Instantly recognizable as an Italian icon, the leaning tower of Pisa has attracted admiration since medieval times. (Photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images )
They came, they conquered, they left. Roman civilization left its mark on Western Europe. Both the continent and Great Britain are loaded with impressive man-made landmarks from this influential period, as well as far older Neolithic landmarks with meanings that remain a mystery. The UNESCO World Heritage List is a useful resource for learning about Western Europe's top historical landmarks and how to visit them.
In a field in rural Wiltshire, the world's most famous group of prehistoric megaliths stands as testimony to Stone Age symbolism that is still being explored by historians. Arranged in a semicircle, about 100 giant 25-ton stones were likely arranged over a period of 1,500 years beginning around 3100 B.C. Some 1.3 million visitors come to Stonehenge annually according to English Heritage, the historical preservation organization.
Jump forward a few millennia to observe an important landmark of medieval London. The Tower of London, dating from the reign of William the Conqueror in 1066, stands on the banks of the River Thames in the heart of London. Visitors tour the towers and the rooms with yeomen warders and enter Jewel House, a walk-through vault, to see the British Crown Jewels.
Visit the Acropolis where the Parthenon stands among other ancient restored buildings atop a limestone hill overlooking modern-day Athens. Dedicated to the goddess Athena, the citadel was built when the ancient Greek civilization was at its peak during the fifth century B.C.
When it comes to historic landmarks appreciated by 21st-century travelers, Italy is rich beyond its size, as exemplified by these three. The mighty Colosseum, largest amphitheater ever built, is still visible, though partially ruined. Completed in A.D. 80, it's a symbol of Italy and, along with the Parthenon, one of Rome's architectural masterpieces. Just as 100 days of opening celebrations at the Colosseum were being planned, Mt. Vesuvius erupted 150 miles south, instantly burying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under 20 feet of ash. A small percentage of the 2,000-year-old streets, shops and homes have been painstakingly unearthed, giving us insight into first-century life in Italy.
Hundreds of years later, during the 13th to 15th centuries, 118 man-made islands in an Italian lagoon established the Venetian Republic as a commercial trading link to Constantinople. This fragile, floating Italian city connected by 400 bridges across 150 canals and largely navigable by boat is filled with art treasures, churches, museums and palazzos.
Spain is second only to Italy in the number of sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Alhambra is a ninth-century Moorish fortress turned into a lavish palace during the 14th century. Tour the ornamental gardens, courtyards and interiors that combine to create a fairytale site, a 30-minute walk from the center of Grenada. In Barcelona, Sagrada Familia is a soaring, unfinished masterpiece by the Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi. The Roman Catholic church is an ongoing project in a mix of styles. Begun in 1882, it was consecrated as a basilica in 2010.
Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Bavaria is one of the most-visited sites in Germany. Known for its fairy-tale-like Romanesque revival style, the 19th-century structure is widely known as the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. It rises above the backdrop of Alpine foothills, fairly well off the beaten path of Rhine River castles. The nearest village to Neuschwanstein Castle is Hohenschwangau, near Fussen, 60 miles from Munich.
The sight of Mont-Saint-Michel at high tide is as astonishing as it is at low tide. Perched on a small and craggy offshore rock, the Gothic-style Benedictine abbey rises, nearly dreamlike, from the tidal waves about a half-mile off the coast of Normandy. A sacred site for pilgrimages dating to the 11th century, this is a remote and unlikely, but beloved, symbol of France and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a guided walk on the tidal mudflats for an alternative view.
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