Over the years building designs have enhanced incredibly; nowadays we expect to see structural glass and architectural glazing as the norm. But the origins of designs like these started many years ago. Here, we take a look at some of the most staggering man made structures, and how they paved the foundations for such great structural glass based landmarks that we see today.

1. The Great Wall of China – The most iconic landmark throughout the whole of China has to be the magnificent Great Wall of China. The wall has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC all the way through to the 16th century and comprehensive archaeological surveys have stated that the wall stretches for a staggering 5,500.3 miles. The wall was built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from intrusions to their society from a variety of nomadic groups.

One of the most popular myths regarding the Great Wall of China is whether it is visible from the moon. Many early known references cite that the wall is the only man made structure visible from the moon, whilst more recently, many scientists have quashed the claims and no astronaut has ever claimed to have seen to seen the great wall from space.

2. Great Pyramid of Giza – The Great pyramid of Giza is unsurprisingly situated in the land of Pyramids in Egypt. The great pyramid is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids on the border of El Giza, Egypt. This incredible feat of engineering was built in 2560 BC and is reported to have taken between 14 to 20 years to build.

It is thought that upon completing the construction it measured at 146.5 metres tall, but through erosion its present height stands at 138.8 metres. Each base side was 230.4 metres in length and the pyramid is estimated to weight an astounding 5.9 million tonnes.

3. Christ the Redeemer – Christ of Redeemer is the world famous statue of Jesus Christ in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The statue is an iconic symbol of both the country and the Christian faith and it began construction in 1922, before being completed in 1931.

The statue is 39.6 metres tall (which includes a 9.5 metre pedestal) and 30 metres wide. It weighs a gigantic 635 tonnes, and is situated at the peak of the 700-metre Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city of Rio.

4. Taj Mahal – Next in our list of landmarks is the Taj Mahal located in Agra, India. The building was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, and has world wide recognition as one of the most beautiful buildings across the globe.

The building is elevated 171 metres above the ground and was built between the years of 1632 and 1653, and over the years it has become an increasingly popular tourist destination with around 2.4 million people visiting it annually. Since it has been built there have been many replicas trying to catch the essence of the Taj Mahal, but none have been able to carry the history and heritage of the original.

5. The Colosseum – Finally we come to The Colosseum located in the centre of Rome, Italy. This man made structure is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. With a capacity of 50,000, The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles during the ancient era, and many television shows and films have been made to depict to style of events that were conducted as part of the entertainment.

The Colosseum still stands partially ruined to this very day, with the damage coming as a result of devastating earthquakes and stone robbers. It is the most popular tourist attraction throughout Italy and every Good Friday the Pope leads a torch lit "Way of the Cross" march that starts in the area around the Colosseum.