Recent months have seen a fair number of impressive construction plans announced, from Norway's intention to create the world's first shipping tunnel to Maldives' plans for a space age underwater hotel to Dubai's plans for the world's biggest shopping mall.
How do these announcements stack up against what's already out there?
We've compiled 25 of what we think are some of the most impressive engineering/construction achievements to date, taking into consideration the era in which they were built and the knowledge and materials that were available to designers.
Many were inspired by the human impulse to travel, and those that weren't can be enjoyed by travelers today.
Engineering can, of course, also include electronics and other micro-feats -- arguably computers and smartphones are among the most successful, popular and influential pieces of engineering ever created -- but we're interested here in big, bold and brave.
Click through the gallery to see our selection, then let us know if you have additions in the comments section.
Getting there
The Palm, Dubai, UAE
There are several tour operators within Dubai offering boat tours of the Palm.
Aqueduct of Segovia, Segovia, Spain
Segovia is an easy day trip from Madrid and can be reached by both train and bus.
Great Wall of China, China
Beijing International airport is the closest airport to any point of the Great Wall of China -- it's a short taxi ride to the section known as Badaling Great Wall and there are regular bus services.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Regular bus and train services connect New Delhi with Agra.
Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia
The full journey starts in Moscow and ends in Vladivostok, but passengers can join at numerous towns and cities en route.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
The Burj Khalifa is located in downtown Dubai and is well connected by public transport.
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, Akashi Strait, Japan
The bridge is a short drive from Kobe Airport.
White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, Canada
Excursions start from Fraser, British Columbia. The nearest airport is in Vancouver.
Tokyo Sky Tree, Tokyo
From Ueno Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line), transfer to the TOBU SKYTREE Line at Asakusa Station -- the Skytree stop is a 14-minute journey
.
International Space Station
Astronaut qualifications and a rocket.
Teotihuacan, Mexico
Regular buses run to Teotihuacan from Mexico City.
Panama Canal, Panama
The Panama Canal is best explored by organized boat tour. Panama City's Tocumen International Airport is the nearest airport.
Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan
Take the Taipei MRT-Bannan Line to MRT Taipei City Hall Station. From there, walk toward Xinyi Road from exit number two to Taipei 101.
Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona
The nearest airports are Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport or the Las Vegas Airport. It takes around two hours to drive to the Skywalk from Las Vegas, but organized tours from the city are also available.
Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai
The building is a 20-minute walk from Dongchang Road Pier. The nearest subway station is Lujiazui Station.
Millau Viaduct, Millau, France
The nearest train station is in the town of Millau, which is well connected to cities and towns throughout France. The closest airport is Rodez-Marcillac -- a 25-minute drive away.
London Underground, London
London's Heathrow Airport is connected to the London underground.
Kansai Airport, Osaka, Japan
Kansai International Airport is connected to most of the major international hubs. Osaka is two hours from Tokyo on the Shinkansen bullet trains.
Hoover Dam, Arizona/Nevada
The nearest airport is in Las Vegas, 32 miles away.
Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
There are regular bus services from the center of Cairo and it's also just a short taxi ride.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
Regular buses run to the bridge from downtown San Francisco, Marin County and Sonoma County.
Eiffel Tower, Paris
The closest Paris Metro station to the Eiffel Tower is Champ de Mars.
Confederation Bridge, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Travel to Prince Edward Island by ferry from New Brunswick. Charlottetown Airport is the island's largest airport.
Colosseum, Rome
There are regular buses to the site, and it's also possible to get there by tram -- look for the "Colosseo" stop.
CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
The CN Tower is in the heart of downtown Toronto. There are regular buses to Bremner Boulevard, where the tower is located.
美國有線新聞網（CNN）與美國KPF建築事務所合作，前天公布全球25座最重要的摩天樓，包括台北101、紐約帝國大廈與香港國際金融中心等獲選，這些建築非以高度取勝，也不見得最美觀，卻最具代表性與話題性。台北101發言人劉家豪說，台北101今年已啟用屆滿十年，受到很多肯定，未來將朝人文關懷等方向努力，讓更多國內外民眾認識台灣。
資料參考：
蘋果日報
http://www.appledaily.com.tw/appledaily/article/international/20130808/35206617/
台北郵報
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/07/10/2003566775
CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/04/travel/engineering-feats
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