Monuments

Basilica of Saint-Denis: Gothic origin, royal necropolis, and musical heritage Basilica of Saint-Denis A historic basilica north of Paris, birthplace of Gothic architecture and the traditional burial place of French royalty, notable for its architecture, royal tombs, and a celebrate…

Royal Basilica of Superga Basilica of Superga An 18th-century Baroque basilica on the Superga hill above Turin: a dynastic mausoleum of the House of Savoy, designed by Filippo Juvarra, and a site of architectural, historical a…

The Bastille: Parisian Fortress, Prison, and Revolutionary Symbol Bastille The Bastille was a medieval fortress in Paris later used as a state prison. Stormed on 14 July 1789, its fall marked a turning point in the French Revolution and remains a potent n…

Bath Abbey — Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Bath Abbey Anglican parish church in Bath, Somerset: a major Perpendicular Gothic abbey with medieval origins, later restorations, notable west front sculpture and a continuing role in worshi…

Battersea Bridge A compact, historic five-span cast-iron and granite crossing of the River Thames in London linking Battersea and Chelsea; noted for its narrow roadway, hazardous bend, artistic ass…

Bayeux Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux) Bayeux Cathedral Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in Bayeux, Normandy, consecrated in 1077; seat of the local bishop and historically linked to the Bayeux Tapestry and Harold Godwinson's famous oath.

Beaumaris Castle Late 13th-century concentric castle on Anglesey, Wales, begun by Edward I. Noted for its planned symmetry, water defenses, unfinished state and inclusion in the Edwardian castles W…

Beauvais Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Beauvais) Beauvais Cathedral Gothic cathedral in Beauvais, northern France, famous for its exceptionally high choir vault, ambitious unfinished plan, structural collapses and its role as a test case for late m…

Beethoven House (Beethoven-Haus), Bonn — Birthplace, Museum and Research Centre Beethoven House Museum and research centre in Bonn dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven, preserving his birthplace with collections of manuscripts, instruments, exhibitions, concerts and scholarly re…

Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest) Beijing National Stadium The Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird's Nest, is an iconic steel-lattice stadium in Beijing built for the 2008 Olympics. It is notable for its design, sustainable system…

Bellver Castle (Palma de Mallorca) Bellver Castle A distinctive circular Gothic castle on a wooded hill above Palma, built for Mallorcan royalty and today a city museum and public landmark with panoramic views.

Beta Israel Memorial — Mount Herzl, Jerusalem Beta Israel Memorial National memorial at Mount Herzl honoring Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) who died reaching Israel. Features a grass plaza, olive trees, grave-shaped stones and a village-shaped stone…

Bhaati Gate — historic gate of Lahore's Walled City Bhaati Gate An historic entrance to Lahore's Walled City dating to the Mughal period, known for its traditional architecture, adjoining bazaars and cultural legacy in Pakistan's old city.

Bielsko-Biała Museum and Castle City museum housed in the historic Bielsko Castle, with regional collections and three specialized branches: the Julian Fałat Museum, the Museum of Technology and Textile Industry,…

Big Ben — the bell, the clock and the Elizabeth Tower of Westminster Big Ben Big Ben is the popular name for the great bell in the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster. The tower is officially Elizabeth Tower; the term also refers informally to the cloc…

Bishyanath Temple — Shiva temple in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh Bishyanath Temple Bishyanath Temple is a notable Hindu shrine to Shiva in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh, known for its pagoda-like roofline, local religious importance, and regional temple archite…

Bizarro — the Medusa roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure Bizarro (Six Flags Great Adventure) Bizarro was the themed identity of the Medusa floorless steel roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, known for its Bolliger & Mabillard design, floorless trains, multiple inv…

Black Hole of Calcutta The Black Hole of Calcutta refers to a contested 1756 episode in which British prisoners were confined in a small Fort William dungeon; accounts, casualty figures and its political…

Blarney Castle: history, architecture, the Blarney Stone and tourism Blarney Castle Blarney Castle is a 15th-century tower house near Cork, Ireland, famed for the Blarney Stone, gardens, and centuries of legend. This article covers its structure, history, visitor…

Blenheim Palace: English Baroque Country House and UNESCO World Heritage Site Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire is a monumental English Baroque country house, ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and a UNESCO World Heritage Site open to visitor…

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), Istanbul Blue Mosque, Istanbul Historic early 17th-century Ottoman mosque in Istanbul, famed for its blue tile interior, six minarets, and role as both a place of worship and major landmark.

Blue Mosque, Yerevan An 18th-century Persian-style Shia mosque in central Yerevan, noted for its blue tilework, historic courtyard, and cultural role in Armenia's diverse architectural heritage.

Blue plaque (UK commemorative plaque scheme) Blue plaque Blue plaques mark buildings associated with notable people or events in the UK. Originating in the 19th century, the scheme has evolved through several public bodies and now combin…

Bluehenge (Bluestonehenge): a prehistoric henge and stone circle near Stonehenge Bluehenge Bluehenge, or Bluestonehenge, is a Late Neolithic henge and former stone setting discovered near Stonehenge in Wiltshire; fragments of bluestone link it to outcrops in West Wales a…

Bodrum Castle (Castle of St. Peter): history, architecture and significance Bodrum Castle Seaside medieval fortress in Bodrum, Turkey, built from 1402 by the Knights Hospitaller. Known for its towers, maritime archaeology museum, later uses and conservation as a major c…

Bolingbroke Castle Ruined medieval castle at Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, best known as the birthplace of Henry IV and for its surviving stone walls and towers that mark a late medieval stronghold.

Borobudur — 9th‑Century Mahayana Buddhist Monument in Central Java Borobudur Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Central Java, Indonesia. Renowned for its terraced design, thousands of relief panels and stupas, it is a major archaeologi…

Bothwell Castle — Medieval stronghold on the River Clyde Bothwell Castle Large 13th‑century Scottish castle above a bend in the River Clyde, near Glasgow. Noted for its massive curtain wall, military role in the Wars of Independence and its present cons…

Boudhanath Stupa Boudhanath Major Buddhist stupa in northeastern Kathmandu, Nepal, known for its large dome, all-seeing eyes, surrounding monasteries and role as a pilgrimage and cultural center.

Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle) — medieval fortress near Brașov, Romania Bran Castle Bran Castle, a medieval fortress near Brașov, Romania, known as 'Dracula's Castle'. A national monument and museum with royal-era interiors, medieval architecture, and strong cultu…

Brandenburg Gate Neoclassical triumphal gate in Berlin, built 1788–1791; a symbol of German history, Cold War division and later reunification, notable for its columns and Quadriga sculpture.

Bredevoort Castle — medieval stronghold in Bredevoort, Guelders (Netherlands) Bredevoort Castle Bredevoort Castle was a medieval fortified residence in Bredevoort, in the historic county of Guelders. Once a local seat of power, its remains survive as archaeological traces and…

Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), Venice Bridge of Sighs Enclosed 17th‑century limestone bridge in Venice linking the Doge’s Palace to former prisons; famed for Byron’s name, its barred windows, romantic legends and its cultural influenc…

Bridgnorth Castle: history, architecture and present-day significance Bridgnorth Castle A ruined medieval stronghold overlooking the River Severn in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England; notable for its Norman origins, Civil War destruction and striking riverside setting.

Brihadeshwara Temple (Peruvudaiyar Kovil) — Chola-era Shiva temple in Thanjavur Brihadeshwara Temple Overview of Brihadeshwara Temple (Peruvudaiyar Kovil) in Thanjavur: history, architecture, inscriptions, rituals, conservation and its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram Eleventh‑century Dravidian temple dedicated to Shiva at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu. Built by Rajendra Chola I, noted for its monumental vimana, detailed sculpture, inscript…

Bronbeek: Arnhem's former royal residence, museum and veterans' home Bronbeek Bronbeek in Arnhem is a 19th-century former royal residence that became a retirement home for KNIL veterans and a museum documenting the Dutch East Indies and colonial military his…

Brooklyn Bridge — history, design, and cultural significance Brooklyn Bridge Overview of the Brooklyn Bridge: its design and engineering, construction (1869–1883), role linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, notable features, restorations, and lasting cultural imp…

Bryggen — the Hanseatic wharf and historic harbour quarter in Bergen Bryggen Bryggen is a row of historic wooden commercial buildings on Bergen's inner harbour, once a Hanseatic trading centre. A UNESCO World Heritage Site notable for its timber architectur…

Buckingham Fountain Large ornamental fountain in Grant Park, Chicago, completed in 1927; a city landmark known for its water, light and music displays and as a centerpiece of public space in Illinois.

Buckingham Palace: Official London Residence of the British Monarch Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace in central London serves as the main official residence and workplace of the British sovereign, hosting state occasions, ceremonies, public exhibitions and royal…

Buddha Dhatu Jadi — Bandarban Golden Temple Buddha Dhatu Jadi A Theravada Buddhist monastery and pilgrimage site near Bandarban, Bangladesh, known for its Arakanese-style gilded stupa, relics (dhatu) of the Buddha and a large Buddha statue.

Buddhas of Bamiyan Two monumental 6th-century standing Buddha statues carved into a cliff in Afghanistan's Bamyan valley, notable for their art-historical importance, destruction in 2001, and ongoing…

Bulguksa: The Historic Buddhist Temple of Gyeongju Bulguksa Bulguksa is an 8th‑century Korean Buddhist temple in Gyeongju, South Korea, noted for its stone pagodas, ornamental bridges and gilt‑bronze Buddhas; a UNESCO World Heritage Site si…

Burg Fürsteneck — hilltop castle in Hesse, Germany Burg Fürsteneck Medieval hilltop castle on a 406 m plateau near Eiterfeld, between Fulda and Bad Hersfeld. Preserved site now used for cultural programs, seminars, guided visits and events.

Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon Castle is a major medieval fortress in north Wales, built for Edward I in the late 13th century. Noted for its massive walls, polygonal towers and symbolic architecture,…

Callanish Stones (Calanais) — Neolithic stone circle on Lewis Callanish Stones A prehistoric stone circle and cruciform monument on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, famed for its Neolithic origin, lunar alignments and role as a major archaeological and cultural s…

Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum A concise guide to the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum at the Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts: its collections, history, and public role honoring Presi…