All throughout history, columns have been built to honor or commemorate important events or great men in history. Here are the 10 most important and spectacular columns ever built.

1. The Holy Trinity Column: Czech Republic

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One notable column found in Czech Republic is the Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc. This column is a magnificent Baroque monument built in 1716-1764 in honor of God. The main purpose was a spectacular celebration of Catholic Church and faith, partly caused by feeling of gratitude for ending a plague, which struck Moravia (now in the Czech Republic) between 1714 and 1716. The column was also understood to be an expression of local patriotism, since all artists and master craftsmen working on this monument were Olomouc citizens, and almost all depicted saints were connected with the city of Olomouc in some way. In 2000 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as “one of the most exceptional examples of the apogee of central European Baroque artistic expression”.

2. San Jacinto Monument: USA

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The San Jacinto Monument is a notable column structure because it is the world’s tallest monument tower with a height of 570-foot or 173.7 m. It is located in Harris County, Texas, USA. It is topped with a 220-ton star that commemorates the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. The column is an octagonal shaft faced with Texas Cordova shell stone, topped with a 34-foot (10 m) Lone Star – the symbol of Texas.

3. Nelson’ Column: UK

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Another remarkable column found within the European continent is Nelson’s Column. The column was built between 1840 and 1843 to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The 5.5 m (18 ft) statue of Nelson stands on top of a 46 m (151 ft) granite column. The statue faces south, towards the Palace of Westminster with the Mall on his right flank where Nelson’s ships are represented on the top of each flagpole. The top of the Corinthian column (based on one from the temple of mars Ultor in Rome) is decorated with bronze acanthus leaves cast from British cannon. The square pedestal is decorated with four bronze panels, cast from captured French guns, depicting Nelson’s four great victories.

4. Alexander Column: Russia

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Europe has some of the finest and most spectacular columns – Alexander Column is one of them. This column is also known as Alexandrian Column. It is the focal point of palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The monument was erected after the Russian victory in the war with Napoleon’s France. Named after Emperor Alexander I, who ruled Russia between 1801 and 1825, the column is an interesting piece of architecture and engineering.

5. Trajan’s Column: Italy

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Yet another splendid column with historical significance is the Trajan’s Column. This column is a monument in Rome raised in honor of the Roman emperor Trajan. It is located in Trajan’s Forum, built near the Quirinal Hill, north of the Roman Forum. Completed in 113, the freestanding column is most famous for its spiral bas relief, which commemorates Trajan’s victory in the Dacian Wars. The structure is about 30 meters (98 ft) in height, 38 meters (125 ft) including its large pedestal. The shaft is made from a series of 20 colossal Carrara marble drums, each weighing about 40 tons, with a diameter of about 4 meters (13 ft). The 190 meter (625 ft) frieze winds around the shaft 23 times. Inside the shaft, a spiral staircase of 185 stairs provides access to a viewing platform at the top.

6. Pillars of Ashoka: India

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Asians have also built prominent architectural structures like the pillars of Ashoka. The pillars are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent, and erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BCE.

7. Victory Column: Germany

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Another distinct column found in Europe is the Victory Column. This column is a famous monument in Berlin, Germany. Designed by Henrich Strack after 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War, by the time it was inaugurated on September 2, 1873, Prussia had also defeated Austria in the Austria-Prussian War (1866) and France in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), giving the statue a new purpose. Different from the original plans, these later victories in the so-called unification wars inspired the addition of the bronze sculpture of Victoria, 8.3 meters high and weighing 35 tons, designed by Friedrich Drake. Berliners, with their fondness for giving nicknames to famous buildings, call the statue Goldelse, meaning something like “Golden Lizzy”.

8. Iron Pillar of Delhi: India

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Another distinctively notable pillar from India is the Iron Pillar of Delhi. This pillar is located in the Qutb complex. It is an important testimony of the history of metallurgy in the Indian subcontinent, and of the history of ferrous metallurgy in general. The pillar is almost seven meters or 22 feet (6.7 m) high and weighing more than six tons. It was allegedly erected at the times of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (375-413); the dating of it as given by various authorities appeared to be as early as 912 BCE. The pillar is made up of 98% wrought iron of pure quality, and is a testament to the high level of skill achieved by ancient Indian iron smiths in the extraction and processing of iron. It has attracted the attention of archeologists and metallurgists as it has withstood corrosion for the last 1600 years, despite harsh weather.

9. Zygmunt’s Column: Poland

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Europe had built numerous columns and one of the most prominent columns built in this continent is Zygmunt’s Column. This column is also knows as Sigismund’s Column. It was erected in 1644 and it is one of Warsaw’s most famous landmarks. It is also one of the oldest secular monuments in northern Europe. The column and statue commemorate King Zigmunt III Waza, who in 1596 had moved Poland’s capital from Krakow to Warsaw.

10.

Monument to the Great Fire of London: UK

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Fire had been one of the worst calamities men have suffered all throughout history. London was not spared from this kind of calamity and to commemorate the tragic fire that blazed the city in 1666, a monument was erected -The Monument to the Great Fire of London.  This structure is more commonly known as The Monument. It is a 61 meter or 202 ft tall stone Roman Doric column in the City of London, near to the northern end of London Bridge. It is located at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, 61 meters (202 ft) from where the Great Fire of London started in 1666.

For the world’s most notable obelisk see “

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Hope you enjoyed this short trip from around the world. Travel the world and see more historic columns.

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