The Motherland Calls is located atop a hill in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), Russia, at the site of the World War II Battle of Stalingrad. The memorial site was completed in 1967 and is dedicated to those who lost their lives during the battle, which was one of the bloodiest in the history of warfare. At 279 feet tall, the impressive statue is also the tallest in Europe and the world’s tallest statue of a woman.

The Field of Empty Chairs at the Oklahoma City National Memorial honors the victims, survivors, and rescuers who were impacted by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The 168 chairs represent those killed during the attack. Placed in rows of nine to represent the nine floors of the Federal Building, the chairs illuminate the field every evening.

The Steilneset Memorial sits along the rocky coast of northern Norway in Vardø. The memorial is known for its unique architecture, featuring a 400-foot long corridor that visitors traverse while reading stories of the victims of the 17th-century Finnmark Witchcraft Trials. Perhaps the most poignant exhibit is that of a steel chair containing an endless burning flame, surrounded by mirrors.

Located on the banks of the Danube River in downtown Budapest is a tribute to the many lives lost during the Holocaust. Located just a few blocks from the Hungarian Parliament Building, the memorial is a simple yet powerful display that features statues of sixty pairs of iron shoes along the water. Many passersby leave flowers among the shoes to honor the victims.

Opened in 1941, the Australian War Memorial honors all members of the armed forces who have died or served during wars involving Australia. The memorial is also home to an extensive military museum. Located in Australia’s capital city of Canberra, the impressive memorial welcomes millions of visitors each year to pay their respects and learn more about the country’s history.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the soldiers who were killed or missing in action during the Vietnam War. The memorial has three distinct parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. The famous bronze statue depicts three combat soldiers gazing toward the Memorial Wall, which lists over 58,000 names.

London’s Trafalgar Square is known for its fountains, cafes, and a massive monument for Admiral Nelson, who is regarded as one of the greatest Royal Navy officers in British history. The 150-foot column was built in 1843 to commemorate Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He is celebrated for his key role in the Napoleonic Wars.

Soaring 555 feet over the National Mall in Washington, D.C, the Washington Monument honors America’s first President and Revolutionary War leader George Washington. Upon its completion in 1884, it was the world’s tallest building, surpassed by the Eiffel Tower just three years later. Today, visitors can take an elevator to the top of this tower to catch a bird’s-eye view of the capital.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is located in Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate. Opened in 2005, the memorial features a unique design by New York architect Peter Eisenman, consisting of 2,711 concrete slabs of different heights. The vast site serves as an immersive space for reflection and remembrance of the atrocities of the Holocaust.

Overlooking the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris’ most famous monuments. The graceful arch was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 and inaugurated by King Louis-Phillippe in 1836, who dedicated it to the armies of the Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolution. At the base of the arch is a modern memorial for an unknown French soldier who lost his life during World War I.

A Callery pear tree in Lower Manhattan bore witness to one of the most devastating days in American history. Though burned and broken, the tree was discovered alive at Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. It was placed in rehabilitation, and in 2010, the tree was returned to the memorial, where it stands as a poignant symbol of hope and resilience.

Completed in 1648, the Taj Mahal was built to honor the late wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum houses both the emperor’s and his wife’s tombs. The structure is a centerpiece of Muslim art in India and is among the most-visited landmarks in the world, admired for its captivating architecture.

Yoko Ono dedicated the Imagine Peace Tower to the memory of her late husband, Beatles legend John Lennon. The memorial also serves as a symbol of joy that emits light over 2.5 miles into the sky. The light shines every year from October 9 (John’s birthday) until December 8 (the anniversary of his death), as well as on other special dates.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Peace Memorial Park surrounds the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, which pays tribute to the lives lost on August 6, 1945, when the first atomic bomb exploded in the area. The Genbaku Dome was the only building left standing. As its name suggests, the memorial also expresses hope for world peace.

Situated on a four-acre site along D.C.’s Tidal Basin, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was erected in 2011. The memorial’s address is 1964 Independence Avenue SW, in honor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in which King played a key role. The statue is carved into a 30-foot stone, accompanied by the text, “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope,” from King's “I Have a Dream” speech.

The eye-catching Queen Victoria Memorial is a staple of the Buckingham Palace grounds, welcoming visitors to the seat of the U.K.’s monarchy. The 80-foot statue commemorates her death in 1901. Surrounding the structure are the Memorial Gardens, a series of formal flower beds featuring scarlet geraniums to match the red uniforms of the Queen’s Guard at the palace.

The Les Braves sculpture commemorates the tragic events of World War II and the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, when Allied troops landed on this stretch of beach, now called Omaha Beach, on the northern coast of France. Les Braves (The Braves) is a sculpture with three abstract components: “The Wings of Hope,” “Rise, Freedom!” and “The Wings of Fraternity.” Created by French artist Anilore Banon, it was erected at the shoreline in 2004.

It only makes sense that the U.S. capital is filled with significant monuments and memorials from the nation’s history. Among the most popular to visit is the Lincoln Memorial, a Parthenon-inspired building featuring a 19-foot marble statue of the 16th President. It stands at the west end of the reflection pool, opposite of another well-loved memorial, the Washington Monument, a tribute to America’s first President.

South Africa’s trailblazing political leader Nelson Mandela is forever memorialized in this nearly 30-foot-tall statue in Pretoria, one of the country’s three capital cities. The statue was unveiled on December 16, 2013, after a 10-day mourning period following his death. It stands at the Union Buildings, the official seat of the government and a popular site among visitors.

On December 7, 1941, Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor was attacked by Axis forces — a day which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said would “live in infamy.” Located just a few miles from Honolulu on Oahu, the Pearl Harbor Memorial includes a boat ride to the memorial for the USS Arizona, which sank during these attacks. The impressive floating memorial is a lasting tribute to the many lives lost that day.