“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it’’…. George Santayana (American Philosopher)

When you travel, are you seeking 100% rest and relaxation? Or do you find yourself drawn to the history of a destination as a way of getting to know it.

Visiting memorials can be captivating, moving, unnerving and upsetting … here is a short list (in no particular order) of world’s famous memorials.

*Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The Taj Mahal in Agra is a moving memorial for all the right reasons. It’s about a man missing his beloved wife. Emperor Shah Jahan was so bereft when his beloved Mumtaz Mahal died that he decided to construct the most beautiful building in the world to house her body.
Visit Taj during the full moon night for a mesmerizing experience.

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

* Ground Zero, New York, USA
The Ground Zero in New York where once stood the World Trade Centre is one of the most visited building site in the world. It’ll be a few years before the One World Trade Centre is completed.

Ground Zero, New York, USA

* Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, India
To gain a deeper understanding of what made India the place it is today, plan a trip to India and in particular Amritsar to the spot where British troops, without warning, blocked off a square before firing 1,650 rounds into a crowd of 5,000 peaceful protestors.

Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, India

* Hiroshima, Japan
The death toll from the first atomic bomb explosion is estimated at 200,000 (5 years after the blast). Hiroshima has many memorials to the event, including the Peace Memorial Hall.

Hiroshima, Japan

* Sedlec Ossuary, Sedlec, Czech Republic
The small chapel in Sedlec, Czech Republic, is decorated with the bones of more than 40,000 people. There are no horrors committed here-it is ossuary, creepy but overwhelmingly beautiful.

Sedlec Ossuary, Sedlec, Czech Republic

* Son My Memorial, Vietnam
It’s hard to believe that this tranquil rural spot was the setting for one of the most horrifying crimes of the American war. As you walk through rice paddies and vegetables gardens, it is difficult to believe that this is the place where largest mass killing took place in Vietnam village by US Troops.  

Son My Memorial, Vietnam

Nisha Khan