Today.Az » Weird / Interesting » 25 greatest engineering achievements of mankind - PHOTOS
06 July 2013 [09:25] - Today.Az


Recent months have seen a fair number of impressive construction plans announced, from Norway's intention to create the world's first shipping tunnel to Maldives' plans for a space age underwater hotel to Dubai's plans for the world's biggest shopping mall.

How do these announcements stack up against what's already out there?

We've compiled 25 of what we think are some of the most impressive engineering/construction achievements to date, taking into consideration the era in which they were built and the knowledge and materials that were available to designers.

Many were inspired by the human impulse to travel, and those that weren't can be enjoyed by travelers today.

Engineering can, of course, also include electronics and other micro-feats -- arguably computers and smartphones are among the most successful, popular and influential pieces of engineering ever created -- but we're interested here in big, bold and brave.

Click through the gallery to see our selection, then let us know if you have additions in the comments section.

Getting there

The Palm, Dubai, UAE




Aqueduct of Segovia, Segovia, Spain





Great Wall of China, China




Taj Mahal, Agra, India





Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia





Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE





Akashi Kaiky Bridge, Akashi Strait, Japan





White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, Canada





Tokyo Sky Tree, Tokyo





International Space Station





Teotihuacan, Mexico





Panama Canal, Panama





Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan





Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona





Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai





Millau Viaduct, Millau, France





London Underground, London





Kansai Airport, Osaka, Japan





Hoover Dam, Arizona/Nevada





Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt





Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco





Eiffel Tower, Paris





Confederation Bridge, Prince Edward Island, Canada





Colosseum, Rome




CN Tower, Toronto, Canada




/CNN/


Copyright © Today.Az