Travelers have this year snubbed the Sydney Opera House in favour of a Canberra monument, according to the most popular choices as ranked on travel site Tripadvisor's list of the Top 10 Landmarks in Australia.
Perhaps it is a consequence of the recent Anzac Centenary celebrations, but this year's Tripadvisor followers decision is surely unexpected. Sydney Opera House is no more Australia’s most beloved landmark, having been replaced in top position by Canberra's Australian War Memorial, built in 1941 to remember the soldiers who have died or participated in wars.
Australia's top landmarks
1. Australian War Memorial, Canberra
2. Opera House, Sydney
3. Harbour Bridge, Sydney
4. Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
5. Block Arcade, Melbourne
6. Port Arthur Historic Site, Port Arthur
7. Fremantle Prison, Fremantle
8. Kings Park War Memorial, Perth
9. Australian Parliament House, Canberra
10. Queen Victoria Building (QVB), Sydney
Australian War Memorial, Canberra Source: Flickr
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia. The memorial includes an extensive national military museum. The Australian War Memorial was opened in 1941, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant memorials of its type in the world.
The Memorial is located in Australia's capital, Canberra. It is the north terminus of the city's ceremonial land axis, which stretches from Parliament House on Capital Hill along a line passing through the summit of the cone-shaped Mount Ainslie to the northeast.
The Australian War Memorial consists of three parts: the Commemorative Area (shrine) including the Hall of Memory with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, the Memorial's galleries (museum) and Research Centre (records). The Memorial also has an outdoor Sculpture Garden. The Memorial is currently open daily from 10am until 5pm, except on Christmas Day.
Machu Picchu, Peru Source: Flickr
World’s Top Landmarks
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
3. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
4. St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
5. Taj Mahal, Agra, India
6. Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
7. Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood, St Petersburg, Russia
8. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
