Many have seen the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, there is a taller statue dedicated to Jesus located in Portugal. Inspired by the famous statue in Rio, Cristo-Rei (Christ is King) is one of the tallest statues in the world.
Built on the site of the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock is the most famous Islamic religious site and its most controversial. Designed as a shrine, the dome is built on top of a sacred stone. Believed to be the place where the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, it is also the oldest standing monument which points the direction to Mecca. The dome is also significant to those of the Jewish and Christian faiths who believe it was built over the temple of both Solomon and Herod.
Beijing's People's Heroes Monument is a marble and granite obelisk that stands 10 stories tall. Located in Tiananmen Square, it was designed to honor those who lost their lives during Chinese revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries.
In Virginia, the Marine Corps War Memorial is a 32 foot tall bronze statue to honor Marines lost in battle. The statue was based on a photo from the famous Battle of Iwo Jima and shows a group of Marines raising the American flag.
In Hiroshima, Japan, the Peace Memorial Park contains many monuments dedicated to peace and honors those lost during the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
On one of the most remote islands in the world, Easter Island, stand the Moai statues. The statues range in size with an average weight of 14 tons and heigth of 14 1/2 feet.
Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric monument in the world. Located outside of Wiltshire County, England, it is believed to have been built in 3200 B.C. The circular standing stones were built in various phases and have never been accurately dated.
