A landmark is a highly visible and unusual feature of the landscape that helps people know where they are.
In other words, it is something that stands out and helps us find our way.
Before there were satnavs, maps on phones, or even printed maps, people had to use what they could see. Landmarks were their guides.
At the top of this page is a video of Scotts Bluff. Scotts Bluff is a huge cliff (bluff) in the United States. It rises high above the land around it and can be seen from far away. It is right next to a gap (called Mitchell's Pass) that led to the Rocky Mountains. People travelling across the plains used it to know:
“We are on the right path.”
“We have reached this part of our journey.”
It was like a giant signpost made by nature.
Landmarks can be natural or human-made.
Natural landmarks include things like:
Mountains
Cliffs
Volcanoes
Waterfalls
Rock formations
Large hills or islands
For example:
Mount Everest in Asia – the tallest mountain on Earth
Uluru in Australia – a huge red rock in the middle of flat land
Niagara Falls in North America – powerful waterfalls that can be seen and heard from far away
These stand out so clearly that people instantly recognise them.
Human-made landmarks are buildings or structures people have created that are easy to spot and remember, such as:
The Eiffel Tower in Paris
The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt
The Statue of Liberty in New York
Big Ben in London
These also help people know where they are. If you see the Eiffel Tower, you know you are in Paris.
Landmarks are important because they:
Help people navigate and travel
Appear on maps
Tell us about history
Become symbols of places
They are often chosen as meeting points, too:
“Let’s meet by the clock tower.”
“Stand near the big rock.”
So whether it is a towering cliff like Scotts Bluff, a mountain, a waterfall, or a famous building, a landmark is something that:
Stands out
Can be seen easily
Helps people understand where they are in the world
Every place has its own landmarks.
Next time you are outside, look around and ask yourself:
What is the landmark of my area?
