Tower of SilenceOne of the most unusual towers built in history is the Tower of Silence. It is a circular tower with central well, having a high outer wall, and inner platform on which the Parsees (Zoroastrians) expose the bodies of their dead to be eaten by vultures, so that the body may be dissipated without polluting the earth; also called dakhma, dokhma.
Tower of BabelOne of the most controversial towers in the world is the Tower of Babel. It is a structure featured in the Book of Genesis (chapter 11: 1-9). It's an enormous tower intended as the crowning achievement of the city of Babilu, the Akkadian name for Babylon. According to the Old Testament, the tower was erected on the plain of Shinar in Babylonia by descendants of Noah. The builders intended the tower to reach to heaven; their presumption, however, angered Yahweh, who interrupted construction by causing among them a previously unknown confusion
of languages. He then scattered these people, speaking different languages, over the face of the earth.
EtemenankiThe Sumerians were known for building ziggurats and one of the most famous they built was the Etemenanki.
Etemenanki means "temple of the foundation of heaven and earth" it was dedicated to Marduk in the city of Babylon of the 6th century BC Neo-Babylonian dynasty. Originally seven stories in height, little remains of it now save ruins.
According to modern scholars, the biblical story of the Tower of Babel was likely influenced by Etemenanki during the Babylonian captivity of the Hebrews, though other scholars contest that the Genesis account, if taken at face value,would predate this structure.
Leaning Tower of Pisa: ItalyAnother well known tower is the Leaning Tower of Pisa built from 1173 until 1372. Considered one of the Wonders of the world is the Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply The Tower of Pisa. It is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the City of Pisa and is situated behind the cathedral.
Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The tower presently leans to the southwest.
Hassan Tower: MoroccoA noted incomplete tower is the Hassan Tower in Morocco, where work was abandoned in 1199 AD, and the tower stands today as a monument in its incomplete state. Hassan Tower or Tour Hassan is the minaret of an incomplete mosque in Rabat, Morocco. Construction started in 1195 CE, the tower was intended to be the largest minaret in the world along with the mosque, also intended to be the world's largest. In 1199, sultan Yacoub al-Mansour died, and construction on the mosque stopped. The tower only reached 44m (140ft), about half of its intended 86m (260ft)
height. The rest of the mosque was also left incomplete, with only the beginnings of several walls and 200 columns being constructed. The tower, made of red sandstone along with the remains of the mosque and the modern mausoleum of Mohammed V, forms an important historical and tourist complex in Rabat.
Porcelain Nanjing Tower: ChinaAnother remarkable tower and regarded as one of the Wonders of The World is the Porcelain Tower (or Porcelain Pagoda) of Nanjing. It is called Bao'ensi in Chinese, meaning "Temple of Gratitude". It is a historical archaeological site located on the south bank of the Yangtze in Nanjing, China. It was constructed in the 15th century as a Buddhist pagoda, but was mostly destroyed in the 19th century during the course of the Taiping rebellion. However, the tower is now under reconstruction once again.
Tower Of London: UKOne of the most famous towers in History especially during the Middle Ages is The Tower. The Tower of London is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its official name is Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress but commonly known as the Tower of London and historically known as The Tower. It is a historic monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. The tower's primary function was a fortress, a royal palace, and a prison (particu-larly for high status and royal prisoners, such as the Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I). This last use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower" (meaning "imprisoned"). It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armory, a treasury, a zoo, the Royal Mint, a public records office, an observatory, and since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the UK.
Big Ben Clock Tower: UKOne of the most popular clock towers in the world is the Clock Tower. It is the world's biggest four-faced, chiming clock. The structure is situated at the north-eastern end of the House of Parliament in Westminster, London. It is often colloquially referred to as Big Ben, which is actually the nickname of the main bell housed within the tower(formally known as the Great Bell). The Clock Tower has also been referred to as The Tower of Big Ben.
Tower Bridge: UKA bridge can also be considered as a tower and one of the most notable tower bridges is The London Tower Bridge,
a 244-m (800-ft) that spans the Thames River in London. It was the only movable bridge crossing the Thames when
it was completed in 1894. Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England over the
River Thames. It is situated near the Tower of London, which gives it its name. It has become an iconic symbol of
London.
Eiffel Tower: FrancePerhaps, one of the most famous towers in the world is the Eiffel Tower. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It is an iron tower built on the Champ de mars beside the Seine River in Paris. The tower has become a global icon of France and is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. More than 200,000,000 have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. Including the 24 m (79 ft) antenna, the structure is 325 m (1,063 ft) high (since 2000), which is equivalent to about 81 levels in a conventional building.
CN Towers: CanadaOne of the most remarkable towers is the CN Tower. It was once the world's tallest completed freestanding structure. It is situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a communications and tourist tower standing 553.33 meters (1,815.39 ft) tall. In 1975 it became the tallest free-standing structure on land in the world. On September 12, 2007, after holding the record for 31 years, the CN Tower was surpassed in height by the still-under-construction Burj Dubai. It remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas and the signature icon of Toronto's skyline,attracting more than two million international visitors annually
World Trade Center's Twin TowersAfter September 11, 2001, who doesn't know the World Trade Centers? They are sometimes informally referred toas the WTC or the Twin Towers. These towers were attacked by terrorists on the day of 9/11/2001. The World TradeCenter, New York, like most World Trade Centers located around the globe, belonged to the family of World TradeCenters Association. The area where these famous towers once stood is now tagged as "Ground Zero".
Burj Dubai: Dubai, UAE
Burj Dubai in Dubai, UAE, which is a skyscraper, is currently the world's tallest man-made structure. As ofSeptember 1, 2008 the building, this is still under construction, already standing at 688 m or 2,257 ft. Whencompleted, it is expected to rise over 818 m (2,684 ft). The construction of this skyscraper began on September21, 2004 and is expected to be completed and ready for occupation in September 2009.