What Are Landmarks, and How Did Sailors Use Them Before GPS?
This section explains what landmarks are and how they helped sailors and travellers find their way before GPS. Landmarks are unique natural or human-made features that can be seen from far away and used to recognise a place or follow a route.
What Are Landmarks?
- Landmarks are large or unique features of the landscape or city that are easy to see and remember.
- They can be hills, buildings, towers, monuments, rivers, or anything that stands out in an area.
- Landmarks are used by people for direction, navigation, and identification of places.
Famous Man-Made Landmarks Around the World
- Eiffel Tower (France): A tall iron tower in Paris, often used as a visual reference from above and on land.
- Qutub Minar (India): A stone tower in Delhi that stands out on the skyline and was once used as a lookout.
- Statue of Liberty (USA): A welcoming figure at the entrance of New York Harbour, visible from ships.
- Sydney Opera House (Australia): A unique structure on the water’s edge, visible to arriving boats and ferries.
- Big Ben (UK): A clock tower in London that helps people identify the centre of the city.
- Christ the Redeemer (Brazil): A large statue on a mountain in Rio de Janeiro, seen from both land and sea.
- Burj Khalifa (UAE): The tallest building in the world, visible from far across Dubai’s landscape.
- Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy): A world-famous slanted bell tower, instantly recognisable.
- Petra (Jordan): An ancient city carved into rock, now a major landmark in Middle Eastern desert tours.
- CN Tower (Canada): A tall needle-shaped tower in Toronto, visible from air, land, and Lake Ontario.
Famous Natural Landmarks Around the World
- Mount Fuji (Japan): A snow-capped volcano visible across Tokyo’s horizon and beyond.
- White Cliffs of Dover (UK): A natural chalk cliff formation used as a coastal marker by sailors.
- Gibraltar Rock (Spain): A steep rocky hill that marks the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea.
- Table Mountain (South Africa): A flat-topped mountain overlooking Cape Town, used by sea explorers as a navigational reference.
- Uluru (Australia): A giant red rock in the desert, considered sacred and used for orientation in the Outback.
- Niagara Falls (USA/Canada): A huge waterfall system that draws tourists and acts as a natural geographic marker.
- Grand Canyon (USA): A massive natural canyon in Arizona that defines the surrounding landscape.
- Angel Falls (Venezuela): The world’s highest waterfall, visible from air travel across the region.
- Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania): Africa’s tallest peak, visible from great distances across the savannah.
- Ayers Rock (Australia): Another name for Uluru, a central Australian icon and natural navigation aid.
How Did Sailors Use Landmarks Before GPS?
- Before modern technology, sailors used visible land features to help them stay on course or return to shore safely.
- Coastal hills, cliffs, and mountain peaks were often mapped and memorised by frequent sailors.
- Lighthouses and tall steeples served as day and night navigation markers.
- Each port or harbour often had a distinct natural or man-made landmark that helped identify it from the sea.
Quiz-Friendly Examples
- A red rocky mountain in Australia used for navigation – Uluru
- A giant waterfall between USA and Canada – Niagara Falls
- A huge statue seen from the sea in Brazil – Christ the Redeemer
- A flat mountain that helped sailors in South Africa – Table Mountain
- A tower in France used as a visual city marker – Eiffel Tower
