GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF
LANDMARK FOR
UPSC , IAS & CIVIL
EXAM ASPIRANTS
LANDMARKS :
ARCHITECTURES, MONUMENTS, BUILDINGS, TOWNS & PLACES
Mahabalipuram
In Tamil Nadu on the EasternGhats,
famous for temples and monumental architectures. An atomic power station is
being set up near here at Kalpakkam.
Mathura :
A holy city in Uttar
Pradesh; Birth-place of Lord Krishna, Hindu temples; oil refinery.
Mecca :
The
holiest cityof the Mohammedan world in Arabia, where the Prophet was born. It
stands in the desert. It is a place of pilgrimage and Muslims from all parts of
the world visit the place it for Haj in every year.
Mount Blanc :
Highest mountain peak in Europe. It is in the Alps on the confines of
Italy and France, longest road tunnel in the world.
Munich :
The (West
Germany) scene of Munich pact; art galleries; The 20th Olympic Games (1972)
were held here.
Nilgiris :
Mountain
range in Tamil Nadu, tea plantations.
Panna :
In M.P. Panna district is known for diamond
mines. Panna town has several buildings of historical interest including Shri
Baldeoji temple.
Pearl Harbour :
In Hawaii Island (USA) Naval Base; scene of Japanese attack in World War
- II.
Pentagon :
In
Washington. It houses many Government offices of the War Department of the USA.
Petronas Twin Towers :
Located
in Kuala Lumpur with 88 storeys high, these are the tallest buildings in the
World.
Philadelphia :
(USA) place where Americans framed
their Constitution and declared their Independence son 4th July, 1776.
Plassey :
A village
on the Ganges (West Bengal) Battle of Plassey was fought here in 1757 in which Clive
defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah and laid the foundation of British Rule in India.
Pokhran :
The
Nuclear test site in Rajasthan, 600 kms from Jaipur. The first nuclear test was
conduted on May 18, 1974 and five more on May 11 and 13 1998.
Pondicherry :
Formerly
a French possession, since taken by the India Govenement and now specified as a
Union Territory. Aurobindo Ashram is established here. ‘Auroville’, an
international township inmemory of Sri Aurobindo has been built here.
Pyramids of Egypt :
Are vast stone or brick-built
structures on west bank of the Nile. They date back to about 300 B.C. The
largest is called the Great Pyramid which is 146 metres high and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Three lakh men were employed
for 20 years to build it. These Pyramids have inner chambers and subterranean
entrances built by pharaohs as oval tombs.
Raj Ghat :
On
the bank of Jamuna in Delhi, Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
Rashtrapati Bhavan :
Official residence of the President
of India in New Delhi; known as Viceragal Lodge during British reign.
Red Fort :
Red-stone
Fort built by Shah Jehan in Delhi near the Jamuna.
Red Square :
It is a famous open space in Moscow linked with the Kremlin by three
gates used for political demonstrations and processions. Lenin’s mausoleum is
in the Red Square.
Rome :
Capital of Italy; on the River Tiber; one of
the most famous cities of the world also known as Eternal City.
Sabarmati :
In Gujarat State near Ahmedabad; Harijan
Ashram founded by Mahatma Gandhi.
Sarnath :
Situated 8 km outside Varanasi. Saranath is
the famous place of Buddhist pilgrimage in India. In the ‘Deer Park’ of
Sarnath, Gautama Buddha preached his First Semon. Also located here is the
famous Ashoka Pillar of polished sand-stone whose lion capital was adopted by
the new Republic of India as the State Emblem.
Scotland Yard :
The Metropoliton Police
Headquarters in London from which the force is administered CID headquarters.
Seringapatnam :
Seringapatnam was the capital of Karnataka during the rule of Tipu
Sultan. The fourth and the last Mysore war was fought here. Tipu Sultan died
here fighting bravely against the British forces.
Sriharikota :
In
the Nellore district on the Andhra coast is India’s Satellite Launching
Centre. The Sriharikota Range (SHAR) comprises the Sriharikota Launch Complex,
Rocket Shed Facility, Static Test and Evaluation Complex, Solid Propellant
Space Booster Plant and Sriharikota Common Facilities.
Suez Canal :
Ship canal (Egypt) it connects the Mediterranean (Port Said) with the
Red Sea (Suez).
Sunderbands :
Is a tract of
forests and swamps - 264 km long and 129 km wide fringing the delta of the
Ganges.
Taj Mahal :
The white marble mausoleum built at Agra by Shah Jehan in memory of his
beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Tanjore :
(Tamil
Nadu) famous for museum, temples and library. Brihadeeswara temple.
Taxila :
In West Pakistan; site of excavation, old seat
of Buddhist culture and famous for ancient Taxila University.
Tel Aviv :
Magnificent city in Palestine built by the
Jews; capital of Israel.
Thumba :
Near Trivandrum in Kerala State
is known as rocket launching station.
Tirupati :
In Andhra State about 160 km to the northwest
of Chennai is one of the holiest places in South India. This hill temple of Sri
Venkateshwara is an example of early Dravidian architecture and is one of the
finest in the south.
Trafalgar :
Cape Trafalgar is famous for the naval battle fought between the British
led by Admiral Nelson and an allied naval force of France and Spain in 1805.
Admiral Nelson won the battle though he was himself killed in action.
Triveni :
In
Allahabad (UP) Confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati ;
a place of pilgrimage for the Hindus.
Varanasi :
Banares is a town in UP very sacred to the Hindus. It is known as the
religious capital of Hindu India. Famous for Banares Hindu University,
Vishwanath Temple, Manmandir with Jaisingh’s Observatory, Ramnagar Fort etc.,
Vatican :
The
Papal State of Italy; an independent territory; the palace of Pope in Rome. It
includes the Church of St. Peter.
Victoria Falls :
On the River
Zambesi, Zambia-Central Africa. These Falls, the greatest in the world are 1700
metres wide.
Victoria Memorial :
A
magnificent building in Calcutta having an art gallery and a well-laid out
garden attached to it.
Vijay Ghat :
On the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi is Samadhi of Shri Lal Bahadur
Shastri, former Prime Minister of India.
Visakhapatnam :
Big harbour on
the eastern coast of India; ship building yard.
Viswa Shanti Stupa :
(World
Peace Pagoda) 45 m high stupa raised a top, the picturesque Ratnagiri hill, it
is the first stupa of its kind in India.
Vivekananda Rock :
Is
situated near Kanyakumari at the southern tip of India’s coastline. It has been
so named in memory of Swami Vivekananda.
Wagah Border :
This is a
border between India and Pakistan. Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee
crossed the border to enter Pakistan by bus as part of his peace initiative
with India's neighbour on February 20, 1999.
Wall Street :
A street in New York, centre of US Banking and
Finance.
Wardha :
(Maharashtra State) Mahatma
Gandhi lived here for several years; centre of cotton trade.
Waterloo :
Belgium; famous for the battle of Waterloo which marked the end of
Napoleon’s power.
Wellington :
In the Nilgiris hills (Tamil Nadu) is known for Defence Services Staff
College.
White Hall :
London, Government Offices.
White House :
Is the Official Residence of the President of
the USA. It is located at 600. Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.
Wimbledon :
In London, famous for Lawn Tennis Court.
Yellow Sea :
Sea between northern China and Korea.
Zambesi :
River in South East Africa. It flows east to Mozambique Channel, Indian
Ocean.
Zojila :
A pass
in the way from Srinagar (Kashmir) to Leh and then to Yerkand in Tibet.