PalenQ

Well i am not certain today what that Tour de France nasal Phil commentator called the Eiffel Tower yesterday as the Tour approached the capital but he said something to the xact effect that the 'Eiffel Tower was Europe's most famous sight."

Period and after relecting i could not think of a single other edifice that even comes close to being as famous when talking about Europe as the Tour Eiffel!

Can you?

Fashionista

Id say the Coliseum and Big Ben are equally well known but the Acropolis is the best known sight.

It would be interesting to see what people from the far and middle east would say to this question.

flylow

The Alps
"in the cities you see the hand of man. In the countryside you see the hand of God." Tony Gleaton, photographer.

Aduchamp1

A Brit pensioner on the Costa del Sol.

colduphere

That place in Italy. Can't think of the name.

Dayenu

Most famous? May be, may be not. Most recognizable? Certainly! For example, everybody heard about the Berlin Wall, show a photo of it - who will tell what they see? Eiffel Tower most people know... unless they confuse the real one with the one in Vegas

PalenQ

Now i am beginning to have my doubts if the Eiffel is say more famous than the Acropolis or Colosseum - maybe Phil was whistling Dixie and i bought it without thinking?

colduphere

That would be a first PQ.

Cowboy1968

Neuschwanstein. Disney and 5 trillion Japanese can't err.

cynthia_booker

But I think a lot of people who see a photo of Neuschwanstein would not know the name of it. Or that it is the model for Disney's castle.
And I cannot imagine that more people go there than to to the Eiffel Tower.

Narnya

Neuschwanstein is beautiful, but I agree with cynthia_b.

When I read the topic subject I immediately thought of the Eiffel Tower, so after reading the original post, I guess I agree with the commentator...

Aduchamp1

If we depended soley on the Japanese as the standard for what is famous in Europe, Neuschwanstein would come in second to Louis Vuitton.

PatrickLondon

As it happened, the Eiffel Tower was what came into my mind when I read the title, before I'd opened the thread.

danon

I got back from Paris 2 weeks ago... the lineups in front of LV stores almost equaled those to enter Louvre.

maitaitom

If someone was just showed a picture and asked to name it, Eiffel Tower wins hands down.

Colosseum and Big Ben would be distant runner-ups in my opinion.

Interestingly, last wek on Jeopardy, contestants were showed photos of famous places from around the world. The Acropolis was one of them. All three missed on that photo. I'm afraid the Acropolis just gets a nice parting gift.

Michel_Paris

I think of what those flyers at every travel agency have on their covers when they offer tours.

Eiffel Tower, London double decker bus, bobby or red London phone booth, Big Ben, Coliseum, come to mind.

kayd

The first two that popped into my head were the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum, in that order (before I opened the thread).

colduphere

Getting on a plane now for Athens. Will look for this Acropolis place. Hope there are signs.

cheryllj

Definitely agree that the Eiffel Tower is the most recognized sight. Far more than the Colosseum or Big Ben, although they might be runners-up.

I also saw that Jeopardy question -- I could not believe that the contestants did not recognize the Acropolis. I thought that one of them would, but no. It's not very well known apparently.

Cowboy1968

In a more serious reply, I'd also assume that the Eiffel tour is the most recognized sight. Big Ben in 2nd place.

Then it get's a big vague..

I would not have expected the Colosseum. I'd have probably chosen the Vatican/ St Peter as easy or easier to recognize.

Maybe the Kremlin/ Red Square.
Acropolis
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Stonehenge


If you are from the US, what would you consider your most recognizable (man-made) landmark?
I think that the Statue of Liberty is #1
The Hollywood sign might not qualify as it gives too much away.
Golden Gate bridge may be #2