It can take years and millions of dollars to finish a building, landmark, or monument. Yet, despite the massive effort, some structures stay forever incomplete. Reasons range from funding shortfalls and labor shortages to the untimely death of key figures. Below you’ll find 10 famous unfinished landmarks that still draw curious travelers.
10 Famous Unfinished Landmarks Overview
10 Crazy Horse Memorial
When most folks picture a colossal mountain carving in South Dakota, Mount Rushmore instantly pops into mind. Yet hidden high in the Black Hills lies another mammoth undertaking that aims to dwarf its famous counterpart – the Crazy Horse Memorial.
The venture was launched in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who devoted his life to the project until his passing in 1982. The idea came from Oglala Lakota chief Henry Standing Bear, who invited Ziolkowski to honor Native American heritage by immortalizing the legendary warrior Crazy Horse.
By the early 1990s the massive head began to protrude from the rock, soaring 22 stories tall. So far, crews have blasted and removed millions of tons of stone, carving a visage whose eyes alone span roughly 5 meters (17 feet). When finished, the entire monument will tower over 64 stories, and even the arm still awaits its final touches, funded solely by ticket sales and private donations.
9 Mingun Pahtodawgyi
Nestled in the modest town of Mingun in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, the massive Mingun Pahtodawgyi rises as a testament to royal ambition. King Bodawpaya embarked on the project in 1790 with the goal of constructing the world’s largest pagoda.
To realize his vision, the king conscripted thousands of prisoners and slaves captured during his campaigns, forcing them into relentless labor. As the construction gnawed at the kingdom’s treasury, a popular prophecy emerged, warning that the nation would crumble the instant the pagoda reached completion – and that the king himself would share its doom.
Today the unfinished stupa stands about 50 meters (164 feet) tall, roughly a third of its intended height, with a sprawling base of around 42 square meters (450 sq ft). A severe earthquake in 1839 cracked the structure, yet it remains one of the world’s largest assemblages of stone and brick.
8 Hassan Tower
The Hassan Tower, or Tour Hassan, dominates Rabat’s skyline as a towering minaret that was meant to be the tallest of its era. Commissioned by Sultan Yaqub al‑Mansur in the 12th century, the project envisioned a monumental mosque that would celebrate the Sultan’s victory over the Spanish.
Construction halted only four years after al‑Mansur’s death, leaving the minaret at 44 meters (144 feet)—just over half of its planned stature. The unfinished mosque’s marble floor still bears the ghostly outlines of about 200 columns, hinting at a space that could have seated 20,000 worshippers. In 2012 the tower earned World Heritage status.
7 Cathedral Of St. John The Divine
One of the globe’s largest churches, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, remains an unfinished masterpiece. A 1921 guide once predicted that, given its authentic Gothic methods and limited wealthy patronage, the edifice might require 700 years to reach completion.
The movement began thanks to Right Reverend Horatio Potter, who died in 1887 before any stone was laid. His nephew, Henry Codman Potter, rallied financial support, secured a 13‑acre plot, and saw the cornerstone set in 1892. The first service was held in 1899, and the nave’s groundbreaking occurred in 1916.
Today the cathedral, perched on Amsterdam Avenue in New York City, continues to evolve more than a century after its inception. There is no definitive finish line, as current funding prioritizes community programs over pure construction, ensuring the building will keep growing for generations to come.
6 Ta Keo
Rising amid the ancient city of Angkor, Ta Keo presents a five‑tiered temple‑mountain whose unfinished silhouette still commands attention. Its design features five sanctuary towers arranged in a quincunx, with the central pyramid soaring an extra 14 meters (46 feet) above the second terrace, all surrounded by a protective moat.
Carved from sandstone, the temple never saw completion for reasons that remain murky. Inscriptions suggest a bolt of lightning struck the site, an omen that halted work, while some scholars argue that a youthful King Jayavarman V, struggling to retain power, abandoned the project. Even in its incomplete state, Ta Keo offers a breathtaking glimpse into Khmer architecture.
5 Pyramid Of Neferefre
In Egypt’s Abusir necropolis, the pharaoh Neferefre began a pyramid that would never reach its intended glory. The ruler died young—around 22 or 23 years old—leaving only the initial step of the core completed, which gave the structure a mastaba‑like profile.
Builders laid a broad base comparable in size to the nearby Pyramid of Sahure, then dug a central pit for the burial chamber. An entrance corridor on the north side led to a trench that reached the pit. Though the burial chamber remained unfinished, a three‑phase mortuary temple was erected, comprising an open vestibule and three successive chambers.
4 National Monument Of Scotland
Perched atop Edinburgh’s Calton Hill, the National Monument of Scotland was intended as a grand tribute to the nation’s soldiers and sailors who fell during the Napoleonic Wars. Its design sought to echo the Parthenon’s elegance, but the project earned the nickname “Scotland’s shame” because it never reached completion.
Construction began in 1824, but by 1829 the public‑subscription funds ran dry, forcing work to stop abruptly. Several revival attempts have been made, yet the monument still consists of only twelve standing columns, far short of the envisioned full‑scale replica.
3 La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia, inspired by nature and deep religious symbolism, has been under construction since 1882. Currently about 70 percent finished, artisans are busy raising the six central towers that will crown the basilica.
Funding the colossal Roman Catholic church is a complex puzzle; the annual budget hovers around $27 million, sourced primarily from visitor admissions and private donations. When the tallest new tower reaches its full 172 meters (564 feet), the basilica will rank among Europe’s tallest religious edifices. The project aims for a 2026 completion, though decorative details may extend the timeline.
2 Bara Kaman
Bara Kaman, meaning “12 arches,” stands as the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II, the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Adil Shah dynasty in Bijapur, India. Conceived in 1672, the tomb was meant to outshine all others, featuring twelve arches arranged both horizontally and vertically around the ruler’s final resting place.
Construction halted abruptly when Ali Adil Shah was assassinated by his own father, who feared the completed monument’s shadow would eclipse the famed Gol Gumbaz. The tragedy left the arches frozen mid‑construction, never achieving their intended grandeur.
Today, the Archaeological Survey of India preserves the site, maintaining a neat garden in front of the arches. Visitors can still admire the intricate stonework and marvel at the ambitious design that time refused to finish.
1 Ryugyong Hotel
North Korea’s Ryugyong Hotel, a massive pyramid‑shaped skyscraper, was slated to open its doors in 1989, which would have made it the world’s seventh‑largest building and the tallest hotel at the time.
Construction kicked off in 1987, envisioning a 105‑story tower with 3,000 rooms, seven revolving restaurants, casinos, nightclubs, and lounges. An economic downturn, however, forced work to stop, leaving the skeletal structure standing vacant.
Recent photographs reveal cranes and construction vehicles gathered around the edifice, hinting at a possible revival. Should the project finally reach completion, the Ryugyong Hotel would become a striking destination for daring travelers.