Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is a large white-colored obelisk in the center of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built as a memorial to George Washington, the first President of the United States and the leader of the revolutionary Continental Army, which won independence from the British following the American Revolutionary War.

The monument is made of marble, granite, and sandstone. It was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect of the 1840s. Its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884, and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21 of the following year. It officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888. Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure, a title it held until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was finished in Paris, France.

The Washington Monument is reflected in the Reflecting Pool, an edged rectangular pool extending eastward in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial.

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Christ the Redeemer ("Cristo Redentor" in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Christ the Redeemer ("Cristo Redentor" in Portuguese) is a 30-meter monument statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located on Corcovado mountain. The statue stands at the top of the 710-meter mountain, a granite dome, overlooking the city. The statue has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.

The planning for the construction of the statue began in 1921, when a campaign was organized by the "Semana do Monumento" ("Monument Week"). Monetary contributions were donated from Catholics and other entities. The designs considered for the Statue of the Christ included a representation of the Christian cross, a statue with a globe in the hands, and a pedestal symbolizing the world. The form of the image of the Redeemer with opened arms was chosen.

The execution of the workmanship (from French schematics) was done by a Polish sculptor Paul Landowski.

The statue can be accessed by road or by the Corcovado Rack Railway. From the train terminus and road, the observation deck at the foot of the statue is reached by 222 steps, or by elevators and escalators.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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Statue of Liberty, New Your, Liberty Island, USA

Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, is a statue, given to the U.S. by France in the late 19th century, that stands at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor as a welcome to all: returning Americans, visitors, and immigrants alike. The sculptor was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi; Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) created the armature.

The copper statue of the goddess of Liberty was a present by France, as a centennial gift to the U.S. and a sign of friendship between the two nations. The pedestal was constructed by the United States. The Statue of Liberty is often used as a symbol that personifies the entire nation of the United States, much like Uncle Sam. In a more general sense, the Statue of Liberty is used to represent liberty in general and is a favored symbol of libertarians. Her British counterpart is Britannia, a forerunner of Lady Liberty, Britannia represents British values and was especially well-known at the height of the British Empire.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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Westerplatte Monument, Gdansk, POLAND

Westerplatte Monument located on the Westerplatte Peninsula in Gdansk (German: Danzig)

A Place of National Remembrance. Symbol of the valour and courage of Polish troops in their fight against the German invaders. Between the 1 and 7 September 1939, two hundred men commanded by Major Henryk Sucharski, fiercely resisted the attack of German troops who were supported by the massive guns of the battleship, Schleswig-Holstein. The Polish forces capitulated when there was no longer any hope for them left.

(Source: www.what-where-when.pl)

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The Great Sphinx of Giza, EGYPT

A Sphinx is an iconic image of a recumbent lion with a human head, invented by the Ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom, but a cultural import in archaic Greek mythology, where it received its name (Greek Σφιγξ, "strangler").

(Source: Wikipedia)

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The Monument to The Shipyard Workers, Gdansk, POLAND

The monument was erected in memory of the workers killed in the December riots of 1970.