Landmarks facts for kids
A landmark is something special that helps you know where you are or where you're going. Long ago, a landmark was a natural feature like a big mountain, a tall cliff, or a wide river. Explorers and travelers used these natural signs to find their way and remember routes.
Today, the word "landmark" means any place or thing that is easy to recognize. This can be a famous monument, a unique building, or another important structure. In some places, like the United States, landmarks are often popular spots for tourists. They might be beautiful, very large, or have a lot of history. In other places, like the United Kingdom, people often use landmarks for simple navigation, like giving directions to someone. Both uses are common in many parts of the world.
Contents
What Are Important Landmarks?
Landmarks can be split into two main types: natural landmarks and human-made structures. Natural landmarks are things like waterfalls and mountains, created by nature. Human-made landmarks are built by people. Many of the most famous landmarks around the world are also known as World Heritage Sites, which means they are protected because they are very important to everyone's history and culture.
Here are some important landmarks you might know:
Natural Wonders
These are amazing places made by nature:
- Amazon Rainforest, Brazil/Peru
/
- Angel Falls, Venezuela
- The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
- Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
- Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
- Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina
/
- Matterhorn, Alps, Switzerland/Italy
/
- Milford Sound, New Zealand
- Mont Saint Michel, France
- Mount Everest, Himalayas, Nepal/China
/
- Mount Fuji, Japan
- Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- Niagara Falls, Canada/USA
/
- Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, USA
- Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
- Uluru, Australia
- Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe
/
Human-Made Landmarks
These are incredible places built by people:
Africa
- Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Cairo, Egypt
- Abu Simbel, Egypt
- Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco
- Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali
Asia
- Taj Mahal, Agra, India
- Gateway of India, Mumbai, India
- The Great Wall of China, China
- Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City, Beijing, China
- Potala Palace, Tibet Autonomous Region, China
- The Terracotta Army, Xi'an, China
- Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, China
- Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
- Tokyo Tower, Tokyo, Japan
- Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Borobudur, Indonesia
- Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
- Petra, Jordan
- Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
- Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Europe
- Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary
- The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
- Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
- Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
- Louvre, Paris, France
- Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France
- The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
- Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Big Ben, London, United Kingdom
- Stonehenge, United Kingdom
- London Eye, London, United Kingdom
- Tower Bridge, London, United Kingdom
- Red Square/Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
- Kölner Dom, Cologne, Germany
- Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
- Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
- Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain
- Alhambra, Granada, Spain
- St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
North America
- CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
- Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
- Statue of Liberty, New York City, USA
- Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, USA
- Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Empire State Building, New York City, USA
- White House, Washington, D.C., USA
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
Central and South America
- Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Macchu Picchu, Peru
- Moais, Eastern Island, Chile
- Panama Canal, Panama
- Tikal, Guatemala
Australia
- Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
- Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia
- Eureka Tower, Melbourne, Australia