There are several stone buildings around the world. In fact, stone was used as a primary building material for centuries. Today, there are several other building material options available, but stone is still one of the most durable and elegant materials available.
Below are some of the most beautiful and famous stone buildings from around the world. Each is made from a unique stone type and each has its own beauty.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is located in India. This stunning building is a mausoleum that was created by a former emperor of the country in memory of his third wife and it was completed in 1648. The Taj Mahal is considered a great example of Mughal architecture. Mughal architecture is a combination of Persian, Ottoman Turkish, Islamic and Indian architecture styles. This exterior of the Taj Mahal is made of white marble. Many of the elements inside of the building and in the gardens surrounding the building are also made from white marble. (Information found here )
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is located in Rome, Italy. This building was building was completed in 80 AD. The amphitheater was used for public spectacles, executions, battles and dramas. At the time, the Colusseum could hold 50,000-80,000 people. The majority of this monument was built with travertine stone slabs, a very common building material in Italy. (Source: http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/colosseum.htm )
Great Pyramid
The Great Pyramid is located in Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest and the largest of the three pyramids located in Giza. It is believed that this incredible structure was finished in 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid is built from over 2.3 million blocks. The pyramid is made from a few different types of stone. Most of the structure is made from limestone and part of it is made from granite. This incredible structure is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. (Information found here)
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument, located in Washington D.C., is the worlds tallest stone structure. It stands 555 feet and 5 1/8 inches tall. The building was started before the civil war in 1848, but had to stop for the war and because of lack of funding. The monument was officially opened in 1888. The building is constructed with over 36,000 stones of marble. The different colors on the structure are because after the construction process started again, the marble they used was from a different quarry than where the initial stone was from. (Source: http://www.nps.gov/wamo/faqs.htm )
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Interested in learning more about different types of stone? Check out this blog article.