Give a city a historical monument and sooner or later it'll become their symbol — their calling card if you will.
Take a trip to Paris and you've got the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or the Pantheon as examples of iconic installations that aren't going anywhere any time soon.
But take a step back and look at the grand scale of things, many of the world's most famous landmarks are relatively new (most are from the late eighteenth and nineteenth century) and could have looked very different.
Architizer, an online community for lovers of architecture, has collected a series of blueprints for famous landmarks in Europe, the U.S. and Australia that never made it past the draft stages. Now, keep in mind that winning the rights to design the next Taj Mahal would have been the equivalent of winning the lottery for an architecture firm at the time, so big and bold ideas were very much the goal.
How else could you explain a pitch to add an elephant-fountain on top of the Arc de Triomphe? And when the big and bold don't work, you can always borrow inspiration — like how the British wanted their own Eiffel Tower or how the Lincoln Memorial in Washington nearly became a mini Egyptian pyramid.
Rejected Blueprints For Historical Landmarks (And Their Final Versions)
Rejected Blueprints For Historical Landmarks
The Proposal For The Arc Du Triomphe(01 of13)
Open Image ModalA proposal in 1758 for an elephant-fountain area at the top of the Champs Elysees. (credit:DR)
The Arc De Triomphe In 2011(02 of13)
Open Image ModalBuilt in 1806 and finished in 1836 by order of Napoleon, the monument stands 50m tall and 45m wide. (credit:Flickr/Anirudh Koul)
The Proposition For The Lincoln Memorial In Washington(03 of13)
Open Image ModalThe Proposition For The Lincoln Memorial In Washington(04 of13)
Open Image Modal (credit:DR)
The Proposition For The Lincoln Memorial In Washington(05 of13)
Open Image Modal (credit:DR)
The Lincoln Memorial(06 of13)
Open Image ModalCreated as a monument to honour Abraham Lincoln, The United States' 16th President, this landmark was inaugurated in 1922. Its architectural style brings ancient Greek influences to the 18th and 19th century. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)
The Proposal For Watkin's Tower(07 of13)
Open Image ModalJealous of the France's Eiffel Tower, the British wanted to build their own grand monument. In the end, it was Stewart MacLaren and Dunn who won the contract. (credit:DR)
London's Watkin's Tower(08 of13)
Open Image ModalThe construction of Watkin's tower started in 1891 but was abandoned in 1894 thanks to a lack of funds and interest. The tower's design drew influences from the Eiffel Tower, built between 1887 and 1889. The site's now been destroyed and currently houses Wembley Stadium. (credit:DR)
The Proposal For The Sydney Opera House(09 of13)
Open Image ModalSketches by Eugene Goossen, colours by Bill Constable. (credit:DR)
The Proposal For The Sydney Opera House(10 of13)
Open Image ModalThis project was pitched by Joseph Marzella. (credit:DR)
The Sydney Opera House(11 of13)
Open Image Modalthis world-famous opera house was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. After 10 years of construction, it was finally completed in 1973. (credit:Flickr/8lettersuk)
The Proposal For London's Trafalgar Square(12 of13)
Open Image ModalLondon's Trafalgar Square was originally pitched as a 94m-high pyramid. (credit:DR)
London's Trafalgar Square(13 of13)
Open Image ModalLondon's Trafalgar Square was designed by John Nash in 1820 and completed 20 years later. The iconic Nelson's Column was later inaugurated in 1842. (credit:Flickr/[Duncan])