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Alandmark is a recognizable[1] natural or artificial feature used fornavigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances.
In modern-day use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or features that have become local ornational symbols.
In Old English, the wordlandmearc (fromland +mearc (mark)) was used to describe aboundary marker, an "object set up to mark the boundaries of a kingdom, estate, etc."[2] Starting around 1560, this interpretation of "landmark" was replaced by a more general one. A landmark became a "conspicuous object in a landscape".
Alandmark literally meant ageographic feature used byexplorers and others to find their way back to their departure point, or through an area.[3] For example,Table Mountain near Cape Town, South Africa, was used as a landmark to help sailors navigate around the southern tip of Africa during theAge of Exploration. Artificial structures are also sometimes built to assist sailors in navigation. TheLighthouse of Alexandria and theColossus of Rhodes are ancient structures built to lead ships to the port.In modern usage, a landmark includes anything that is easily recognizable, such as amonument, building, or other structure. InAmerican English it is the main term used to designate places that might be of interest to tourists, due to notable physical features or historical significance. Landmarks in theBritish English sense are often used for casualnavigation, such as giving directions. This is done in American English as well.[citation needed]
Inurban studies as well as ingeography, a landmark is furthermore defined as an external point of reference that helps orientation in a familiar or unfamiliar environment.[4] Landmarks are often used in verbal route instructions ("Turn left at the big church and then right over the bridge.")
Landmarks are usually classified as either natural landmarks or human-made landmarks, both are originally used to support navigation on finding directions. A variant is aseamark ordaymark, a structure usually built intentionally to aid sailors navigating featureless coasts.
Natural landmarks can be characteristic features, such asmountains orplateaus. Examples of natural landmarks areMount Everest in theHimalayas,Table Mountain in South Africa,Mount Ararat in Turkey,Uluru in Australia,Mount Fuji in Japan and theGrand Canyon in the United States. Trees might also serve as local landmarks, such as jubilee oaks orconifers. Some landmark trees may be named, such asQueen's Oak,Hanging Oak andCentennial Tree.
Bases of fallen trees, known in this context asrootstocks, are used as navigational aids on high-resolution maps and in the sport oforienteering.[5] Because most woods have many fallen trees, generally only very large rootstocks are mapped.
In the modern sense, landmarks are usually referred to asmonuments or prominent distinctive buildings, used as the symbol of a certain area, city, ornation. Examples include:
Churchspires andmosqueminarets are often very tall and visible from many miles around and thus often serve as built landmarks. Alsotown hall towers andbelfries often have a landmark character.
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