The world is large and complex. Many organisms here have made and discovered impossible things under challenging circumstances, especially in ancient times. Despite its limited resources and technology, the ancient world gifted us fascinating and beautiful pieces of art that are the monuments we cherish today. Most of the monuments were built with supreme quality, and the purpose and mystery behind them leave people baffled even today.
14 Famous Monuments With Interesting History
1. Stonehenge (England)
One of the most famous monuments is a group of stones standing in a circular pattern. Although this figure remained a mystery for a long time, scientists have now found its purpose.
Several remains of bones were unearthed from the area, and it was concluded that the place was used as a burial ground during the period 3000 BC to 2500 BC.
Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, the place was considered a Druid temple built by Celtic Pagans to worship.
Another theory tells that the site was built for astronomical use.
2. Pyramids Of Giza (Egypt)
These pyramids have an interesting history, a mystery that even scientists aren’t clear about. Specifically, the great pyramid of Giza consists of 2.3 million stones, each of them weighing up to 2 tons. Observing the height, researchers to this day don’t have a solid explanation of how they were able to put those heavy stones on top without tools.
3. The Great Wall Of China (China)
The longest man-made structure was a combination of many dynasties started by the Qins and completed by the Mings. This monument was built to block the invasion from the northern emperors like the Mongols.
4. Taj Mahal (Agra, India)
Shah Jahan built this beautiful piece of architecture in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The whole structure was built with astonishing white marbles with handicraft work on it. Earlier, it was believed that he cut his worker’s hands after completing the Taj Mahal. However, it was revealed that they were ordered to never work for any ruler again.
5. Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar, Punjab)
One of the monuments with a gory history behind it, this structure was made to memorialize the black day of April 13, 1919. On this day, 400 protesters were killed as ordered by British general Dyer. Moreover, nearly 1200 people were injured because British troops open fire on the protestors gathered at the location. They blocked all the ways to exit, and a peaceful, calm protest was converted into a blood land.
6. Bahangarh Fort (Rajasthan, India)
The place has a lot of rumours of it being haunted. The locals tell many stories that explain the reason behind its haunting vibes, and the government has placed a notice clearly stating that entry is restricted after sunset and before sunrise. However, many people say that the board is placed to protect the ancient structure and avoid encounters with wild, dangerous animals at night; the news of it being haunted is the reason for its tourism.
7. Golden Temple (Punjab, India)
One of the holiest and pure shrines in Sikhism and one of the most awe-inspiring monuments. The Golden Temple provides free meals for everyone, regardless of their caste, creed, or religion, especially for the poor. The temple never runs out of food because many spiritually devoted people donate here for a good cause. The most interesting fact here is that its outer covering is made up of pure and complete gold, and on corrosion, it is renovated with pure gold again.
8. Iron Pillar (Delhi, India)
Built by Qutubuddin Aibak, the 1600 years old pillar is very famous for its refusal to rust. Yes, this pillar is more than 95% of iron, and yet, after years, it has not shown a sign of rust or corrosion. The Qutubuddin Aibak is one of the most famous monuments among travellers and tourists.
9. Leshan Giant Buddha (China)
This remarkable structure was carved out of a cliff, flowing under a river. It is the world’s largest and tallest Buddha statue, with natural surroundings. The river flowing there used to be a topic of tension among the villagers due to its turbulent activities. So, a monk named Hai Tong built this structure because he believed that the Buddha would keep the turbulent waters calm.
10. Angkor Wat (Cambodia)
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument on Earth, originally built as a Hindu temple and later converted into a Buddhist temple. It is fascinating that more than 5,000,000 sandstones were used to build this temple. The temple is now replete with trees in different directions, making it more natural and beautiful than ever.
11. Qutub Minar (Delhi, India)
It is the tallest brick minaret in the world. The structure was built as a celebration of conquering Delhi after the defeat of the last Hindu ruler. The site is covered with famous monuments like the iron pillar, and hence, tourists prefer to visit this place.
12. Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra, India)
These caves are both witness and proof of one of the earliest Buddhist architecture and sculptures. The monks used these caves to carve pictures for meditation and study the Buddhist teachings, particularly at the time of monsoon because they were unable to travel during that period. These caves were accidentally found by the British Army officer John Smith, who was hunting a tiger in and around that area.
13. Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh, India)
Built by the great Indian emperor Ashoka, the stupa is one of the oldest stone structures in India. It was built to preserve and spread the Buddhist philosophy and its teachings. The interesting fact here is that the great stupa at Sanchi is where the ashes of the Buddha were placed, and to this day, they are buried under the structure.
14. Jantar Mantar (Rajasthan, India)
It is an ancient astrological monument built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh in 1724. The ‘Samrat Yantra’ placed here is the world’s largest sundial, with a height of 27 meters, and the device being precise up to three seconds. The place consists of 19 such structures, all used for astronomical purposes. They could even calculate the distance of the Sun from Earth using one of these 19 instruments.
The Conclusion
The ancient history and its creations are exceptional. There are a lot more such structures and monuments with interesting reasons behind their build. We need to explore all such things to uncover how our ancestors managed to build such masterpieces of monuments without any technology or advanced tools.
