A Brief History
On July 13, 1923, the world famous “Hollywood” sign first loomed above Hollywood on the hills outside Los Angeles. The sign originally read “Hollywoodland” but it was shortened in 1949 to a simple “Hollywood.” Since then, the sign has become the symbol of Hollywood, unmistakable and iconic. Back on March 31, 2014 we listed 10 Iconic Structures that Identify a City, and today we will do it again, with a sequel that will catch some of those iconic structures neglected last time.
Digging Deeper
10. Christ The Redeemer, Rio De Janiero.
Towering 98 feet tall (and standing on a 26 foot high pedestal), with arms outstretched 92 feet, this statue of Jesus Christ was the biggest such statue in the world from 1931 until 2010 when surpassed by “Christ the King” in Poland.
9. The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen.
Only 4 ½ feet tall and 385 pounds this statue is the smallest of the iconic structures. Still, it is unmistakably the symbol of Copenhagen and is a great tourist attraction. The bronze statue was finished in 1913.
8. Great Pyramid/Sphinx (tie), Cairo.
Okay, these fantastic stone structures may not be within the city limits of Cairo, but they are close. When you see them, there is no doubt about where you are on the planet. The Great Pyramid was completed about 2560 BC and at 481 feet tall was the tallest man made structure in the world for a whopping 3800+ years. The Great Sphinx was built around 2532 BC and is the biggest monolith statue and the oldest monumental sculpture in the world. It is 241 feet long, 63 feet wide, and 66 feet tall.
7. Parthenon, Athens.
High up on the Acropolis, the Parthenon looks down on Athens and survives as the symbol of Greek civilization. The building was completed in 438 BC. (The author of this article visited the Parthenon back in 1980.)
6. The Alamo, San Antonio.
This large former Spanish Mission is unforgettable, at least after all the reminders about not forgetting it. Defended on the silver screen by the likes of John Wayne and Billy Bob Thornton in various feature films, the Alamo is a shrine to the independence of Texans.
5. Leaning Tower, Pisa.
Completed in 1372, the tower started leaning before it was even finished because of soft ground on one side. About 186 feet tall on the high side, the tower leaned as much as 5.5 degrees before work done in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries reduced the lean to 3.9 degrees. This means the top of the tower is about 12 feet off center.
4. Big Ben, London.
The name “Big Ben” actually refers to the bell on the clock located in what was known as The Clock Tower until 2012 when it was renamed the “Elizabeth Tower” in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. It was built in 1858 and has been the iconic symbol of London ever since.
3. Taj Mahal, Agra, India.
Completed in 1653 as a mausoleum and mosque complex, this fantastic building is perhaps the most beautiful building ever made. Not only is it emblematic of Agra, but also of India as well.
2. Hollywood Sign, Hollywood.
Since 1923 the sign has looked down on Tinseltown making sure that all residents and visitors knew exactly where they were. Except for dropping the word “land” from the end and once modifying the sign to read “Hollyweed” by vandals, this is quite possibly the most famous sign in the world.
1. Gateway Arch, St. Louis.
At 630 feet high (and 630 long at the ground) the gleaming metal arch is the tallest arch in the world, and is actually Missouri’s tallest building. Not just a decoration, tourists can go inside the arch and enjoy the view through observation windows. The arch cost the equivalent of almost $100 million in today’s dollars and construction was beset by bickering, lawsuits, labor strife, and racial tension. All that seems forgotten now as the Gateway Arch is recognized around the world as the symbol of St. Louis.
Question for students (and subscribers): Which iconic structures do we still need to add? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
History, dir. Ancient Egypt:iconic Structure. A&E Home Video, 2009. DVD.
The featured image in this article, a photograph by Amanda Vecciarelli, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. This image was originally posted to Flickr by SarahSierszyn at https://flickr.com/photos/97835623@N02/9582701095 (archive). It was reviewed on by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.
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