Architecture

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London though today the name also refers to the clock and the clock tower. The bell weighs almost 14 tons and each clock face is 23 feet in diameter. It became fully operational on September 7th, 1859 and is today one of the most prominent symbols of London standing at 316 feet high. The clock requires winding three times per week and pennies are periodically added or removed from the clock of pendulum to maintain its accuracy.

The Neuschwanstein Castle is located in Bavaria near the town of Fussen and was Walt Disney’s inspiration to create the Magic Kingdom. Neuschwanstein literally means “New Swan Stone” which is a reference to “the Swan Knight”; one of the characters in an opera by the composer Richard Wagner. King Ludwig II began construction of the castle in 1869. Today his fairy tale castle stands as the most visited castle in Germany welcoming more than 1,300,000 tourists per year.

Located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, the Eiffel Tower has become a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair and stands at 1,063 feet tall. It was the tallest man-made structure in the world until the Chrysler Building was built in 1930.

The Space Needle is a tower in Seattle, Washington. It is a major landmark in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a symbol of Seattle. Located at the Seattle Center, it was built for the 1962 World's Fair, during which time nearly 20,000 people a day used the elevators, with over 2.3 million visitors in all for the World Fair. The Space Needle is 605 feet high at its highest point and 138 feet wide at its widest point and weighs 9,550 tons.

The Empire State Building is the highest building in New York City. This 102 story building rises 1,250ft above the city at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State.

The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at 1,047ft, it was the world’s tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931.

The Brandenburg Gate is the only remaining gate through which Berlin was once entered. It was commissioned by King William II of Prussia as a sign of peace. The design is based upon the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. Atop the gate is the Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses driven by Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory.

Is the birthplace of America. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside this building. Also, George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781.

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York opened in 1986. Named after Senator Jacob K. Javits (US Senator District 1957-1981), the glass-enclosed building was designed by I.M. Pei & Partners. Javits is the busiest convention center in the United States attracting top tradeshows and hosting more than 2.5 million visitors annually. In 2013 the Center completed a major renovation that includes a new roof, replacement of the exterior glass wall, upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems and interior reconfigurations. Designed by Javits II Architecture, LLC, the renovation has enhanced the visitor experience and the building’s operational efficiency while remaining true to the original design concepts.

The Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower/restaurant on the southeastern edge of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. The tower was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair. It was the tallest observation tower in the United States until 1996 when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower was completed.

Located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, DC, was opened in 1971. It is America’s living memorial to President Kennedy as well as the nation’s busiest arts facility, presenting more than 2,000 performances each year.

The Washington Monument, located in Washington, D.C., was built to commemorate General George Washington, the first president of the USA. When completed in 1848 it was the world’s tallest stone structure until the completion of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1889.

The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay crosses the Sacramento River in the heart of Redding, California. Designed by world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, the bridge links the 300-acre north and south campuses of Turtle Bay Exploration Park. It has served as the downtown entrance to Redding’s extensive Sacramento River Trail system since it’s July 4, 2004 opening. The bridge celebrates human creativity and ingenuity, important themes of Turtle Bay. The steel, glass, and granite span evokes a sense of weightlessness and the translucent, non-skid decking provides for spectacular viewing at night, while being environmentally sensitive. The pylon, cable stays, and glass deck preserve salmon-spawning habitat beneath the bridge, while encouraging public appreciation for the river.

This iconic structure located in Auckland City, New Zealand is an observation and telecommunications tower and is also part of the SKYCITY Auckland casino complex. Standing at a height of 328 meters (1,076 feet) it is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere and attracts over 500,000 visitors per year.

Arc de Triomphe was inspired by Napoleon who after his Austerlitz victory on December 2nd 1805 said to his soldiers, "You will return home through archs of triumph". The monument, located in Paris, stands 50 meters high by 45 meters wide by 22 meters deep

The Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai and is currently the tallest structure in the world at 2,723ft. Construction began on September 21st 2004 and it officially opened on January 4th 2010.