You’ve Never Seen Earth Like This
Unusual angles that reveal a new side of iconic landmarks...
This is a real photograph. It shows the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica as seen through the most astounding keyhole in Rome: the one set into the gate of the Villa of the Priory of Malta.
One of the most fascinating details about this little gem is that the land just beyond the door belongs to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which has held this territory since 1312. So, when you peer through this mysterious opening, you’re simultaneously gazing into three countries: Malta, Italy, and Vatican City.
What makes the view even more sublime is how the keyhole itself acts as a natural frame for Michelangelo’s dome, perfectly aligned between the neatly trimmed hedges of the Priory’s eighteenth-century gardens.
It’s tiny spectacles like this that always bring to mind one of my favorite lines from Dead Poets Society, when Professor Keating urges his students to see the world from a different perspective:
Just when you think you know something, you have to look at it in another way.
With these words in mind, I want to show you a different side of the world: the hidden angles of iconic landmarks you don’t usually get to see…
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1. Great Wall of China
Have you ever wondered where the Great Wall of China ends?
Widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural achievements in history, the wall stretches an astonishing 21,196.18 km (13,170 miles) across northern China.
Its origins trace back to the 7th century BC, with early walls later unified under the Qin dynasty. Over the centuries, successive dynasties expanded the network, with the most impressive sections built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
And yet, even this magnificent structure has an end: the Shanhai Pass, in Hebei province, where the Great Wall finally meets the Bohai Sea…
2. Great Sphinx of Giza
This iconic statue, depicting a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human, rises from the sands of the Giza Plateau, on the western bank of the Nile in Egypt.
Carved directly from the bedrock of the Eocene-aged Mokattam Formation, the Great Sphinx is not only the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt but also one of the most instantly recognizable statues in the world.
It stretches 73 meters (240 feet) from its front paws to its tail… and it is precisely the tail I want to bring to your attention: sculpted thousands of years ago, it curls behind the Sphinx with the elegance of a great feline. A detail often overlooked yet rich with symbolic grace.
3. Eiffel Tower
Named after the visionary engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company was responsible for its design and construction from 1887 to 1889, the Eiffel Tower rises 330 metres (1,083 feet) into the Parisian sky — roughly the height of an 81-storey skyscraper.
Affectionately known as La Dame de Fer — the Iron Lady — it was originally constructed as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair. At the time, Eiffel was granted a 20-year concession, and by 1909, the tower was scheduled to be dismantled and the land returned to the City of Paris. But fate had other plans...
Its unexpected value for radio telegraphy and scientific research, particularly in meteorology, secured its place on the skyline long after the deadline passed. To this day, it remains the tallest structure in the city and a genuine icon of France.
It is also the most visited paid monument in the world. Yet, unless you’ve wandered beneath it yourself, you may have never seen its underbelly… an intricate lattice of iron that feels less like a mere structure and more like a beautiful work of art.
And here’s one more curious detail: the tower’s design was partly inspired by the human femur… If you’re curious about why, check out this article on biomimicry — a truly fascinating field.
4. Statue of Liberty
Gustave Eiffel’s legacy extends beyond his famous tower: he also played a crucial role in bringing to life another legendary masterpiece. Designed by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty’s metal framework was engineered by Eiffel himself.
A gift from the people of France to the United States, the statue holds yet another intriguing connection to Eiffel’s tower: when viewed from above, rather than from below, its supporting fortifications form an eleven-pointed star. Another brilliant twist in perspective.
This base, known as Fort Wood, was originally one link in a chain of defenses protecting New York City’s harbor. The star-shaped design was introduced to North America by French military engineers in the 1600s.
5. Mont-Saint-Michel
Off the coast of Normandy, France, this rocky island is crowned by a stunning medieval abbey, standing tall above the encircling tidal waters.
Here, the tides are some of the most extreme in Europe, with water levels shifting by as much as 16 meters.
At high tide, the island is completely surrounded by water and it looks like a floating fortress — the image you’re probably familiar with. But here is what this ethereal place looks like at low tide:
Literature has never failed me when it comes to finding words far more eloquent than my own to describe intense emotions or ineffable beauty. As F. Scott Fitzgerald once said:
That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.
And in this case, the perfect words to describe Mont-Saint-Michel’s otherworldly splendor come from Victor Hugo, who is quoted as saying: "Le Mont Saint-Michel is to the sea what the Great Pyramid of Giza is to the desert."
Well said, Ocean Man. Well said…
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