- A new study has asked people from around the world to identify famous landmarks, with New York’s Statue of Liberty ranking as the most instantly recognisable
- The East Coast landmark ranked above fierce competition from the likes of the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House
- London’s Big Ben placed as the seventh most ‘iconic’ landmark in the world, with 86% of people able to identify it, while Stonehenge ranked in 10th place, 82% of people identifying it correctly
- London’s Tower Bridge has been named the most misidentified landmark in the world, with 3 in 5 people labelling it as London Bridge
New research by Travel Insurance experts AllClear has named the Statue of Liberty in New York as the most ‘iconic’ landmark on earth.
The study, which required participants from each continent around the world to identify famous sights from a range of photos, found that 99% of people can correctly identify ‘Lady Liberty’, making it more iconic than any other landmark.
The Big Apple’s biggest attraction fought off competition from other unmissable international landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Rome’s Colosseum, alongside other stateside sights such as The White House and Mount Rushmore.
A gift to the United States from the people of France, the statue was dedicated in 1886 and has since become a symbol of freedom. It now attracts more than four million visitors each year and features in the travel itineraries of most visitors to NYC, alongside Manhattan’s Empire State Building, which itself ranked as the 14th most recognisable landmark globally.
The 10 Most Iconic Landmarks In The World
| Rank | Landmark | Location | % of people worldwide that recognise the landmark |
| 1 | Statue of Liberty | New York, USA | 98.73% |
| 2 | Eiffel Tower | Paris, France | 97.50% |
| 3 | Taj Mahal | Agra, India | 92.25% |
| 4 | Colosseum | Rome, Italy | 91.64% |
| 5 | The White House | Washington DC, USA | 90.40% |
| 6 | Sydney Opera House | Sydney, Australia | 89.77% |
| 7 | Big Ben | London, England | 86.49% |
| 8 | Leaning Tower of Pisa | Pisa, Italy | 85.24% |
| 9 | Great Pyramids of Giza | Al Haram, Egypt | 84.88% |
| 10 | Stonehenge | Wiltshire, England | 81.69% |
On the other end of the scale, there are famous landmarks that people surprisingly have a hard time identifying. Out of the study’s global participant base, only 12% of people were able to correctly identify Rio de Janeiro’s colossal Sugarloaf Mountain, while just 24% of people can identify Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. A landmark that is some 142 years in the making and due for completion in 2026, maybe more people will get to know the unique, Gaudi-designed church once the final stone is set.
Within the UK, Big Ben ranked as the nation’s most ‘iconic’ landmark, placing as the seventh most recognisable landmark globally, and featuring above Stonehenge, which also managed to make the international top ten. One of the many UNESCO World Heritage sites in the ranking, Big Ben (or the Great Clock of Westminster) has recently been renovated, breathing new life into London’s most famous landmark, which has stood since 1859.
Interestingly, not all of the survey’s respondents within the United Kingdom correctly identified Big Ben, with 4% mistaking it for Prague’s Astronomical Clock. It was a similar story for London’s Tower Bridge, with one in four (27%) UK residents mistaking it for London Bridge.
Letitia Smith, Head of Communications at AllClear commented: “Seeing the world’s most famous landmarks is something that that features on many of our holiday wish lists, because while we all might have seen countless photographs of these sights, nothing can compare to seeing them with your own eyes. With that in mind, it’s been really interesting to discover which global landmarks are the most recognisable and can therefore lay claim to being the most ‘iconic’ sight of all.
“As there’s so many great landmarks to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to planning your next trip, but one thing you’ll always need, whether you want to marvel at the Statue of Liberty or explore the ruins of the Colosseum, is travel insurance. Of course, any sightseeing trip should only be a positive one, but it’s well worth covering yourself for any eventuality, especially in busy tourist areas that can be a target for opportunist thieves.”
For more information on the study, and AllClear’s travel insurance options, visit: https://www.allcleartravel.co.uk/blog/worlds-most-iconic-landmarks/
