Our planet is truly blessed with an abundance of breath-taking landforms. There is absolutely no dearth of stunning landforms scattered all over the planet. Of these, some are so beautiful, that it is difficult to believe that they’re actually man-made! When you see these landforms, you have the humans managed to create these!
Check out these 10 absolutely stunning man-made wonders that will prove the people with creativity and an artistic mind, are capable of creating unbelievable formations on the planet!
Longsheng Rice Terrace, China
Also known as Dragon’s Backbone, these stunning terraced rice fields owe their name to their shape, which resembles the scales on a dragon’s back. The entire summit of the mountain range looks like the backbone of the dragon. These terraced fields are built along the mountain slope, winding from the riverside up to the mountain top, ranging between 600 metres and 800 metres above sea level.
Lake Powell, USA
Lake Powell, is a sparkling gem in the desert, with its blue waters, and soaring red sandstone cliffs, magnificently framed by towering rock formations. Really, there is nothing more truly amazing than this formation, anywhere on the planet! This man-made structure has had a great influence on shaping up the nature of the Canyon and making it the second-largest man-made reservoir in the United States. This incredible artificial lake was created at the same time when the Glen Canyon Dam was being constructed.
Fly Geyser, USA
Located on a private land in the middle of the Nevada desert, Fly Geyser, also known as Fly Ranch Geyser, is one of the most incredible sights in Nevada. Fly Geyser is not a natural phenomenon, but a man-made landform, which was accidentally created in 1964 as the result of a test drill for water. The brilliant red and green colouring on the mounds comes from thermophilic algae, and the water is constantly releasing, reaching a height of 5 feet in the air!
*Even though this Geyser is a fascinating sight, unfortunately, it is not open to public.
Big Hole, South Africa
Kimberley is home to the world’s richest diamond mines and is considered to be the capital of the world’s diamond industry. This abandoned diamond mine in South Africa is where the first diamond was discovered in 1869. Over 14.5 million diamonds were ultimately extracted, resulting into the creation of the largest man-made hole in the world.
Indigo Lake, USA
A small, colourful, roughly triangular shaped lake in Summit County, Ohio, United States, Indigo Lake is not a natural lake. This lake is in fact, a man-made lake that has been created by the park service at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Lake Piva, Montenegro
What is really surprising and astonishing for tourists is the breath-taking natural beauty of the Piva River and the man-made Piva Lake that dominates the heart of the region. Spreading over 45 kilometers and situated 675 metres above sea level, Piva Lake is the highest elevated man-made reservoir of fresh water that can be found in Europe, and was created as a result of the construction of Mratinje Dam on the Piva River.
Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China
Every photographer’s dream, the stunning Honghe Hani Rice Terraces covering an area of 1,000,000 acres, look like a painting from above, but are actually a man-made landform! An outstanding reflection of finely tuned and elaborate forestry and agriculture, this is the best place to admire the beauty of sunrise and sunset. With a history dating back almost 1,200 years, these gorgeous rice terraces in China, have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Analavory Cold Water Geysers, Madagascar
Very similar in appearance to the Fly Geyer, the Analavory Geyser is located in Madagascar, Africa. As there is no volcanic activity that heats the water underground, the water here stays warm. Actually, there are four unusual geysers in all, a kind of phenomenon called ‘cold water geyser’. This man-made cold water geyser was formed as a result of underground mining. Release of carbonic acid from the groundwater causes the geyser to erupt, with boreholes resulting into the creation of interesting travertine mounds around the mouth of the outlet (a type of limestone formed over time due to dissolved lime and iron precipitates).
Province Canyon, Georgia
Often called Georgia’s ‘Little Grand Canyon’, Province Canyon is a colourful set of canyons with colours ranging from white to various shades of purple, red, pink, yellow, brown and black. Now, you must be thinking, what was the dramatic change that caused these rolling hills to transform into such a ruggedly beautiful landscape? Well, this transformation is just the consequence of poor farming practices and erosion of multi-coloured and soft soil, resulting into weird sandstone formations!
Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
This sprawling man-made rice terrace dating back to 2000–6000 years, is the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, as considered by Philippines. Carved into the province of Ifugao in the Cordillera Mountains by ancestors of the indigenous tribe, this site sports a terrific blend of economic, social, cultural, and religious environment. To conserve this unusual man-made wonder, UNESCO has listed it amongst the endangered World Heritage sites.
Originally published at www.holidayme.com on August 31, 2015.
