Completed in 1995, Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, China, soars 1,536 feet high as China's second-tallest TV and radio tower (and sixth-tallest in the world). It’s easily recognizable by its three enormous spheres that stand out from the rest of the design. The top sphere is an observation deck called the Space Module, while the second sphere is a rotating restaurant, and the third sphere contains entertainment and attractions.

“Grand” doesn’t begin to describe this lion-guarded stone bridge straddling the Danube River. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge connects Clark Ádám Square in Buda and Széchenyi Square on the Pest side of Hungary’s historic capital. Built in the early 19th century, the 1,230-foot Renaissance Revival bridge is one of the most photographed landmarks in Budapest.

Although it's now an indelible part of Montreal's cityscape, the Biosphere actually originated with the United States. The U.S. government donated the structure after commissioning architect Richard Buckminster Fuller to design the project as its pavilion for the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal. The giant steel structure was initially designed to be bolted together so it could be dismantled later, but it was welded together and became a permanent fixture in the city.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is built on the spot where the Allegheny River and Monongahela River come together to form the Ohio River. With its three famous rivers, it should come as no surprise that Pittsburgh is chock full of bridges. In fact, with 446 of them, it more than earns Pittsburgh its “City of Bridges” nickname. That’s even more than Venice, Italy!

Did you know there's a castle hidden in Manhattan’s Central Park? Belvedere Castle was built by Calvert Vaux in 1869 as a way to welcome visitors to the park he helped design. It looks out onto the park's Great Lawn and gives visitors the opportunity to take in some fantastic views from the top. In fact, the view is so great that it gave the castle its name — "Belvedere" means "Beautiful View" in Italian.

The most instantly recognizable element of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline, the 1,483-foot-tall identical skyscrapers that make up Petronas Towers are the tallest twin structures on Earth. And they were once — at the time of their completion in 1998 — the tallest buildings, period. Though Taipei 101 surpassed them in 2004, they still claim the world’s highest two-story bridge (the vista-blessed Skybridge that links the towers).

The ultramodern city of Dubai boasts a remarkable fountain display that gives the Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas a run for its money. Spraying water up to 50 stories tall, the Dubai Fountain amazes spectators who come to see the water show on the lake beneath the tallest building in the world, the 2,720-foot Burj Khalifa.

The mythical “merlion” is half-lion, half-fish. The legendary creature is a national icon of Singapore, where it’s said to represent the city’s beginnings as a fishing village, as well as its original name of Singapura (“Lion City” in Malay). This merlion statue — one of several in the city — was constructed by local craftsman Lim Nang Seng and unveiled in 1972 at the mouth of the Singapore River.

No other building defines the San Francisco skyline more than the iconic Transamerica Pyramid, which towers 853 feet tall. When it opened in 1972, it was the city’s tallest building — an honor it held for more than three decades, until the 1,070-foot Salesforce Tower overtook it in 2018. The unique shape of the building, designed by architect William Pereira, is a four-sided pyramid with a spire on top.

This residential space — nicknamed “the Monster Building” — is actually a tight gathering of five different complexes, densely stacked in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay. The architecture demonstrates how tight living quarters are in Hong Kong, which is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with around 17,300 people per square mile.

Built in the 1960s, Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires is the widest avenue in the world. The street (which translates to July 9th Avenue, named after the country’s independence day) stretches 360 feet wide across 16 lanes of traffic. One of the city’s most famous landmarks, a 221-foot-tall obelisk, stands at the intersection of Avenida Corrientes.

When the Tokyo Skytree topped out at 2,080 feet tall in 2011, it became the tallest tower in the world and the second-tallest structure (with the Burj Khalifa still outstripping it by a whopping 700 feet). The observation and broadcasting tower remains the tallest structure in Japan. The Tembo Deck viewing platform features stunning views of the sprawling skyline of the world’s most populous city.

Table Mountain is perhaps South Africa’s most photographed landmark, and the iconic mountain also appears on Cape Town’s official city flag. The two-mile-long elevated plateau overlooks Cape Town and Table Bay. When the mountain is covered in clouds, the spectacle is nicknamed the “Tablecloth.” The area surrounding Table Mountain is frequented by hikers and campers since the national park offers over 350 designated routes to the top.

Centered in the main square of Milan, the enormous, ornate Duomo di Milano is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Carved into the cathedral’s exterior are a whopping 3,400 statues and 135 gargoyles, depicting saints and other major Catholic figures. Starting in 1386, it took six centuries for artists to finish the spectacular duomo you see today.

Bourbon Street lies at the heart of New Orleans' most visited neighborhood, the French Quarter. Extending for 13 blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, the raucous walkway — synonymous with Mardi Gras celebrations — is populated by bars, jazz music, and neon lights. Originally laid out in 1721, the street was named after the French royal family of the time.

Known in Hawaiian as Leahi or “brow of the tuna,” Diamond Head is one of Honolulu’s most recognizable landmarks, towering behind Waikiki Beach. The 760-foot-high and 3,520-foot-wide volcanic crater was named by British sailors, who believed they had found diamonds in it. Instead, the minerals insied were to be calcite crystals. It now serves as a popular hiking spot for visitors to Honolulu.

If you have a fear of heights, you might want to look up at the ceiling while you’re riding the elevator in Toronto’s CN Tower. If you happen to look down, you’ll be able to see 1,135 feet straight to the ground on the 58-second journey to the top of North America's tallest tower. The glass-floored elevators were the first of their kind when they were installed in 1994.

Nicknamed "The Bean" for its shape, "Cloud Gate," by British artist Sir Anish Kapoor, gives a perfect view of the Chicago skyline in its reflective stainless steel surface. Tourists flock to the piece, which is located in Millennium Park, to grab a selfie or group photo when they’re in the city. To keep its surface shining, professional cleaners come by at least twice a day to polish the sculpture.

Towering 125 feet over Mount Corcovado — which in turn presides over the seaside metropolis of Rio de Janeiro — Christ the Redeemer is one of the world’s most instantly recognizable monuments. The colossal statue of Jesus stands 98 feet tall with his arms spread 92 feet wide. More than 2 million people each year visit the statue, which was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

With its distinctive white roof resembling sails or shells and a picturesque location on Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous structures in the world. Completed in 1973, it was designed by architect Jørn Utzon, whose team experimented with various echoes of curves before landing on the opera house’s final geometrical shape. Together, the 14 separate roof pieces form a perfect sphere.