Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, Rome, Italy

Just down the street from the Colosseum is the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (also known as the Altare della Patria), which was built to honor Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a united Italy. It may not be as famous as some of Rome’s other landmarks, but that doesn’t stop tourists from snapping away at the giant, white, marble monstrosity. Standing 230 feet high and 443 feet wide, the monument has been decried as an eyesore ever since it was completed way back in 1925, with locals calling it “The Wedding Cake” and “The Giant Typewriter.” On top of all this, its initial construction destroyed a large area of the Capitone Hill, one of Rome’s famous Seven Hills. Now 91 years old, the monument and its bright white color still stand out in contrast to the ancient brownish buildings surrounding it.