Stonehenge has been ranked among the world's top 10 recognisable landmarks according to a new study.
The research, conducted by travel insurance specialists AllClear, surveyed more than 2,000 participants worldwide.
This was achieved by providing respondents images of each landmark and corresponding multiple-choice answer options, including the correct answer and incorrect answers of similar landmarks.
For fairness and so that respondents didn’t just select an option at random, an ‘I don’t know’ option was also included for each landmark. The results were then averaged out across each continent to create the final ranking.
Top 10 most recognisable landmarks around the world
- Statue of Liberty - 98.73 per cent of respondents recognised the landmark
- Eiffel Tower - 97.5 per cent
- Taj Mahal - 92.25 per cent
- Colosseum - 91.64 per cent
- The White House - 90.4 per cent
- Sydney Opera House - 89.77 per cent
- Big Ben - 86.49 per cent
- Leaning Tower of Pisa - 85.24 per cent
- Great Pyramids of Giza - 84.88 per cent
- Stonehenge - 81.69 per cent
Discussing Stonehenge, AllClear wrote: "Within the UK, Stonehenge ranked as the 10th most iconic landmark in the study as one of the world’s oldest monuments with an iconic circular layout of large stone slabs is an impressive architectural structure, with stones weighing up to 25 tons each.
"Ranking a few places ahead is Big Ben, ranking as the nation’s most ‘iconic’ landmark, the seventh most recognisable landmark globally, which also managed to make the international top ten."
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 wishlists, because while we all might have seen countless photographs of these sights, nothing can compare to seeing them with your own eyes.
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"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 are 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.”
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