The greatest places in the world

selected by piero scaruffi
cities | art museums | buildings | monuments | lost cities | small towns | squares | churches | mountains | skyscrapers | markets | countries | festivals | parks | waterfalls
My list of Wonders of the World | The original seven Wonders of the World
Google Earth links to these wonders
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Most beautiful cities

(See their pictures)
  1. Venezia
  2. New York
  3. Lhasa
  4. Stockholm
  5. Singapore
  6. Firenze
  7. Mandalay
  8. Prague
  9. Kyoto
  10. Hong Kong
  11. Sydney
  12. Roma
  13. Cairo
  14. Budapest
  15. St Petersburg
  16. Sana
  17. London
  18. Istanbul
  19. Dubai
  20. Paris
  21. Bangkok
  22. Athens
  23. Delhi
  24. Xian
  25. Katmandu
  26. Moscow
  27. Tokyo
  28. Vienna
  29. Shanghai
  30. Boston
  31. Cuzco
  32. Beijing
  33. Los Angeles
  34. Barcelona
  35. Washington
  36. Berlin
  37. Yangon
  38. Quito
  39. Toronto
  40. Buenos Aires
  41. Amsterdam
  42. San Francisco
  43. Montreal
  44. Chicago
  45. Rio de Janeiro

Small towns

(See their pictures)
  1. Khiva, Uzbekistan
  2. Jaisalmer, India
  3. Rothenburg, Germany
  4. Goreme, Turkey
  5. Gamla Stan (Stockholm), Sweden
  6. San Gimignano, Italy
  7. Tallinn, Estonia
  8. Varanasi, India
  9. Shibam, Yemen
  10. Bhaktapur, Nepal
  11. Fez's medina, Morocco
  12. Wuzhen, China
  13. Begnimato, Mali
  14. Ia, Greece
  15. Colmar, France
  16. Lubeck, Germany
  17. Cartagena, Colombia
  18. Toledo, Spain
  19. Elmina, Ghana
  20. Assisi, Italy
  21. Rhodos, Greece
  22. Kashgar, China
  23. Leiva, Colombia
  24. Ganvie, Benin
  25. Split, Croatia
  26. Siena, Italy
  27. Bruges, Belgium
  28. Banjamarsin, Indonesia
  29. Old City Jerusalem, Israel
  30. Taxco, Mexico
  31. Dubrovnik, Croatia
  32. Antigua, Guatemala
  33. Salvador, Brazil
  34. Valletta, Malta
  35. Luzern, Switzerland
  36. Kaysersberg, France
  37. Sovana, Italy
  38. Carcassonne, France
  39. Sighisoara, Romania
  40. Hallstatt, Austria
  41. Sermoneta, Italy
  42. Cefalu, Italy
  43. Saint Paul de Vence, France
  44. San Agustin, Florida
  45. Nuremberg, Germany
  46. Obidos, Portugal
  47. Eze, France
  48. Positano, Italy

Greatest art museums

  1. New York: Metropolitan
  2. Paris: Louvre
  3. Madrid: Prado
  4. Paris: Orsay (#2 if you count the look of the museum)
  5. Roma: Vaticani (#1 if you count the look of the museum)
  6. London: National Gallery
  7. Washington: National Gallery
  8. London: British
  9. New York: MOMA
  10. New York: Guggenheim
  11. Bilbao: Guggenheim
  12. Firenze: Uffizi
  13. Budapest:
  14. Prague:
  15. St Petersburg:
  16. Moscow:

Tallest Buildings


See Skyscrapers
Largest buildings in the world:
  1. Pentagon, Washington, USA
  2. Casa Poporului, Bucharest, Romania
  3. Kheopes Pyramid, Giza, Egypt

The wonders of the world

(Click here for the list of the original wonders of the world)

Lost cities

(See their pictures)
  1. Khmer: Angkor (#age, Cambodia)
  2. Maya: Tikal (#age, Guatemala)
  3. Egypt: Valley of the Kings (#age, Egypt)
  4. Burma: Bagan (#age, Burma)
  5. Roman: Pompei (#age, Italy)
  6. China: Forbidden City (#age, China)
  7. Inca: Machu Picchu (#age, Peru`)
  8. Etruscan: Cerveteri (600 BC, Italy)
  9. Roma: Foro Palatino (#age, Italy)
  10. Indus Valley: Mohenjo-Daro (7000 BC, Pakistan)
  11. Persia: Persepolis (500 BC, Iran)
  12. Greece: Delphi (Greece)
  13. Hindu: Vijayanagar (#age, India)
  14. Tayrona: Ciudad Perdida (#age, Colombia)
  15. Persia: Bam (Iran)
  16. Jordan: Petra (Jordania)
  17. Thailand: ancient Thai capitals (#age, Thailand)
  18. Turkestan: Goachang (#age, China)
  19. Maya: Palenque (#age, Mexico)
  20. Teli (11th c, Mali)
  21. Arabia: Ubar
  22. Bolivia: Tiwanaku (#age, Bolivia)
  23. Peru: Tucume (#age, Peru)
  24. Persia: Pasargadae (Iran)
  25. Peru: Kuelap (#age, Peru)
  26. Palmyra (Syria)
  27. Peru: Nazca (#age, Peru)
  28. Jerash (Jordan)
  29. Roma: Ostia Antica (#age, Italy)
  30. Ebla (Syria, 2400 BC)
  31. Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka, 1st c BC)
  32. Roma: Ercolano (#age, Italy)
  33. Greece: Dilos (Greece)
  34. Georgia: Uplistsikhe
  35. Greece: Olympia (Greece)
  36. Maya: Copan (#age, Honduras)
  37. India: Hampi (16th c, India)
  38. Persia: Merv (8th-13th AD, Turkmenistan)

Monuments

(See their pictures)
  1. Cambodia: Angkor Wat (1100 AD)
  2. Java, Indonesia: Borobudur (800 AD)
  3. Lhasa, Tibet: Potala (637 AD)
  4. Xian, China: Terracotta soldiers (210 BC)
  5. Egypt: Cheope's Pyramid (2560 BC)
  6. Iraq: Ziggurat of Ur (2112 BC)
  7. Roma, Italy: St Peter's Basilica (1564 AD)
  8. Egypt: Sphinx (2500 BC)
  9. India: Taj Mahal (1631 AD)
  10. China: Great Wall (220 BC)
  11. Roma, Italy: Sistine Chapel (1534 AD)
  12. India: Konarak (1250 AD)
  13. Granada, Spain: Alhambra (1250 AD)
  14. Bamiya, Afghanistan: giant Buddhas (380 AD)
  15. Burma: Sambuddhe Kat Kyaw Pagoda, Monywa (1301 AD)
  16. Tibet: Ganden monastery (1409 AD)
  17. India: Ellora caves (650 AD)
  18. Mexico: Teotihuacan (150 AD)
  19. Iran: Naghsh-e-Rostam (750 BC)
  20. China: Mogao caves (366 AD)
  21. Ethiopia: Lalibela churches (12th century AD)
  22. Athens, Greece: Parthenon (438 BC)
  23. Roma, Italy: Colosseum (79 AD)
  24. Poland: Saltmine "Wieliczka" (1350 AD)
  25. Istanbul, Turkey: Hagia Sofia (537 AD)
  26. Isfahan, Iran: Imam mosque (1650 AD)
  27. Armenia: Geghard cave monastery (1164 AD)
  28. Egypt: Abu Simbel (1250 BC)
  29. Paris, France: Notre Dame (1163 AD)
  30. Ulm, Germany: Cathedral (1492 AD)
  31. Egypt: Tutankamun's Tomb (1323 BC)
  32. Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Ulug Beg madrasah (1420 AD)
  33. Guatemala: Tikal Temple IV (741 AD)
  34. Bukhara, Uzbekistan: Kalyan minaret (1127)
  35. Crete, Greece: Palace of Knossos (1400 BC)
  36. London, Britain: Houses Of Parliament (1045 AD)
  37. Istanbul, Turkey: Suleyman Mosque (1550 AD)

Greatest churches in the world

(See their pictures)
  1. Lalibela, Ethiopia: St George
  2. Monreale, Italy: cathedral
  3. Sevilla, Spain: cathedral
  4. Batalha, Portugal: monastery church
  5. Firenze, Italy: Santa Maria Novella
  6. Prague, Czech: Saint Nicholas
  7. Rome: St Peter
  8. France: Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey
  9. Istanbul, Turkey: Hagia Sofia
  10. Ulm, Germany: Muenster
  11. France: Chartres cathedral
  12. Isfahan, Iran: Imam mosque
  13. Copenhagen, Denmark: Grundtvig church
  14. Milano, Italy: Duomo
  15. Brasilia, Brazil: Catedral Metropolitana
  16. Cairo, Egypt: Hassan mosque
  17. Napoli, Italy: Chiesa del Gesu Nuovo
  18. San Francisco, USA: St Mary's Cathedral
  19. Paris, France: Notre Dame
  20. Cologne, Germany: Muenster
  21. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Cathedral
  22. Venezia, Italy: Basilica di San Marco
  23. Paris, France: Basilique du Sacre-Coeur
  24. Strasbourg: Cathedrale Notre Dame

Greatest squares in the world

(See their pictures)
  1. Samarkand: Registan
  2. Pisa: Piazza dei Miracoli
  3. Mexico: Monte Alban
  4. Roma: St Peter's Square
  5. Nepal: Patan's Durbar Square
  6. Istanbul: Sultanahmet square
  7. Venezia: St Mark's Square
  8. Jerusalem: Haram
  9. Muscat: Palace square
  10. Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  11. Dom square, Riga, Latvia
  12. Golbasi, Urfa, Turkey
  13. Praca dos Tres Poderes, Brasilia
  14. Brussels: Grand Place
  15. New Palace square, Potsdam, Germany
  16. Staromestska Square, Prague
  17. London: Parliament Square
  18. Market Square, Warszaw, Poland

Best markets in the world

(See their pictures)
  1. Chichicastenango (Guatemala)
  2. Kumasi (Ghana)
  3. Osh (Kyrgizstan)
  4. Gorom-Gorom (Burkina Faso)

Greatest domes in the world

(See their pictures)
  1. Roma: Pantheon
  2. Istanbul: Hagia Sofia
  3. Roma: St Peter
  4. Firenze: Duomo
  5. Isfahan: Great Mosque

Mountains

(See their pictures)
Great mountains of the world
Tallest mountains in the world

Waterfalls

click here

Favorite countries

(See their pictures)

Nature

  1. USA
  2. Chile
  3. Indonesia
  4. Venezuela
  5. Russia
  6. Nepal
  7. Brazil
  8. Ethiopia
  9. Mongolia
  10. Namibia
  11. Canada
  12. Norway
  13. Mozambique
  14. Australia
  15. Congo
  16. China
  17. India
  18. Pakistan

(Ancient) History

  1. India
  2. Italy
  3. Egypt
  4. Turkey
  5. Greece
  6. Mexico
  7. Iran
  8. China
  9. Syria
  10. Peru
  11. Iraq
  12. Guatemala
  13. Lebanon

Wildlife

  1. Tanzania
  2. Ecuador
  3. Botswana
  4. Guyana
  5. Madagascar
  6. Australia
  7. Indonesia
  8. India

The Seven Wonders of the World

  1. Pyramid of Cheopes (2550 BC, still standing)
  2. Hanging Gardens of Babylonia (580 BC, destroyed)
  3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (550 BC, destroyed)
  4. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia (by Pheidias, Greece, 432 BC, destroyed)
  5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (354 BC, destroyed)
  6. The Colossus of Rhodos (Greece, 290 BC, destroyed)
  7. The Pharos of Alexandria (Egypt, 300 BC, destroyed)
These were compiled (probably) by Herodotus, who lived when they were still standing (and not too far from his place). Not my fault if most of these have been destroyed.

While attributed as far back as to Herodotus, the "standard" list came to us via Antipater of Sidon, a minor greek poet who obviously had nothing better to do. The man who wrote the book "Seven Wonders of the World" was actually a Callimachus of Cyrene, but that book has not survived, so we don't know if he meant the Herodotus list or another list. But his title stuck and today we use his title ("seven wonders") to refer to Herodotus & Antipater list (which was really titled "seven sights").

Other popular "seven wonders" included:

This is what happened to some of these wonders: