For many years, Taj Mahal has remained one of travellers’ favourite landmarks. The Temple of Love attracts millions of tourists every year and it also found a place among the New Seven Wonders of the World. Although the popularity of Taj Mahal is not likely to decrease any time soon, it will certainly be challenged by other worth to see landmarks. As a matter of fact, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayd Grand Mosque Center not simply challenged India’s most visited spot, but it actually became most preferred by travellers.
TripAdvisor’s latest list of Top Landmarks has a new entries – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center. UAE’s representatives on the ranking did not simply made it to the top 10, but it also landed on the second position, surpassing India’s famous Taj Mahal. Since the list is called Travelers’ Choice and it is based on the reviews posted by tourists over the last one year, it can be said that travelers now pick Abu Dhabi’s top attraction over India’s Temple of Love.
Together with Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg Military Park, Sheihk Zayed Mosque is the only new arrival on the ranking. However, only Machu Micchu and Taj Mahal have succeeded in preserving their 2013 positions. The mysterious site in Peru continues to get travelers’ highest praise, while Taj Mahal remains third.
Only two landmarks witnessed a rise on the list. Those are Spain’s Great Cathedral and Mosque which is now 4th and Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica, which follows closely behind on the 5th spot. The majority of last year’s entries have registered a decrease. The Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg and Croatia’s Ancient City Walls have both dropped by one place landing on the 8th and 10th positions, respectively. But the biggest fall was that of Angkor Wat in Cambodia which lost four spots and ended up being 6th this year.
Top World Landmarks in 2014:
- Machu Picchu (Machu Picchu, Peru)
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
- Taj Mahal (Agra, India)
- Great Cathedral and Mosque (Cordoba, Spain)
- St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City, Italy)
- Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia)
- Bayon Temple (Siem Reap, Cambodia)
- Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood (St. Petersburg, Russia)
- Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
- Ancient City Walls (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
What is interesting to note is that Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the only landmark from the Middle East on the 2014 list. Jordan’s Petra which was 4th last year is now 13th on the global ranking. However, it is second on the list for the Middle East region surpassed only by Abu Dhabi’s popular mosque. On this ranking, travellers have voted Dubai’s Burj Khalifa 5th.
Top Landmarks in the Middle East for 2014:
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
- Petra World Heritage Side (Petra – Wadi Musa, Jordan)
- Temple of Karnak (Luxor, Egypt)
- Masjid an-Nabi (Medina, Saudi Arabia)
- Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE)
- Western (Wailing) Wall (Jerusalem, Israel)
- Temple of Ramesses II (Abu Simbel, Egypt)
- Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (Sultan Qaboos, Oman)
- Temple of Medinat Habu (Luxor, Egypt)
- Imam Square (Esfahan, Iran)
