Incredible Structures You Can't Believe Were Built By Humans
Standing tall and wide—a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance—here are some of the most incredible man-made structures that were astonishingly built by-hand, well before machines like cranes were invented to hoist materials up many hundreds of feet. Let's examine some of the world's most incredible man-made structures.
The Taj Mahal
Constructed in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who had passed away in childbirth, giving birth to the couple's 14th child. The stunning shapes of the minarets, the gates to the complex, the gold and jewels within, a cenotaph and the false tomb of Mumtaz Mahal were all constructed by hand and with the help of elephants to lift the heavier materials into place. Over 20,000 workers were used in the construction, which took 22 years to complete.
The Eiffel Tower
Paris' Eiffel Tower is one of the city's most iconic landmarks, but did you know it was only constructed in 1889? Built to commemorate 100 years since the French Revolution, the tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel and his company, Eiffel et Cie, in just two years, between 1887 and 1889. His family maintained a private apartment at the very top of the tower until 1979, when the small 40-square-meter space was taken over by the City of Paris.
The Golden Gate Bridge
One of the world's greatest bridges: 1.7 miles long, 746 feet above sea level, made with over 1 million tons of concrete and over 80,000 miles of wire. Joseph Baerman Strauss was the one voice in the architectural and engineering community that thought that the bridge could be built and that it could be done for 1/3rd of the price speculated by other engineers.
The Golden Gate Bridge (Cont'd)
Strauss submitted his concepts and they were approved, for a total of $35 million. Construction of the bridge began on February 5, 1933. In 1937, the roadway was finally completed. The Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27, 1937.
The Pyramids Of Giza
Egypt's Great Pyramids of Giza hide secrets of one of the world's greatest civilizations, but how they were constructed is even more mind-blowing. There were between 20,000 and 25,000 workers who were put to work quarrying blocks of stone, transporting and then rolling them up rampways built from earth. These large stone blocks were approximately 50" x 50" x 27" at the lowest level of the pyramids.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is one of Rome's most awesome sights. It's the largest standing amphitheater in the world and was built over eight years starting in 72AD by the Emperor Vespasian and completed under his successor, Titus. It was built by hand by thousands of Jewish slaves from Rome's conquest of Jerusalem and its inaugural gladiatorial games saw over 9,000 animals slaughtered.
The Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is one of New York state's most incredible buildings. In the "Roaring Twenties" before the Great Depression, New York's economy was experiencing a huge boom. The 1,250-foot Empire State Building was constructed as part of a "race to the top" between it and the Chrysler Building. As many as 3,400 men each day were used in an assembly-line style process to put up the Empire State Building in just 410 days.
Big Ben
The world's most iconic clock tower, Big Ben has been chiming since May 31st, 1859. The bell, named "Big Ben", weighs more than 13 tonnes, which was cast in 1858 before being raised onto the platform atop Elizabeth Tower by a system of pulleys and levers. Elizabeth Tower itself was built from the inside out. Brick floors, stone paving, and cast-iron beams were used during construction, which took 16 years between 1843 and 1859.
The Houses Of Parliament
After a fire ravaged the Palace of Westminster in 1834, two new chambers were designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in the Gothic style of the mid-19th century. Called the House of Lords and the House of Commons, they were completed five years apart: 1847 and 1852 respectively.
The Houses Of Parliament (Cont'd)
It's said that during World War II, a German bomb hit the Palace on September 26, 1940, lifting Richard the Lionheart's bronze-cast statue from its pedestal outside the palace and bending its sword. This became a symbol for the British: that democracy would bend, but not break under attack.
O Cristo Redentor
Otherwise known as "Christ The Redeemer", this statue sits atop a 26-foot pedestal, itself perched atop Corcovado Mountain in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Created from soapstone and reinforced concrete, the statue was designed by Polish sculptor Paul Landowski, in collaboration with Heitor da Silva Costa, Albert Caquot, and Gheorghe Leonida. Construction on the mountain took five years, with scaffolding being built at huge heights,
Donatas Dabravolskas, Adobe Stock
Sydney Opera House
Now to the other side of the world for our next man-made marvel: the Sydney Opera House. It was designed in the late 1950s by Danish architect Jørn Oberg Utzon after he won an international design competition for the Opera House, put on by the Australian Government. The Opera House was built in four stages between 1957 and 1973, and the infamous shell design of the exterior features 1,056,006 tiles.
Irina Sokolovskaya, Adobe Stock
Mount Rushmore
Carved into the granite mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore's iconic American monument was constructed by a team of 400 people between 1927 and 1941, many of whom had roles ranging from blacksmithing the tools, to hanging off the mountain using rudimentary climbing gear to carve the faces of four American presidents—Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson—into the rock.
ExploringandLiving, Adobe Stock
The Great Wall Of China
Another great man-made spectacle on the other side of the world is the Great Wall of China. Just over 13,000 miles long, the Great Wall of China was constructed across various Chinese dynasties between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, all to keep out invaders from other warring dynasties. When the Qin Dynasty emerged victorious in 221 BC, the Emperor joined the different walls together to form the Great Wall, aimed at keeping out invading armies from the Eurasian Steppes.
The Great Wall Of China (Cont'd)
Because transporting goods necessary for construction was almost impossible, builders used what they had on hand: stone carved from mountainous regions and rammed earth in the plains. The Ming Dynasty greatly expanded the wall system, which saw the final phases finished in 1878, after over a century and a half of slow building.
The Leaning Tower Of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa's construction began in 1173, taking almost 200 years to complete over three stages. It's widely attributed to Italian architect Bonnano Pisano. About five years into the project, which saw men laying huge marble stones, people began to notice that the tower was leaning, as construction had already began on the second floor.
The Leaning Tower Of Pisa (Cont'd)
Undeterred, the Italian government and the architects continued construction, bringing the Leaning Tower of Pisa up to a final height of 183 feet. It currently has a 3.5-degree lean, which used to be 5.5 degrees, until the structure was stabilized in 2001. Eventually, though, gravity will do its thing. Look out below.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Built at the direction of the wealthy Bavarian King Ludwig II of the late 19th century, Neuschwanstein Castle was supposed to be a royal retreat, a getaway for the King from his responsibilities in Munich. The foundation stone for the castle was laid on September 5, 1869. At the end of 1882, the entire residence was completed. A total of 664 windows and doors, 200 rooms, 465 tons of marble, and 1,550 tons of sandstone complete the structure.
Neuschwanstein Castle (Cont'd)
The extraordinary structure built on the whims of the King would also be the key to his downfall. After going some $51 million in debt to build the castle, in early June, King Ludwig asked his cabinet for a credit to pay the 14 million German marks that he owed. This was denied. On June 9, the Bavarian Parliament voted to depose the King. The following day, he had the traveling party bringing the deposition order arrested on the grounds of Neuschwanstein. One day later, the King drowned in shallow waters under suspicious circumstances on the grounds of his beloved retreat.
Cinderella's Castle At Disneyland
It's not exactly difficult to see what Walt Disney was imagining when he thought up Cinderella's castle. Disney was purportedly inspired by a visit to Neuschwanstein and sought to build something similar at his new Disneyland resort. Construction began on Cinderella's Castle in 1970 and was completed within 18 months. The castle is built out of steel-braced framing, plaster, concrete, cement, and fiberglass. Not a single brick was used in the construction.
Angkor Wat
The world's largest religious monument, Angkor Wat is tucked deep in the Cambodian jungle. It was commissioned by Khmer king Suryavarman II, in the Khmer capital of Angkor, designed to represent significant Hindu goddesses. Today, the temple is a Buddhist and Hindu religious site. It spans 402 acres and is incredibly popular among tourists who visit the area.
St Basil's Cathedral In Moscow
The Orthodox church in the heart of Red Square, otherwise known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, was completed in 1561 after being built on the orders of Ivan The Terrible in 1555. Best known for its colorful minarets and stunning red stonework, St Basil's Cathedral features architectural inspiration from Russia, Italy, and Germany.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is one of the world's best-known man-made structures. Assembled in the 15th century by the Inca civilization, Machu Picchu's stunning outcrop is one of Peru's busiest tourist attractions. Granite stone was quarried from nearby mountains to build this incredible city, using precisely-cut, dry blocks—a process known as ashlar masonry. They also devised intricate terrace systems for drainage and erosion control.
Petra
Petra, Jordan is one of the holiest places in the Middle East and is Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction. There are several buildings carved out of the pink sandstone rock that make up the city, from a treasury to a theater and a temple. It's likely that the Nabateans carved Petra sometime around 7000 BC.
Stonehenge
One of the great mysteries of the British Isles: Stonehenge, a collection of enormous megalithic sarsen standing stones about 13 feet high and 7 feet wide, weighing 25 tons each and topped by horizontal lintel stones. A leftover from the Neolithic Period, Stonehenge was constructed roughly between 3100 BC and 1600 BC, with the famous outer ring constructed between 2600 and 2900 BC. It has been revealed to have been a burial ground, with human bones dating back to about 3000 BC. How the stones got there is a matter of intense debate.
The Palace At Versailles
The Palace of Versailles was built by King Louis XIV of France, 11 miles west of the French capital. In 1623, Louis XIII built a hunting lodge at Versailles, which courtiers joked "would not inspire vanity in the simplest gentlemen". It was then expanded to an ornate chateau that was also expanded several times between 1661 and 1715. Measuring 721,184 square feet, the Palace is one of the largest in Europe and receives 15 million tourists annually.
The Lincoln Memorial
In the United States, another stunning memorial to Honest Abe is the Lincoln Memorial. Located at the western end of the National Mall, the Memorial was commissioned by the people following Lincoln's death and then it took several decades to actually come to pass. The building was designed by architect Henry Bacon, meanwhile American sculptor Daniel Chester French designed the large interior statue, carved out of marble.
The Parthenon
Inspiration for the Lincoln Memorial came from the Parthenon in Rome, built in the 5th century BC to celebrate the Greek victory over the Persian Empire. Carved in several phases throughout the 5th century, many of the original Roman statues within the Parthenon are now stored in the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Acropolis Museum.
The Forbidden City
The center of political power in China, the Forbidden City stood for 500 years as a symbol of Imperial Rule. Constructed over 14 years from 1406 to 1420 by more than a million people, the Forbidden City used precious Phoebe zhennan wood found in the jungles of southwest China, along with huge slabs of marble. The main hall is decorated with stunning gold bricks. It was the home of 24 emperors and only ceased being a seat of imperial power in 1912, with the last emperor of China abdicating from there.
The Space Needle
Another World's Fair idea, but this time for Seattle, Washington. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle was erected as a tower with a restaurant on top. The Needle has a concrete base that's 30 feet deep and 120 feet across. The base was constructed in one full day, by 467 trucks pouring concrete constantly, and weighs 5,310 tons. The tower itself is secured by 72 bolts that are 30 feet long. It was completed in less than a year.
Moai Of Easter Island
The Moai are hand-carved human figures, made by the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island between 1500 and 1250 BC. There are more than 900 statues in total, with over half of them being kept in their original carving spot: the volcanic crater of Rano Raraku. However, several were transported to every corner of Easter Island in one of the most remarkable feats of physical strength in human history, considering the lightest one weighed 80 tons.
La Sagrada Familia
Construction began on the Sagrada Familia on March 19, 1882 by Spanish architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. When he resigned one year later, the project for the Catholic Church was given to Antoni Gaudi, who relied solely on private donations to fund the build. 300 feet high and 200 feet wide and with 18 spires, Gaudi devoted the remainder of his life to the project, passing away in 1926. The project remains unfinished, but projections forecast completion for 2026.
The Statue Of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic symbols of the United States. But did you know that it was designed by a French sculptor? Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was the man who constructed the statue in the late 19th century. Now sitting on Liberty Island, the iconic statue is a symbol of freedom and liberty throughout the world.
Chichen Itza
Located in Yucatán, Mexico, this stunning stone structure was built by the Mayans between 750 and 900 BC. The central building—a pyramidal structure—and a number of temples and other intricate Mayan stone carvings make up the Chichen Itza archaeological site. The site is under the control of the Mexican Government and receives over 2 million visitors annually.
The Blue Mosque Of Istanbul, Turkey
Otherwise known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Blue Mosque of Istanbul is a classical Ottoman mosque featuring a central dome with six minarets. Inside, it has stunning marble flooring and a blue colored ceiling and thousands of blue-colored flower motifs. The mosque was completed around 400 years ago and is one of Istanbul's most-visited religious sites.
Highclere Castle
You might recognize Highclere Castle, particularly if you've ever watched Downton Abbey (2019). It's where the majority of the show was filmed and dates back to the 14th century, although the estate upon which the castle sits dates back to 749 AD. One of the oldest castles in the country, Highclere receives thousands of visitors every year and is the home of the Carnarvon Family. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon is who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb.
Mont Saint-Michel
Known as the Mont Saint-Michel commune, this floating community on an island just a few hundred meters off the Normandy Coast covers just 17 acres. It's famous as the site of Mont Saint-Michel, a castle fortification that began as a small church in the 10th century, but expanded over 2,000 years to the extraordinary castle site you know today.
Giant Buddha Of Leshan
Carved out of red sandstone in the Sichuan province of China, the Giant Bhudda of Leshan is 223 feet tall, with construction beginning around 723 AD by a single Buddhist monk: Hai Tong. He and his disciples and their religious affiliates throughout the centuries continued Hai Tong's work, finishing about 70 years later in 803 AD.
Burj Khalifa
The tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates that rises to an incredible height of 2,722 feet. Part of the "Downtown Dubai" development, the tower was designed to put Dubai on the map—it definitely achieved that! You can't miss the thing. It surpassed the previous world record holder for the world's tallest structure, a radio mast in North Dakota that stood at 2,063 feet high.
Which Of These Amazing Man-Made Structures Will You Check Out First?
Which of these incredible structures is on your must-see list? Whether you love architecture, or can just appreciate the sheer grandiosity and scale of these structures, tell us where you're going next in the comments below.
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