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he Most Famous Towers of the World

Minaret of Jam, Afghanistan

The Minaret of Jam is a fascinating structure which continues to puzzle academics around the world. Is it a minaret? Or a monument symbolising the success of war? The minaret stands 65 metres tall in Afghanistan, in isolation apart from the ruins of a mosque constructed in the 12th century. The mosque got destroyed in a terrible flood. However, the minaret was not affected. Even more surprisingly, it wasn’t destroyed during the Mongol invasion and recent military conflicts, and today it stands still even after all the events that took place in the area.

This tower ________.

CN Tower, Canada

One of Canada’s most popular and most visited structures, the CN Tower in Toronto’s downtown stands amongst many skyscrapers, showcasing extraordinary beauty and brilliance. This concrete observation and communications tower was built on the former Railway Lands. Built in 1973, the 553-metre-high tower boasted of being the world’s tallest freestanding structure for 32 long years before the top spot was captured by Burj Khalifa. Interestingly, the tower survives an average of 75 lightning strikes per year!

This tower ________.

Galata Tower, Turkey

One of Istanbul’s fascinating structures is the Galata Tower, standing tall at about 220 metres. It features a conical-shaped top, making it look extremely attractive. There is an amazing restaurant as well as a café at the top, from where one can enjoy the Bosphorus Strait’s breathtaking views. The tower is closed if the wind speed reaches 40 km/h, or the temperature drops below -20 degrees Celsius, as well as whenever there is lightning. Built way back in 1348, the structure still stands strong and attracts lots of tourists every year.

This tower ________.

The Two Towers of Bologna, Italy

There was a time when Bologna’s skyline featured as much as 180 tall towers. But over time, the number has declined and there are only 20 towers still standing today. Out of these 20 towers, the Asinelli and Garisenda towers, both leaning, are the most famous. It’s easy to see them thanks to their height that is 97 metres for the Asinelli, and 47 metres for the Garisenda. However, originally the height of the Garisenda was about 60 metres, until it was reduced in the 14th century to avoid the danger of its collapse.

This tower ________.

Belem Tower, Portugal

Built on the northern bank of the Tagus river in Lisbon, in the early years of the 16th century, the Belem Tower acted as a defense structure to protect the Portuguese capital. Due to an earthquake that took place in 1755, the location of the Belem Tower shifted. Several Portuguese explorers would begin their journeys of discovering new routes and lands from this tower. Also called the ‘Tower of St. Vincent’, this fortified tower is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This tower ________.

Eiffel Tower, France

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most visited landmarks. It was built to show France’s industrial strength during the 1889 World’s Fair, and the original plan was to pull it down after 20 years. That was until Eiffel cleverly incorporated a radio antenna and wireless telegraph transmitter into the tower’s design. Later on, the tower was almost destroyed during World War II. The heat of the sun causes the iron of the tower to expand, making it grow a few centimetres during the summer months. A total of around 200 million people have visited the tower since its construction.

This tower ________.