When you think of the world’s most iconic structures, the phrase “10 famous landmarks” probably springs to mind. Yet many of these marvels almost vanished, rescued only by protests, wars, or sheer luck. Below, we explore the dramatic near‑deaths of each monument, proving that history can be as fragile as it is grand.
Why These 10 Famous Landmarks Matter
10 The Eiffel Tower Petitioned For Destruction
Parisians didn’t initially adore their most celebrated structure. Even today, a handful remain skeptical, yet public sentiment has swung dramatically toward embracing the iconic Tour Eiffel.
When plans emerged to erect the tower as a tribute to the French Revolution for the 1889 World’s Fair, a wave of opposition surged before any foundation was laid. Citizens of Paris deemed Eiffel’s design an eyesore that marred the picturesque Champ de Mars, circulating petitions to halt the project entirely.
The agreement stipulated that the iron skeleton would be dismantled twenty years after the exposition concluded, a compromise that placated the reluctant populace. Over time, locals grew to cherish the tower—especially after its radio antenna proved invaluable during wartime—yet it faced another peril when Hitler allegedly commanded its demolition; the order never materialized.
Nowadays, the tower draws more than seven million visitors annually, earning the title of the world’s most frequented paid‑entry monument. It boasts restaurants and souvenir shops on its second level, and the third tier offers arguably the premier panorama of Paris from a soaring 275 meters (900 feet). Roughly 500 staff members tend to the structure each day, ensuring its silhouette remains a permanent feature of the skyline.
9 The Sphinx Lost Beneath The Sands
The Sphinx, one of humanity’s most instantly recognizable monuments, spent centuries hidden from fame. Neglect, vandalism, political upheaval, and relentless erosion all took their toll.
Dating back over 4,500 years, the colossal figure has witnessed countless epochs from its perch near the famed Valley of the Kings. Originally erected to honor the deity Harmakhis, the cult’s waning popularity left the massive sculpture unattended, eventually allowing shifting sands to engulf it, leaving only the head exposed—a sight that earned locals the eerie nickname “father of fear.”
Over millennia, the sands receded and surged repeatedly. An undocumented assault once damaged the statue, even erasing its nose. In 1817, treasure hunters excavated the Sphinx, only to find nothing but corrosive sand. Moreover, salt seepage from the base has been corroding its foundation, jeopardizing stability.
Modern conservationists have replaced the original mortar with a more durable compound, bolstering the structure. Thanks to these efforts, the Sphinx remains stable—for now.
8 Statue Of Liberty Stuffed In Storage
Millions of newcomers have passed beneath Lady Liberty’s torch, seeking fresh beginnings in a nation promising opportunity. Today, she stands as a beacon drawing countless visitors and embodying American ideals.
While commonly believed to be a straightforward French donation, the statue’s origin story is more nuanced. Sculptor Auguste Bartholdi first pitched a colossal monument for the Suez Canal entrance at a world exposition, only to be rebuffed, prompting him to turn his ambitions toward the United States as a symbol of its burgeoning independence.
The project consumed fifteen years and extensive fundraising, with the statue entirely fabricated in a Parisian district without substantial governmental backing. Joseph Pulitzer ultimately secured the venture’s financing by pledging to publish the names of every contributor in his newspaper, a promise that galvanized public support.
The completed pieces—300 components packed into 241 crates—were shipped across the Atlantic aboard the French vessel Isère. Rough seas threatened the cargo, and upon arrival, the colossal figure was stowed away for over a year, its fate hanging in the balance.
Fortune, savvy marketing, and a dash of commercial savvy finally brought Lady Liberty to her pedestal, where she remains an enduring emblem of freedom.
7 The Alamo Bowie’s Blow‑Up Plan
Remember the Alamo? Texas does, Mexico does, and Bowie certainly does (though not the rock star).
The site now reduced to a modest adobe façade originally began as the chapel of Mission San Antonio de Valero in 1718, comprising a handful of huts and a stone tower that succumbed to a storm in 1724. A subsequent stone church rose around 1744, only to collapse in 1756.
A second stone chapel, which forms the present structure, commenced in 1758 with plans for twin towers and a domed ceiling spanning over four acres—plans never realized due to a devastating epidemic that decimated the local populace, leaving insufficient labor to complete it. By 1793, it transitioned into a self‑sustaining parish, later stripped of doors and windows to serve soldiers, eventually becoming San Antonio’s inaugural hospital. The Second Flying Company of San José and Santiago, stationed there from 1801‑1802, christened it ‘Alamo,’ meaning ‘cottonwood,’ a name that endures.
The Alamo changed hands more than sixteen times amid conflicts among Texan, Spanish, Mexican, Union, and Confederate forces. Near its final stand, Sam Houston petitioned Governor Henry Smith for permission to remove valuables and demolish the fort to prevent enemy capture. Smith denied the request; Houston departed, Bowie stayed, and in a February 2, 1836 letter, Bowie declared, ‘Col. Neill & I have resolved to die in these ditches rather than surrender.’ The structure survived, albeit reduced to its remaining seven‑meter wall segment.
6 The Washington Monument Earthquake
The Washington Monument nearly vanished before construction even began. Early fiscal woes in the fledgling United States prompted George Washington himself to halt the grand tribute to his legacy, redirecting his focus to founding the capital that would later bear his name.
A series of political missteps and chronic funding shortages delayed significant progress for roughly 75 years, eventually leading to the abandonment of the original, more elaborate design.
When a magnitude‑5.8 quake rattled the region in 2011, the monument’s substandard base suffered extensive harm, forcing its closure. Broken marble panels, especially around the pyramid tip, cracked vertical supports, and fractured exterior masonry—all evidence of the quake’s twisting forces—required urgent repairs.
Subsequent restoration restored public access, yet the 130‑year‑old obelisk, never intended to endure seismic activity, remains vulnerable to future tremors despite the recent fixes.
5 The White House Tornado
Historians note that the White House we see today is essentially a rebuilt shell of its original incarnation, which endured multiple cycles of fire, gutting, and restoration throughout its history.
The most devastating episode unfolded in 1814, when British troops stormed Washington, expelled its residents, and ignited the Capitol and the White House amid widespread arson.
Miraculously, two days after the siege began, an unseasonably fierce tornado swept downtown Washington, drenching the flames with torrential rain and disrupting British operations, even hurling cannons and ships into chaos.
The unexpected storm inflicted more casualties on the invading forces than gunfire, compelling the British to retreat to their vessels, never to return. Remarkably, only seven tornadoes have made landfall in the area over the subsequent two centuries.
4 Taj Mahal Military Armament
It’s astonishing how far some leaders and the public of Agra went to tarnish their nation’s most celebrated monument. Today, the Taj stands as a must‑visit marvel of love, yet its survival was far from assured.
Constructed as a tomb for Shah Jahan’s beloved wife, the monument later fell into neglect after the emperor’s death, prompting the British to repurpose it as a military compound, demolishing marble facades and erecting barracks on its grounds, even painting the hall white to impress the Prince of Wales.
Subsequent proposals aimed to raze the Taj and replace it with a governmental edifice, but these were abandoned. Nonetheless, public picnics and fairs saw visitors chipping away ornamental pieces as souvenirs.
In 1828, Lord William Bentinck ordered the dismantling and sale of numerous landmarks, stripping the Taj down to brick and shipping sections to Europe, some reaching King George IV. When demolition crews began, a failed auction in London halted the project, sparing the monument.
Early 20th‑century Lord Curzon, shocked by the Taj’s dilapidated state, oversaw its restoration, returning it to its present grandeur. In 1983, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site, cementing its global significance.
3 The Colosseum Struggles Against Time
Rome’s Colosseum, also known as the Amphitheatrum Flavium, has endured a staggering amount of structural damage while still standing, a testament to both ancient engineering and modern preservation.
The arena suffered two direct lightning hits that scorched its wooden supports and devastated the subterranean chambers added by Titus’s brother Domitian, requiring naval fire‑fighting crews to douse the flames and prevent total collapse.
Human interference inflicted perhaps greater harm: early Christian emperors spared it from demolition, yet over centuries its marble façade was stripped for other monuments, iron elements pilfered for scrap, and ground shifts caused cracks. Recent surveys even reveal a slight lean—about 40 cm higher at one end—mirroring Pisa’s famous tilt.
Current conservation initiatives aim to reverse damage caused by neglect, subway vibrations, and traffic, though the effort has faced delays as stones continue to fall from the walls.
2 The Golden Gate Bridge High Winds
During the bridge’s 50th anniversary in May 1987, a crowd of 300,000 marched across the span, only to experience severe motion sickness as high winds caused the deck to sway and dip more than two meters (seven feet), flattening the iconic curve.
Engineers reassured the public that each foot of the bridge can safely support 2,600 kg (5,700 lb), and the marching crowd exerted just under that limit at roughly 2,450 kg (5,400 lb) per foot.
Construction itself proved perilous: scaffolding mishaps and treacherous tides claimed 911 lives, and in 1951 the bridge shut down for hours when gusts reached 113 km/h (70 mph), causing it to flutter—a reminder of the Tacoma Narrows collapse a decade earlier.
The gusts bent the bridge so severely that light standards near the center brushed the support cables, prompting chief engineer Daniel Mohn to warn that, without swift action, the added traffic load could have precipitated disaster.
1 The Leaning Tower Of Pisa War Orders
Many ancient wonders met their end amid fierce battles, and modern conflicts continue to endanger artistic treasures. The Leaning Tower of Pisa narrowly escaped such a fate.
During World II, Allied troops in Pisa received orders to eliminate any structures that might serve as sniper nests for German forces. Sergeant Leon Weckstein was tasked with demolishing the tower, but oppressive heat hampered accurate aiming.
When he finally took aim, enemy fire forced the soldiers to retreat, and higher command approved the decision to spare the tower. Whether German sharpshooters ever used the tower remains unverified, but Weckstein’s delay bought crucial time.
Today, ongoing preservation work adjusts the tower periodically to prevent it from toppling, ensuring its iconic lean persists for future generations.
11 The Kremlin Blown Up
The Kremlin stands as one of Russia’s most architecturally significant landmarks, serving as the seat of power since its inception and marking the site where Moscow originated in the 11th century.
During the 1812 campaign, Napoleon’s forces seized the Kremlin, briefly considering it as a potential residence before his retreat, at which point he ordered its demolition.
A timely rainstorm moistened many of the fuses, preventing the explosives from igniting fully, while vigilant residents extinguished emerging fires, averting total destruction.
Nevertheless, five explosions reverberated, razing large sections: two fortifying towers collapsed, the arsenal suffered partial ruin, and numerous governmental buildings were damaged. The most powerful blast shattered every window and even blew out the frames throughout the Kremlin and neighboring structures.
Despite the extensive damage and burning, Moscow’s inhabitants devoted themselves to rebuilding the iconic complex. Decades of reconstruction restored the Kremlin, now a testament to the city’s resilience and pride.