Landmarks in Asia

Do you know all these amazing landmarks in Asia?

The natural and man-made landmarks and monuments that we show below are well known for their unique locations, awe-inspiring natural features or outstanding design and architecture.

There is a large number of attractions and landmarks including 144 UNESCO world heritage sites in Asia. Here we list some of the most well-known monuments and famous landmarks in Asia and will explain a bit about those we have added to the image above.

Top 15 Landmarks in Asia

The Asian continent is the world's most populous continent housing 48 countries. We decided to add these landmarks in Asia as they are attract millions of visitors each year, thus are major tourist attractions in Asia and your kids will surely love to explore these sites with you on your next family holiday.

1 | Burj Khalifa in the UAE - Landmarks in Asia

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world. The skyscraper measures almost 830 m/ 2,772 ft in height.

Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa means 'Khalifa Tower' in Arabic as the tower is named after Sheik Khalifa who is the current president of the UAE and Emir of Abu Dhabi.

Burj Khalifa was built between 2004 and 2009. The tower has 163 floors and houses a hotel, residential units, corporate suits and an observation deck on the 148th floor.

Dubai is the largest city in the UAE. The United Arab Emirates are also known for other landmarks such as the 'Palm Jumeirah', which is a man-made archipelago off the coast of Dubai in the shape of a palm tree and the 'World archipelago' which are artificial islands in the shape of countries in a world map.

2 | BaNa Hill in Vietnam - Landmarks in Asia

The Golden Bridge in the Bà Nà Hills resort near Danang in central Vietnam is a landmark that has only been completed in 2018.

Here two giant hands seem to hold a pedestrian bridge that is 150 m/ 490 ft long.

Golden Bridge

The tropical Bà Nà Hills resort is one of Vietnam's top family travel attractions southwest of Danang. Bà Nà Hill's cable car is the world's longest single cable car system!

Danang is known for its fantastic bridges, including a Dragon Bridge which has the shape of a giant dragon. The city can be used as a family holiday destination when exploring also scenic Vietnamese cities nearby such as Hôi An and the canals or the imperial city of Hué with many palaces and shrines.

Vietnam is also known for the famous rock formations of Ha Long Bay, Ho Chi Min City and the capital city Hanoi.

3 | Great Wall in China - Landmarks in Asia

One of the most well-known landmarks in Asia is the Great Wall. The ancient wall runs through large parts of northern China and is the longest wall that has ever been built.

The wall spans over 15 regions in China and can be accessed easily on a day trip from Beijing.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is over 21,196 km/ 13,171 miles long. It was built with stones, bricks and tiles, earth as well as of wooden material.

The wall consists of several parts that were built or added during different times. Most of the wall, however, was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The wall was completed in 1644, but it took more than 2,000 years to build.

More fun Facts about China

4 | Merlion Statue in Singapore

Singapore fascinates its visitors for her many landmark buildings. Here on the image you see already three landmarks, the Merlion to the right, the Marina Sands hotel and the Arts Science museum in shape of a lotus flower to the left.

Singapore Merlion, Marina Bay Sands and Arts Science museum - image by Sean Hsu/Shutterstock.com

The 8.6 m/ 28 ft high Merlion was designed by a British zoologist in 1964 and the sculpture was finally erected in 1972.

Did you know that the Merlion has a lion's head and a fish's body? Singapore originally was a fisherman's village and the founder of Singapore believed to have seen a lion when hunting in the area. Lions, however, never existed in South Eastern Asia, the mistaken animal most certainly was a tiger!

Find our Singapore Travel Tips for Families here

5 | Mount Fuji in Japan - Landmarks in Asia

Mount Fuji is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the world.

Japan's highest mountain is 3,776 m/ 12,388 ft high. Mount Fuji is located on the island of Honshu and is one of Japan's three holy mountains.

Mount Fuji

The other holy mountains are Mount Tate and Mount Haku.

Japan's highest mountain can be seen even from Tokyo between November and February when the sky is clear. You can admire the majestic snowcapped mountain also when travelling on the rapid Shinkansen bullet train.

Japan is also known for its more than 1,600 temples and surely so many great places to visit with your kids, they never will tire and be amazed throughout your holidays!

6 | Taj Mahal in India - Landmarks in Asia

The majestic Taj Mahal is located in Agra in northern India. This Indian landmark is a mausoleum and is considered the prime example for Muslim art in India.

The Taj Mahal was built with red sandstone, marble and precious stones between 1631 and 1648.

Taj Mahal in India

The elaborately decorated mausoleum houses the tomb of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal as well as a mosque and a guesthouse. The tomb chamber itself is not decorated due to Muslim tradition and has the shape of an octagon. The name Taj Mahal relates to the name of Mumtaz Mahal and means 'crown of palaces'.

The Taj Mahal attracts every year more than 8 million visitors from all over the world.

Read our India Facts for Kids here.

7 | Angkor Wat in Cambodia - Landmarks in Asia

The temple complex of Angkor Wat is located in northern Cambodia. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument by land area in the world.

At Angkor the remains of the former Khmer Empires can be admired. The complex includes archeological monuments dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries when Angkor was the centre of the Khmer Kingdom.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat means 'Temple City' in the Khmer language. Wat is the Khmer word for 'temple'.

Originally the temple complex which includes 72 major temple was built for the Hindu god Vishnu in the 12th century.

In 1432 the capital city of the country was moved from Angkor Wat to Phnom Penh and then Buddhist monks took over looking after the temple site.

8 | Wat Arun in Thailand - Landmarks in Asia

Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok and located on the banks of the Chao Praya River. This temple is one of the most famous landmarks of Thailand.

The full name of the temple is Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan as the local Thai people refer to it as the 'Temple of Dawn'. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Aruna.

Wat Arun

The original temple was built in the 17th century but received its current spire shape under the reign of King Rama II. The central tower of the Wat Arun is called a prang and decorated with painted porcelain tiles. Four smaller towers surround the main tower.

The compound also includes various soldier and animal figures, statues of Hindu gods and six Chinese pavilions. In fact, the smaller prang are decorated by seashells and porcelain bits that were carried as ballast on ships travelling from China to Thailand.

9 | Isfahan Royal Square in Iran

The Shah Square or Imam Square is situated in the centre of Isfahan. This place is named Maidan-e Naqsh-e Jahan which in English means 'Image of the World Square'.

This Maidan or royal square is surrounded by two rows of shops and various buildings. The main buildings at the include the Imam Mosque, the imperial palace, the Sheik Lotfollah mosque and a gate that leads to the city's Grand Bazaar.

Isfahan Royal Square with the Imam Mosque at the centre

The main items sold at the Grand Bazaar are carpets and Persian rugs so called kilims. This bazaar is one of the largest and oldest market places in the Middle East.

This square alone is roughly as big as twelve soccer fields combined! In the 16th century when the square was designed under Shah Abbas, this place was used as a meeting place for travellers on the Silk Road and tradesmen had their stalls on the field. Isfahan was at that time the most powerful centre of Persia.

Isfahan is today the third largest city of the Iran and the Royal Square is still one of the largest city squares in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

10 - Ancient City of Petra in Jordan

The ancient city of Petra is located in a remote valley in southern Jordan. The ruins of the ancient kingdom's buildings include the Al Kazneh mausoleum which can only be reached via a 1.2 km/ 0.75 miles long walk through a narrow gorge.

Petra's Al Kazneh mausoleum is on of the main landmarks in Asia

Al Kazneh in Petra

The buildings of this ancient city were carved and chiselled out of the red rocks and sandstone cliffs by Nabateans probably about 200 BC. The Nabatean kingdom fell to the Romans in 106 AD and after several earthquakes the people left the area. The ruins of this ancient kingdom were only rediscovered in 1912.

The Monastery, or Ad Deir, is the largest building in Petra and the second most visited. However, there are also many other archeological sites such as the royal tombs, the many gates, steles and temples to explore.

Did you know that Al Kazneh in Petra is not only a World Heritage site since 1985 but also was named as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World in 2007?

Petra also appeared in the Indian Jones and Transformers movies and certainly this city must be part of any exotic adventure trip!

11 | Hawa Mahal in Jaipur/ India - Landmarks in Asia

The capital of Rajasthan Jaipur in northern India is known for its strikingly pinkish red buildings. Therefore Jaipur's nickname is the 'Pink City of India'.

The Hawa Mahal in the city's centre is a pink palace built in 1799 with local sandstone. The façade shows 953 niches with tiny windows and intricately carved sandstone grills. These window niches are called Jharokhas.

Hawa Mahal - Palace of the Winds

The Hawa Mahal has its colour from the red and pink sandstone that has been used.

The five story building is also known as India's 'Palace of the Winds' or 'Palace of Breeze' which is the English translation of its name Hawa Mahal. A gentle breeze can be felt in the buildings interior even during the hot summer days. Interestingly this palace does not have any stairs, but only ramps leading to the upper floors.

The Hawa Mahal is also the world's tallest building that does not have a proper foundation!

12 |Chocolate Hills in the Philippines - Landmarks in Asia

The scenic 'chocolate hills' are a unique geological landmark on Bohol island in the Philippines.

These brown-coloured and cone-shaped hills measure up to 120 m/ 393 ft in height. They were formed through the weathering process of the limestone surface of the top layer of the hills. There are more than 1,200 of these round hills in this region.

Chocolate Hills

The hills only look brown and chocolate-like in the dry season from February to May. During the wetter months, the hills are still stunning, but look green in colour due to the vegetation cover. In Carmen town you can climb up on a viewing deck from where you will have gorgeous views over this unique landscape.

13 | Jeju Volcanic Island in South Korea - Landmarks in Asia

Jeju Island in Korea is a major tourist attraction not only with local visitors. This volcanic island in the Straits of Korea is not only known for the highest mountain Halla-san but also for its iconic Sunrise Peak, locals refer to it as Seongsan Ilchulbong.

Korea's Jeju Do - image by shutterstock.com

Jeju island's landmark Sunrise Peak

This is a volcanic cone of 180 m/590 ft in height and also includes a big crater. It takes about one hour to walk up the slope of this hill.

Jesu Island is one of Korea's main heritage sites and includes South Korea's highest peak Halla-san which is Korea's highest mountain and a dormant volcano. Mount Halla is located in the centre of the island.

14| Besakih Temple in Bali/ Indonesia - Landmarks in Asia

The Besakih Temple is the largest and most holy temple on the island of Bali in Indonesia. This temple is located on the slopes of Bali's highest mountain Mount Agung, a still active volcano.

The temple foundations date back more than 2,000 years, but the site is used as a Hindu temple since 1284. The lotus throne is the centre of the temple complex.

There are 23 temples on the temple complex which comes with steep stairs and terraces. The stairs shall lead the persons to move their spirit upwards and get closer to the holy mountain, that is sacred to the Hindu people.

Bali is a popular family holiday destination. In Bali, tourists not only enjoy visiting the many scenic temples but also enjoy visiting artist studios and the monkey forest in Ubud or enjoying the stunning beaches in Nusa Dua or Kuta which is a surfers' paradise too!

15 | Bagan in Myanmar - Landmarks in Asia

Bagan is an ancient Burmese city with many temples. The city is located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar.

Bagan was the capital city of the country's first kingdom, the Pagan Kingdom, from the 9th to the 13th century. During this time thousands of Buddhist temples and pagodas were built in the Pagan Plains. Today there are still more than 2,000 ancient temples and pagodas in and around Bagan.

The Bagan plains are located about 700 km/ 430 miles north of the former Burmese capital city Yangon. They are in the country's 'dry zone' and receive much less rainfall than the coastal regions of the country.

Myanmar, formerly referred to as Burma, is a country in South East Asia. Mandalay and Yangon are the main gateways for tourists visiting the country.

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Landmarks in Asia | Resources

Resources used for Landmarks in Asia:

Prisca Ang. "6 Things to know about the Merlion. Straits Times. 24 September 2019. Last accessed 26 October 2020
Live Japan Perfect Guide. "Mt. Fuji Visibility." Live Japan. Last updated 28 September 2020. Last accessed 26 October 2020
Tourism of Cambodia. "Angkor Temple Map." Tourism Cambodia. Last accessed 26 October 2020
Kyla Hunter. "Visiting the Ancient City of Petra with Kids." Where is the World. 23 February 2019. Last accessed 26 October 2020
"Hawa Mahal - Palace of Winds." HawaMahal.com Last accessed 26 October 2020
Bohol Philippines Travel Guide. "Hills of Bohol". Bohol-Philippines.com. Last accessed 26 October 2020
Korea Tourism Organisation. "Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone." VisitKorea. Last accessed 26 October 2020
Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. "Bagan" Myanmar Tourism. Last accessed 26 October 2020

Images on Landmarks in Asia: Shutterstock.com

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