My Favourite Landmark

Essay Writing Competition 2026
Category: 12 - 15 years
- Winner -

Winning Essay: "My Favourite Landmark"

by Raphael Sahler from France

This piece was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2026 in the Senior Category 12 - 15 years.

My Favourite Landmark

A "landmark" in my world will be my grandparents' house. It might sound strange but there is no place that means more to me.

I have always been very close to them. Through thick and thin, they have always been with me. Since I was born, I have only known them living in this house, so I think that is part of why I am so attached to this place. This house embodies the love of my grandparents and I cannot see it otherwise.

To briefly describe their dwelling, it is a white house from the 1980s, filled with a warm atmosphere and good memories. The ambience is always warm and inviting. Moreover, the "children's bedroom" is full of pictures of me, my grandparents and my cousins that remind us of all the wonderful moments we shared together. Each picture tells a different story: one during the summer, another is a birthday cake, one Christmas when we could not see the floor anymore because of all the wrapping papers scattered all over the floor. Most of these memories come from important occasions like Easter, birthdays, or Christmas because my family has the tradition of celebrating big events at my grandparents' house.

I will remember my eighth Christmas there for the rest of my life. It was midnight, and my cousins and I were going to the bedroom so that we would not see Santa Claus. Suddenly, the fire alarm went off and caused a scare for everyone, creating panic throughout the whole house. Because of the chaos, we all went laughing together in the garden in our pyjamas, breathing the cold air of the December night.

I will remember not only the celebrations, but also the afternoons spent playing board games when I stayed there for the weekend. Every game of "UNO" or "Dobble" seemed so funny. I feel safe in this house because I know that I will always be welcomed and cared for there. For example, when I missed an exam and my parents would scold me, I know that my grandparents will say that’s just one grade and I will do better next time. They will also call my mom to tell her to be nice with me.

On top of their support for me, their house is always "open". For example, every time I needed a "break", I could call my grandma and she would come pick me up at my house as soon as she could. My connection to this place is also strenghthened by how much it has inspired me and shaped my passions.

I have always enjoyed gardening with my grandfather, carefully planting tomatoes and strawberries in the summer, and observing the butterflies on the flowers. This place also nurtured my love for reading as I spent hours reading some of my grandmother’s old books. The quiet afternoons also taught me the value of patience and attention. I continue to carry that with me today as now I love taking care of my own garden.

Thanks to them, I have learnt that the soul of the place is created not by the structure itself but by the people that we meet here, our relations with them and the activities we do together. For example, I think that I would never have had the same connection with this place if I were not so close with my grandparents. This house is almost a part of my family! If this house could say something about me, I think it would say that I am taking care of my grandparents just as they did for me when I was young.

In conclusion, my grandparents’ house is one of the most important places in my life. I have shared so many unforgettable moments and experiences there that I could never replace position of this house in my heart. Time goes by so fast and I also know that my grandparents will not be here forever, which is why I want to continue spending as much time as possible with them in this house for as long as I can.

Congratulations, Raphael! Your outstanding essay has been selected as the winner in the 12-15 years age category!

Your warm and reflective essay with its rich vocabulary, well-developed anecdotes and fluent writing shows us that your story was written from the heart and your writing fits the theme of our competition so perfectly! Your authentic story is very relatable and centers on family memories - involving an unexpected landmark indeed! And we completely agree that an ordinary place can be totally extraordinary and a true landmark in its own right!

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. We love your passionate writing that shows remarkable maturity and conveys such a strong message.

A beautifully written and very moving piece! Very well done!

Raphael is 15 years old and attends classes at EAC School of Languages in Les Auxons/ France. English is his second language. Home language is French. This was Raphael's author's note:

"I chose to talk about this house because it really is like a lighthouse in my world, the landmark that I will always go to, for the love it holds and how it has shaped my life and made me who I am today."