A good old-fashioned guard mount is the ultimate tourist spectacle: in "changing of the guard" ceremonies at parliaments, palaces and cemeteries all around the world, stately soldiers perform choreographed marches to signify their shift is over and another group's shift has begun.
Their formations harken back to the war-torn days of yore, when regiments intimidated their foes with perfect choreography. The fanfare at a modern guard mount is often heightened with trumpets, salutes, and super-chic matching soldier suits.
The setup varies by location-- at Arlington National Cemetery, there's often a changing of the guard every 30 minutes. Soldiers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens, however, only perform a showy switch once per week (don't worry-- they're not actually on duty for seven straight days).
If you've visited any city that's remotely historic, chances are you've seen a guard-changing ceremony for yourself. In case you haven't, allow us to usher you on a world tour of guard mounts. About face!
Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic
The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand
Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
Parliament Hill in Ottowa, Canada
Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden
Deoksugung palace in Seoul, South Korea
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia
Amalienborg palace in Copenhagen, Denmark
Buckingham Palace in London, England
Presidential offices in Sofia, Bulgaria
National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens, Greece
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam
The Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway
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