Architecture

This massive stone amphitheater was commissioned around A.D. 70 by Emperor Vespasian as a gift to the Roman people. In A.D. 80, his son Titus opened the Colosseum with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. The colosseum remained in use for more than four centuries.

Willis Tower is a 108-story, 1,451-foot (442 m) skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of its completion in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York, and it held this rank for nearly 25 years.

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.

Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet (381 meters), and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft (443.2 m) high. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. It stood as the world's tallest building for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931 until the topping out of the World Trade Center's North Tower in late 1970.

Saint Basil commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a former church in Red Square in Moscow, Russia. The building, now a museum, is officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (Russian: Собор Покрова пресвятой Богородицы, что на Рву) or Pokrovsky Cathedral (Russian: Покровский собор). It was built from 1555–61 on orders from Ivan the Terrible and commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. A world famous landmark, it has been the hub of the city's growth since the 14th century and was the city's tallest building until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600.

Notre-Dame de Paris also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a historic Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. The naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture.

Located in Washington D.C., the Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress. It sits atop Capitol Hill which is located at the east end of the National Mall. Construction began September 18, 1793. The Capitol is built in the distinctive American neoclassical style with a white marble exterior.

Is a Lutheran church in Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony. Built in the 18th century, the church was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt starting in 1994 after the reunification of Germany.

Located on the right bank of the Seine at the centre of a dodecagonal configuration of twelve radiating avenues. It was commissioned in 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Emperor Napoleon at the peak of his fortunes. Laying the foundations alone took two years and, in 1810, when Napoleon entered Paris from the west with his bride Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed.

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.

Most of these churches are recognizable by their Carpenter Gothic design which features timber frame construction, stain glass windows, detailed trim and pointed arched windows and doors. For generations, these churches have served as a second home for many Americans and were the cornerstones of many rural communities.

Is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, its official name was originally the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, between January 2011 and August 2014, the EDF Energy London Eye and is now called the London Eye.

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.

Is a temple located on the Athenian Acropolis in Greece and dedicated to the maiden goddess Athena whom the people of Athens considered their patron deity. Construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power and was completed in 438 BC. The Parthenon is the most recognizable enduring symbol of ancient Greece, Athenian democracy and western civilization.

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.