A famous travel destination like the Taj Mahal never fails to inspire us.
Imagine how awestruck you’ll be by a bird’s-eye view of one.
You’ll find people returning to them more than once in their lifetimes. What draws people to these places year after year? We answer this question and bring you on a panoramic tour of these hotspots. A view from high above of these majestic sites is sure to make you hold your breath in awe.
A Bird’s-Eye View of Famous Destinations around the World
These destinations are either human-made or natural wonders. It’s time to take in their magnificence.
1. The Westerdok District, Amsterdam, Netherlands
First of all is Westerdok district, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is a water oasis within a bustling city. Westerdok, founded in 1832, came to be when a section of the Westerdoksdam became separated during its construction.
The separation created a gap where there was no ebb or flow. However, there was an open connection, so authorities decided to build a waterway that would serve as a Marina. You will see houseboats and yachts docked there today. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of this beautiful city.
2. Central Park
An urban oasis, Central Park lies between the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side of New York City. Besides London’s Hyde Park, it is the best-known and most-filmed park in the world. It drew nearly 40 million visitors in 2013.
The park is the brainchild of landscape architects Fredrick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, who designed it in 1857. It went through a period of decline in the early 20th century, but a series of programs restored it by the 1990s. The US Department of the Interior designated it a National Historic Landmark in 1963.
3. Iguazu Falls
Lying between the Province of Misiones in Argentina and the state of Parana in Brazil, the waterfalls of the Iguazu River make up the largest waterfall system in the world. While the river flows through Brazil, the Iguazu falls are mostly in Argentina. They serve as the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.
So, how did this incredible work of nature form? According to legend, a deity wanted to marry a beautiful woman named Napi, who wished to be with her mortal lover Taroba instead. They fled in a canoe.
In a fit, the deity created the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was the first Spanish Conquistador to recognize them in 1541. These remarkable falls consist of basalt steps that hold them together. Each is between 35 to 40m long.
4. The Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, made of ivory-white marble, is situated on the south bank of the Yamuna river in Agra, India. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, who reigned from 1628 to 1658, had it built to house the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, his favorite wife.
The Taj spans 17 hectares. It comprises a guest house, a mosque, and formal gardens. Around 20000 artisans, led by Court Architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, finished constructing the structure by 1643 but continued work on its other phases for another ten years.
They finished building it entirely by 1653. It cost an estimated 52.8 billion rupees. Because it is a ‘Jewel of Muslim Art,’ UNESCO designated it a world heritage site. It is one of the best examples of Mughal architecture. Enjoy this bird’s-eye view of this grand structure.
5. Churun Meru, Angel Falls, Venezuela
Churun Meru, meaning Angel Falls, or Falls from the Deepest Place, is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall. It measures an astounding 3211 feet and flows over the Auyan Tepui mountain. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The falls include the main plunge and 30 meters of Talus rapids. They fall along the Rio Kerecupai Meru, which flows into the Churun River, then the Carrao River, and the Orinoco River.
People have known this natural wonder as the Angel Falls since the mid-20th century. This waterfall has its name because of aviator Jimmy Angel, who was the first person to fly over them. His family scattered his ashes over them upon his death in 1960.
This bird’s-eye view of the Churun Meru will leave you mesmerized. It’s no wonder that it’s a must-visit travel destination.
6. The Great Wall of China
You can’t leave out the Great Wall of China when compiling aerial photos. This impressive structure is the only one viewable from the moon. The Great Wall, or Wan Li Chang Chen in Mandarin, consists of brick, stone, wood, and tampered earth.
Artisans constructed it over several centuries to prevent nomadic tribes that roamed the Eurasian Steppes from raiding Chinese states. Construction started as early as the 7th Century.
Artisans built several small walls and later joined them to make them longer, stronger, and taller. They referred to the joined structure as the Great Wall. Particularly famous was the wall commissioned by Shih Huang Ti, but little of it remains. Most of the remaining structures came from the Ming Dynasty.
7. Arc De Triomphe, Paris
This monument erected in memory of the people who perished during the French Revolution, and Napoleonic Wars is world-renowned. Inscribed on it are the names of famous Generals who died during these battles. Beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a victim of the First World War.
Situated west of the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe is the brainchild of Jean Chalgrin, who designed it in 1806. Its images captured nude French youths running against bearded Germanic soldiers in chains. The arc became the site of many patriotic marches and is one of the places in Europe you must visit.
8. Santorini Island, Greece
Santorini is a Greek island in the Southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km from mainland Greece. It is the largest island in a small, circular archipelago. It formed after a volcanic eruption destroyed settlements on a formerly single island and created a volcanic caldera or cauldron.
How does the Greek government manage this island? The municipality of Santorini includes the Santorini and Therasia islands. The main island of Santorini slopes towards the sea. A lagoon surrounds a much smaller island.
The depth of the caldera means that only large ships can dock there. An estimated two million tourists visit it each year. This aerial view of picturesque Santorini is for you if you haven’t the time to make a trip there.
9. St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
You’ll know that you’re in Moscow if you see the colorful steeples of the St Basil’s Cathedral in front of you. Now a museum, it is officially known as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat. Ivan the Terrible had it built between 1555 and 1561 to commemorate the capture of Astrakhan and Kazan.
The original building was the Trinity Church, later known as the Trinity Cathedral. It contained ten churches. Byzantine Christians regarded it as a symbol of Jerusalem. Artisans shaped the various buildings like a bonfire flame. This site is synonymous with Russia.
10. Lake Bogoria, Kenya
The saline Lake Bogoria, which you’ll find south of the Rift Valley, is famous for its population of flamingoes. It is relatively shallow at about 10m and has a drainage basin of about 700 square kilometers.
This lake is the one to come to if you need a hot spring bath -it’s famous not only for native pink flamingoes but geysers as well. This bird’s-eye view of it will emphasize the massive scale of its avian population. It is an incredible oasis.
11. The Giza Pyramids
The word ‘Eygpt’ brings the Giza Pyramids to mind. The Antipater of Sidon listed the Giza Complex as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The pyramids became popular during Hellenistic times.
The complex consists of the Great Pyramid of Giza, or Cheops. A few hundred meters southwest of this is the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura, and farther Southwest, The Great Sphinx. There are small edifices apart from these monuments. It is the only ancient wonder that still exists.
In all, a bird’s-eye view of a renowned location never fails to make one gasp. If you are curious about how birds see our world, these photographs taken by Air Pano are the best ways to do it. These stunning pictures will leave you wordless.
Image credit: Air Pano
