From the soaring towers of Dubai to the daring designs of Frank Gehry, our globe is littered with awe-inspiring construction marvels.
But what about those older efforts that leave us wondering ‘just how on earth did they build that?!’
Looking back in the rear-view at monumental achievements like the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colosseum gives us a renewed appreciation of how far construction technology has come.
Here are 7 of the world’s most impressive structures that defy belief.
China’s iconic Great Wall was built between 250 BC and 1450 AD as a protection of the Empire’s northern borders. The Wall served to prevent the invasion of Mongolians and other nomadic tribes.
Constructed of pure stonewalls, it spans 6259.5km - or Sydney to Brisbane and back three-and-a-half times! While the Wall has held firm over the decades, building it was said to have claimed the most lives of any construction project in history.
The most impressive of the Egyptian periods is the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is also home to the Sphinx. It was completed in 2560BC and took 2.3 million limestone blocks to build. The blocks were lifted, carried and placed by human hands, and some were transported from over 805km away.
If you’ve ever visited the Pyramids in the flesh, you’ll know what a truly dumbfounding feat of humanity they are. During the construction of Giza, many worked involuntarily and many more died on the job.
Construction on The Panama Canal began with the French in 1904 and finished with the Americans in 1914. Connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, it’s considered one of the greatest ever triumphs of engineering and constructions.
Builders faced profound and dense jungle, ocean tides, mountain elevation and cubic tonnes of soil and rock (that had to be removed). Add in the ever-present threat of Malaria and Yellow Fever, and you’ve got a torturous day on the tools.
Starting in 70 AD and finishing in 80 AD, this 48-metre-tall and 189-metre long structure exudes granduer. The Colosseum hosted anywhere from 50,000-80,000 people, placing it up there with our modern sports stadiums.
The Romans were thought to have some of the most advanced engineering abilities, and the Colosseum remains their crowning jewel. Arches, values , elevators and hydraulic mechanisms were included to ensure it’s strength.
This particular construction has one of the longest development timelines, taking an astonishing 252 years to complete. It boasts some of the most beautiful stained glass windows in the world.
While it took over two centuries to complete, it illustrates the technical skill of the craftsmen of this time.
The Taj Mahal was a tribute to Emperor Shah Jahan’s third wife. Not a bad anniversary gift. It required a construction team of 20,000 labourers over 22 years. Over 1,000 elephants and 30 oxen also did their bit, transporting heavy marble and other materials up a ramp that stretched 15km.
At the time of construction precious jewels and stones were embedded into the domes of the structure, however during the many wars, these were all stolen.
The Golden Gate Bridge, in the San Francisco Bay area, was first proposed in 1872, but not approved and started until 1933. It was completed four years later. Some affectionately call Golden Gate ‘the mother of all bridges’ for its large-scale mastery of modern engineering techniques.
The Golden Gate Bridge has been recognised for its ability to withstand the elements and its innovative design, becoming as stars-and-stripes as Route 66.
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