When the world was enraged with its masterpieces; A fascinating narrative of controversial urban symbols

The most popular attractions and landmarks of the world attract millions of visitors every year; But gaining this popularity has been a time-consuming process. Some of these sites initially met with displeasure from local residents, tourists, and experts due to differences in design, political issues, or financial problems. Among them, we can mention the Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa and House of Dancers. Follow along with Kajaro to tell you the story behind the scenes of famous attractions. (Love Exploring)

“Eiffel Tower” in France and Paris was the tallest tower in the world at the time of its opening. In its early years, this tower was attacked by critics who described the structure as “useless and monstrous”; But Eiffel was able to gain a valuable position because it had advantages for the city. One of the advantages of this tower was that it was used as a wireless telegraph transmitter. Although the Eiffel Tower is no longer the tallest tower in the world due to the construction of the Burj Khalifa, it still has many visitors and is known as a popular symbol of France.

Photographer: Unknown / shutterstock.com

Mount Rushmore Monument is located in South Dakota, USA. In fact, the image of four presidents of the United States of America such as “George Washington” is carved in this mountain. This project was accompanied by problems such as lack of funds, challenges in design, etc. Many Native Americans saw this place as a symbol of the unfair treatment of indigenous peoples and the appropriation of their lands, and they still believe this; However, this building has many visitors a year.

Photographer: Klaus Steinkamp / shutterstock.com

“Burj Khalifa” was opened in the United Arab Emirates and the city of Dubai in 2010. This tower, which is the tallest tower in the world, went through many challenges such as labor protests in order to be put into operation. This structure was considered by some as a symbol of excessive consumerism; A newspaper described it as “a gloomy symbol of Dubai’s luxury era”. The tower was also criticized for being too tall; But now this tower attracts many visitors due to its glitter.

Photographer: Kirill Neiezhmakov / shutterstock.com

“Tower Bridge” (Tower Bridge), which is also known as “Bridge Bridge”, is located in England and the city of London. The appearance of this bridge in the early years of its opening was not liked by many experts; For example, one of the architects of that time believed that this bridge is a symbol of vice and pretension. Also, a newspaper introduced the bridge as an ugly bridge. For a while, the bridge bridge became a hangout for pickpockets, and for this reason, this bridge was closed to the public for about 70 years. However, Londoners grew fond of it over time.

Photographer: unknown / thrillophilia.com

“Guggenheim Museum” is located in the United States of America and the state of New York. The building of this museum is considered a kind of breaking tradition in architectural rules, and for this reason, this building has a strong contrast with the architecture of the buildings around it. After the construction of the Guggenheim Museum, some critics criticized the appearance of the building and compared it to appliances such as washing machines and bottle openers; But now this museum is recognized as one of the most important architectural symbols of the 20th century.

Photographer: f11photo / shutterstock.com

Sagrada Familia Church in Spain and Barcelona is an unfinished project. The construction of this church has faced challenges such as the sudden death of the architect Antoni Gaudi, a fire during the civil war, and financial problems. Local residents still have problems with the completion of the building; Because in order to complete the project, the surrounding commercial and residential buildings must be demolished. Despite being unfinished, this building attracts many tourists every year.

Photographer: unknown / goldenhotels.com

“Dancing House” is located in Prague, Czech Republic. The idea of ​​building this building was presented by “Vaclav Havel”, the president of Czechoslovakia (modern day Czech Republic). This building was built with the cooperation of two architects with a non-traditional approach. The House of Dancers is actually a symbol of Czechoslovakia’s transition to modern democracy. This house contrasts with the architecture of the buildings around it, and for this reason, many local residents were unhappy with its construction; However, this building has become a symbolic structure over time.

Photographer: Jaroslav Moravcik / shutterstock.com

“Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral” (Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral) in England and the city of “Liverpool” was originally supposed to be one of the largest churches in the world; But the construction of this great church was stopped due to reasons such as World War II and costs, and another plan, the current structure, replaced it. The Metropolitan Cathedral was praised by architects; But some were not very interested in it and compared its appearance to a big inflatable tent or a spaceship. However, this building has now become an attractive symbol of Liverpool.

Photographer: unknown / alamy.com site

“Television Tower” (Fernsehturm) is the tallest structure in Germany, located in Berlin. This tower was designed as a TV and radio transmission tower to show off the power and capability of East Germany. After opening, this tower was used for espionage purposes for some time. Sunlight on the stainless steel sphere of the tower creates an image similar to a “cross”; An issue that was somewhat embarrassing for the secular (non-religious) authorities of Germany and led to this phenomenon being nicknamed “Pope’s Revenge”. Today, this tower is a symbol of German unity.

Photographer: canadastock / shutterstock.com

The “Vietnam Veterans Memorial” in the United States of America and the city of “Washington DC” actually pays tribute to the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States of America during the Vietnam War. The names of these people are written on this wall. At first, this building was criticized for its simple design and its appearance was described as a “wound”. This building is now known as a popular attraction among tourists.

Photographer: unknown / surfacemag.com

Which attraction is interesting for you to visit? We would be happy if you share your thoughts with us and our colleagues.

Cover photo source: barcelonatickets.tours; Photographer: Unknown (Sagrada Familia Church; Barcelona, ​​Spain)