Fengyou between 824 and 840 AD, is one of China‘s highest pagodas at 69.6 metres (227 ft). The other two pagodas, which are 42.19 metres (140 feet) tall, were completed roughly a century later.
7: Galata Tower
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The Galata Tower is a mediaeval stone tower in Istanbul’s Galata neighborhood. The tower, which stands 67 metres (220 feet) tall with a cone-capped cylinder on top, is one of the city’s most prominent monuments. The tower was constructed in 1348 as part of the fortifications surrounding Constantinople’s Genoese settlement. On the upper levels, there is now a restaurant and café with a spectacular view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus.
8: Qutb Minar
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In 1193, Qutb al-Din Aybak, the first Muslim governor of Delhi, commissioned the Qutb Minar in India. Qutb al-Din Aybak planned to surpass the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, but only the base had been built at the time of his death. His successors carried on the work until the uppermost floor was finished in 1386. It is the world’s tallest brick minaret, at 72 metres (237.8 feet) tall with 379 steps to the top.
9: The Two Towers of Bologna
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The two iconic towers of Bologna, Italy, are named after the families who are credited with their construction between 1109 and 1119, and are not to be confused with the Lord of the Rings film. With a height of 97.2 metres, the Asinelli Tower is Bologna’s tallest structure. The Garisenda Tower was originally 60 metres tall, but it was reduced to 48 metres in the 14th century to make it safer.
10: Minaret of Jam
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The Minaret of Jam was built in the 12th century as part of a mosque in a remote location in western Afghanistan. A flash flood washed away the mosque, and the site around the minaret was later destroyed by the Mongols. Given this, given the harsh climate, it’s a little miracle that the 62-meter-high (203-foot-high) tower is still standing.