Of course, there are many “towers” of the world, tall stately objects which rise sharply above the landscape. However, this series will concentrate on those towers which are actually called Towers.

Several of the towers featured in this post come from Asia while the others are European.

Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, China — This distinctive structure provides an interesting contrast to the skyscrapers of the Pudong.

Oriental Pearl Tower

Drum Tower, Xi’an, China — Found in several of China’s walled cities, drum towers were designed for communication.

Drum Tower, Xi’an

Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong, China — The architectural gem of Hong Kong, this tower was designed by I. M. Pei.

Bank of China Tower

Tower of London, London, England — The word “tower” here refers not to a single structure but has come to mean an entire complex of buildings. It is the most popular tourist attraction in London.

Tower of London

St Stephen’s Tower, London, England — Big Ben is the bell within this clock tower that is recognizable around the world.

St Stephen’s Tower

Powder Tower, Prague, Czech Republic — This structure was once part of the city’s fortifications.

Powder Tower

Sieber’s Tower, Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, Germany — Rothenburg’s formidable and intact fortifications feature several towers.

Sieber’s Tower

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy — Certainly one, if not the most, famous tower in the world, the Leaning Tower anchors the Piazza dei Miracoli.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France — Another of the most famous towers in the world, this symbol of Paris was unveiled at the 1889 World’s Fair.

Eiffel Tower

Torre de Oro — Seville’s Tower of Gold lies along the Guadalquivir River and was part of the city’s original fortifications.

Torre de Oro