Lookouts, monasteries, castles, towers, fortresses and palaces were all built for different reasons, either as defensive measures, or to make the most of the majestic scenery, or maybe just to take advantage of the tranquil setting of the location. Most of these structures were built on top of mountains, cliffs...
Buddhist monastery located on top of Taung Kalat, a rocky outcrop on Mount Popa in the Mandalay region of Myanmar
The Buzludzha Monument, a structure built by the Bulgarian Communist government in 1981, located on top of Buzludzha Peak in the Kazanlak region of Bulgaria, seen here on June 22, 2016. The monument was built to commemorate the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party
Mehrangarh Fort overlooks the city of Jodhpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Construction of the first fort, located about 400 feet above the city, began in 1459, and it has been expanded several times in the centuries since.
Night view of the illuminated Thanh Hoang Pavilion (or City God Pavilion), on a hilltop in Hangzhou, China
Roussanou Monastery stands on a rock pillar, part of the Meteora monastery complex in Thessaly, Greece
The Sphinx Observatory is located at the top of the Bernese Alps. The site is one of the highest observatories in the world, with many platforms for scientific experiments and observations, as well as public observation.
View of Namgyal Tsemo Monastery, in Leh, Ladakh region of India
The Sigiriya fortress stands atop a rock pillar near the town of Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Although there is evidence of human habitation in and around the area for thousands of years, the summit complex was first developed by King Kashyapa around 1,500 years ago.
The Great Wall of China climbs through mountainous territory, connecting many hilltop watchtowers
Pagodas stand atop twin stone pillars on Shuangta Mountain in Chengde, Hebei Province, China
Aerial photo of the village of Al Hajjarah, in Yemen's Haraz Mountains
A long staircase leads up the side of the Rock of Guatapé in Colombia. The rocky outcrop, known as a bluff, rises 656 feet above the surrounding area and has an observation tower built on top.
View of Key Gompa, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Himachal Pradesh, in the Lahaul and Spiti districts of India
Phuong Thao
- Source: The Atlantic
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