The 12 Most Important Monuments in Europe

Care to know the most important monuments in Europe? Without a doubt, Europe is the continent that has the largest number of the most popular and visited monuments in the world. In this post, we will review what we consider to be the most important monuments in Europe.

In case you reside in Europe or you are on a visit tour then the destinations that should be on you list should include monuments, here you get to know more about culture and tradition likewise history of how those places came about.

Without further ado, let us reveal to you the top 12 most important monuments in Europe today.

Most Important Monuments in Europe

1. Coliseum

Along with the Trevi Fountain, the Roman Colosseum is the greatest symbol of the city of Rome. Dating back 2,000 years and measuring 188 meters in length, 156 meters in width and 57 meters in height, it is the largest and oldest Roman amphitheatre, as well as one of the best preserved. 

The coliseum allowed more than 50,000 people to enjoy gladiator fights, executions of prisoners, battle recreations, etc. It remained active for more than 500 years until the 6th century, when the last games were held. In addition to deserving to be number one in our ranking, the Roman Coliseum is also considered one of the new wonders of the world.

2. Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis is not only considered one of the most important monuments in Europe, but also one of the new wonders of the world. It is located on a peak that rises 156 meters above sea level in Athens. Most of the great temples were rebuilt under the leadership of Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens (460-430 BC). 

Inside the acropolis, we find the Temple of Athena Nike and the famous Parthenon or Temple of Athena Parthenos. At the end of the acropolis is the Erechtheion with its famous tribune supported by six caryatids.

3. Alhambra

The Alhambra is a palace complex and fortress that housed the monarch and the court of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. Composed of beautiful palaces with incredible patios, the citadel or military zone and some fantastic Generalife Gardens; Its stupendous Andalusian-style interior decoration and its unbeatable location make the Alhambra one of the most beautiful and most visited monuments in the world, as well as one of the most important in Europe.

4. Eiffel Tower

This is a puddled iron structure designed by Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier and built by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1889. The Eiffel Tower is one of the most important monuments in Europe and the most visited monument in the world,  for 41 years, with its 330 meters high, it was also the highest on the planet. A true symbol not only of the city of Paris but also of France.

5. Saint Sophia

Since its inauguration in the year 360, Hagia Sophia has been a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, a mosque, and now a museum, in the city of Istanbul. Famous for its enormous dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture, and is said to have ‘changed the history of architecture’. 

It was the largest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand years, until work on Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. Istanbul’s main mosque for almost 500 years, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques. It is the most visited monument to see in Turkey and is considered by many to be one of the wonders of the world.

6. Big Ben

The famous Big Ben is the tower of the impressive Palace of Westminster, seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a peculiar building built in 1858, 96 meters high that has become the main symbol of London, being considered the third tallest clock tower in the world. The tower is also home to the largest four-sided clock on the planet. The protagonist in an endless number of films, it is surely one of the most important monuments in Europe.

7. Basilica Of Saint Basil

The Basilica of Saint Basil is without a doubt the best-known monument in Russia and one of the most important monuments in Europe. It is an orthodox temple located in the Red Square of Moscow, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Known worldwide for its colorful bulb-shaped domes, its construction was ordered by Tsar Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the conquest of the Kazanate Khanate between 1555 and 1561.

It is made up of nine independent chapels dedicated to each of the saints on whose festivities Ivan the Terrible won a battle.

8. Old Town Square Of Prague

The Old Town Square in Prague is one of the most charming and beautiful squares in Europe. It houses beautiful monuments such as the beautiful Tyn Church, in the Gothic style with two towers over 80 meters high, the beautiful Church of Saint Nicholas or the Town Hall, on whose façade is the most famous and beautiful medieval astronomical clock in the world, built in 1490.

In addition, this beautiful square has one of the oldest markets on the continent that at Christmas becomes one of the most beautiful markets in Europe.

9. Brandenburg Gate

Located in the heart of the city of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of the bloodiest history of Europe. It was built between 1788 and 1791 during the reign of Frederick William II of Prussia by Carl Gotthard Langhans , following the model of the access gate to the Acropolis of Athens. During World War II, the Gate was badly damaged and the Quadriga was almost completely destroyed. 

With the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Brandenburg Gate was left in no man’s land, with no access from the east or west. Due to its history and beauty, this door deserves to be among the most important monuments in Europe.

10. The Vatican

In this position, we include not only the impressive Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, the most important religious temple of Catholicism as well as one of the most important monuments in Europe in whose construction architects such as Bramante, Michelangelo or Carlo Maderno participated, but also the Apostolic Palace which is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City and which houses the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Library, including the famous Sistine Chapel with frescoes by Michelangelo.

11. Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a megalithic monument from the late Neolithic (20th century BC ), located near Amesbury, in the county of Wiltshire, England. It is not known if it was one of the first musical temples in history or a temple where rituals were held for the deceased, but what we do know for sure is that Stonehenge is one of the most important monuments in Europe.

Read Also: The 10 Best Hotels In The World 

12. Holy Family

Located in Barcelona, ​​it is Gaudí ‘s masterpiece and the greatest exponent of Catalan modernist architecture. Its construction began in 1882 and today it is still not finished. The work carried out by Gaudí , that is, the Nativity façade and the crypt, was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2005. Today it is one of the most important monuments in Spain and Europe.

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