What are some easily identifiable landmarks?
September 29, 2008 2:59 PM Subscribe
I'm working on a project and I need to create a collage of landmarks (the idea being a sort of national or global skyline, if you will). Specifically, I need US-based landmarks, and then international landmarks. I'm looking for help coming up with any visually obvious landmarks I might have missed.
Here's what I've got so far:
US-
Hollywood sign, Space Needle, Golden Gate Bridge, St. Louis Arch, Mt. Rushmore, Washington Monument, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty
International-
London Tower, Stonehenge, Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, Pyramids, Taj Mahal, St. Basil's Cathedral, Great Wall of China
OK, hive mind- what have I missed?
Here's what I've got so far:
US-
Hollywood sign, Space Needle, Golden Gate Bridge, St. Louis Arch, Mt. Rushmore, Washington Monument, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty
International-
London Tower, Stonehenge, Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, Pyramids, Taj Mahal, St. Basil's Cathedral, Great Wall of China
OK, hive mind- what have I missed?
Response by poster: Awesome... all good ideas. Funny how your mind can miss stuff that you'd think would be obvious at first glance!
Keep 'em coming... thanks!
posted by JReed at 3:20 PM on September 29, 2008
Keep 'em coming... thanks!
posted by JReed at 3:20 PM on September 29, 2008
Does it have to be actual structures, or generic representations? A pagoda would make me instantly think Japan (or the Far East, in general).
Mt. Fiji?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 3:31 PM on September 29, 2008
Mt. Fiji?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 3:31 PM on September 29, 2008
Response by poster: No, it doesn't necessarily need to be a specific structure, or a structure at all really. Anything that represents a particular part of the world (without being too much of a generalization) works.
I guess an example of 'too much of a generalization' would be something like an igloo- it's just too cartoonish. The idea is to communicate global (and national) community via a global skyline. Hopefully that makes some sort of sense.
posted by JReed at 3:35 PM on September 29, 2008
I guess an example of 'too much of a generalization' would be something like an igloo- it's just too cartoonish. The idea is to communicate global (and national) community via a global skyline. Hopefully that makes some sort of sense.
posted by JReed at 3:35 PM on September 29, 2008
maybe the Sears Tower in Chicago? (I know I always recognize it when I see it, but don't know if it's as internationally recognized by shape as, say, the Empire State Building.)
Rocky Mountains for Denver? (Maybe too generalized.) Niagara Falls?
posted by scody at 3:40 PM on September 29, 2008
Rocky Mountains for Denver? (Maybe too generalized.) Niagara Falls?
posted by scody at 3:40 PM on September 29, 2008
Best answer: Tikal
The Dome of the Rock
The Temple of Heaven
Bank of China Tower
posted by Rhaomi at 3:51 PM on September 29, 2008
The Dome of the Rock
The Temple of Heaven
Bank of China Tower
posted by Rhaomi at 3:51 PM on September 29, 2008
Response by poster: @scody - I was thinking about Sears tower but I wondered if enough people would recognize it. The Rockies are a good idea (and I had been thinking about it). I have no idea how I'd represent Niagra Falls in a skyline, though. :)
@Rhaomi - Cool, thanks. The links are really helpful!
posted by JReed at 3:58 PM on September 29, 2008
@Rhaomi - Cool, thanks. The links are really helpful!
posted by JReed at 3:58 PM on September 29, 2008
A little cheesy, but recognizable: The Epcot sphere?
posted by faunafrailty at 4:12 PM on September 29, 2008
posted by faunafrailty at 4:12 PM on September 29, 2008
Angkor Wat, Arc de Triomphe, tomb or ramses, sphynx, Himeji castle, machu pichu,
posted by NormandyJack at 4:14 PM on September 29, 2008
posted by NormandyJack at 4:14 PM on September 29, 2008
The Tokyo Tower
The TransAmerica Tower (San Francisco)
The Luxor Hotel (Las Vegas)
Castle Neuschwanstein
posted by Class Goat at 4:25 PM on September 29, 2008
The TransAmerica Tower (San Francisco)
The Luxor Hotel (Las Vegas)
Castle Neuschwanstein
posted by Class Goat at 4:25 PM on September 29, 2008
the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind it is pretty iconic, at least to Australians.
What about Machu Pichu, or the Easter Island Heads?
posted by robotot at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2008
What about Machu Pichu, or the Easter Island Heads?
posted by robotot at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2008
Arches National Park
Mesa Verde, except that I don't think it could easily be fit into a skyline
I agree that the Easter Island statues are iconic.
posted by Class Goat at 5:42 PM on September 29, 2008
Mesa Verde, except that I don't think it could easily be fit into a skyline
I agree that the Easter Island statues are iconic.
posted by Class Goat at 5:42 PM on September 29, 2008
Hillbrow Tower, representing Johannesburg, ZA
I would have never recognized it prior to visiting and discovering it in a lot of their marketing and advertisements... provides a little more representation for that part of the earth
posted by Juniper Toast at 6:24 PM on September 29, 2008
I would have never recognized it prior to visiting and discovering it in a lot of their marketing and advertisements... provides a little more representation for that part of the earth
posted by Juniper Toast at 6:24 PM on September 29, 2008
OK, now I'm on a roll:
The White House/US Capitol Building
Alcatraz
Gibraltar Rock
London Bridge
The Kremlin
The Great Mosque in Mecca
The Vatican
OK I think I'm done now!
posted by smalls at 6:35 PM on September 29, 2008
The White House/US Capitol Building
Alcatraz
Gibraltar Rock
London Bridge
The Kremlin
The Great Mosque in Mecca
The Vatican
OK I think I'm done now!
posted by smalls at 6:35 PM on September 29, 2008
The Transamerica Building in San Francisco
Perhaps less known by name but is certainly iconic: The Flatiron Building
posted by mmascolino at 8:06 PM on September 29, 2008
Perhaps less known by name but is certainly iconic: The Flatiron Building
posted by mmascolino at 8:06 PM on September 29, 2008
La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
skyscraperpage.com might be of help...
posted by benzo8 at 1:59 AM on September 30, 2008
skyscraperpage.com might be of help...
posted by benzo8 at 1:59 AM on September 30, 2008
For an iconic bridge in London, you need Tower Bridge, not London Bridge. (London Bridge is the one in the song, but Tower Bridge is the one people recognise in photos.)
The Liver Building is UK iconic, but perhaps not well known enough internationally.
Uluru/Ayres Rock
The Sphinx
Giant's Causeway
posted by the latin mouse at 4:08 AM on September 30, 2008
The Liver Building is UK iconic, but perhaps not well known enough internationally.
Uluru/Ayres Rock
The Sphinx
Giant's Causeway
posted by the latin mouse at 4:08 AM on September 30, 2008
Best answer: In London, three of the most iconic landmarks used to depict the city are the Swiss Re Tower (the 'Gherkin'), St Paul's Cathedral and the London eye.
Also, the Houses of Parliament (incorporating 'Big Ben').
They appear in silhouette everywhere.
posted by freya_lamb at 5:45 AM on September 30, 2008
Also, the Houses of Parliament (incorporating 'Big Ben').
They appear in silhouette everywhere.
posted by freya_lamb at 5:45 AM on September 30, 2008
Response by poster: Awesome... thanks for all the wonderful suggestions, everyone. Much appreciated!
posted by JReed at 8:29 AM on September 30, 2008
posted by JReed at 8:29 AM on September 30, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:03 PM on September 29, 2008