The hidden truth of some of the most famous monuments in the world

What do the Eiffel Tower, the Tower of Pisa, the Palace of Versailles, Mount Rushmore, and the Taj Mahal have in common? They are all famous and iconic monuments that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. But have they always been so popular? We invite you to discover the hidden face behind these emblematic attractions.

The Tower of Pisa

If you have ever visited Pisa, you must have taken a photo in which you pretend to hold the Leaning Tower, symbol of this beautiful Tuscan city. The most frequent question when contemplating this monument is always the same: “How can this leaning tower still stand?” Well, the answer is no longer a secret. The icon of Pisa has made its weakness the winning key to staying standing since 1173, the year its construction began. In fact, recent soil studies have revealed that the soft ground on which the monument is built has enabled the Tower to withstand many earthquakes, some of them very violent. Camillo Nuti, professor of civil engineering at the University of Rome III, confirms this theory.

The destination of the quintessential symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, was not exactly going to be as glorious as it is today. The Tower was built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, and initially it was to be destroyed shortly after the event. But as we all know, happily, the plans did not go as planned. It seems that, despite numerous criticisms, its innovative architecture so fascinated Parisians that they decided not to dismantle it. And the rest is history. More than 2 million people visited the Eiffel Tower in the year of its inauguration alone. Today, the Iron Lady has been adorning the French capital for more than a century, occupying a special place in the hearts of Parisians and, in general, of the French and tourists from all over the world.

Monte Rushmore

Roosevelt, Lincoln, and the other two founding presidents of the United States proudly view America from Mount Rushmore in Penington County. And in turn these are observed by thousands of tourists eager to admire these faces carved into the rock of the Black Hills. But this work, created in honor of America’s founding fathers, does not have the unanimous approval of all Americans. For the Lakota community, this is a sacred place and the construction of the monument was branded as desecration. However, it should be remembered that this community lost this territory after the war against the US federal state between 1876 and 1877.

The palace of Versailles

Who does not know the Palace of Versailles? The former residence of the kings of France, located a few kilometers from Paris, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year intrigued by its architectural magnificence and the history of the man who built it, Louis XIV, who is none other than the Sun King. .

Not everyone knows that the palace was originally conceived as a simple residence by the monarch Louis XIII, who used it during his hunting parties when he did not have time to return to Paris. Over the years, the land that surrounded it was bought and only with the arrival of Louis XIV, the castle of Versailles was transformed into the wonderful monument that we know today.

El Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is the perfect example of an elegant Indian palace made of white marble. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is actually a monument dedicated to a lost love. Its construction began in 1631, at the request of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who had it built in memory of his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, who lost her life during the birth of their fourteenth child. It was on his deathbed that his wife made the emperor promise that he would not remarry and that he would build a mausoleum in his memory. The Taj Mahal, in addition to being one of the most beautiful monuments in the world, represents the immense love of the emperor for his wife.

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