Around the world with Wiki Loves Monuments 2016

The 2016Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) competition is in progress. More than 40 countries submitted entries, and there is an entry fromAntarctica. Some national winners have been selected, and the full showing of national winners ishere, on Wikimedia Commons.

The first Wiki Loves Monuments competition was held in 2010 in the Netherlands as pilot project. The next year it spread to other countries in Europe. According toGuinness World Records, the 2011 edition of the Wiki Loves Monuments broke the world record for the largest photography competition. In 2012, the competition extended beyond Europe, withtotals of 33 participating countries, more than 350,000 photos, and more than 15,000 participants. The 2016 edition of WLM was supported byUNESCO; contestants from44 countries submitted approximately277,899 photos.

A sampling of the national winners appears below. The coordinating jury expects to announce the worldwide winners in mid-December 2016.

• 
  Antarctica: Cemetery onBuromsky Island, nearMirny Observatory, buried within are the remains of citizens from theUSSR (Russian Federation),Czechoslovakia,East Germany andSwitzerland (members of the Soviet and Russian Antarctic Expeditions) who perished while performing their duties.
• 
  Azerbaijan: Panoramic night view of theJuma (Friday) Mosque,Shamakhi. This mosque was built in 743. The mosque has suffered damage from plundering, wars, and earthquakes. It was reconstructed in 2009.
• 
  Bulgaria: TheThracian Tomb of Sveshtari is situated 2.5 km southwest of the village ofSveshtari,Razgrad Province, 42 km northeast ofRazgrad. Discovered in 1982 under a mound, this 3rd century BCGetic tomb reflects the fundamental structural principles of Thracian cult buildings. The tomb's architectural decor is considered to be unique, with polychrome half-human, half-plantcaryatids and painted murals. The ten female figures carved in high relief on the walls of the central chamber and the decorations of thelunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found so far in the Thracian lands. It has been suggested that it is part of the site of theGetan city of Helis.
• 
  Georgia:Ananuri (Georgian:ანანური) is a castle complex on theAragvi River, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) fromTbilisi. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex was placed on the tentative list for inclusion into theUNESCOWorld Heritage Site program.
• 
  Germany:Wasserschloss, a historic building in theSpeicherstadt (warehouse district),Hamburg. The building was constructed in the early 1900s.
• 
  Greece:Osiou Gregoriou monastery (Greek: Μονή Γρηγορίου) is an Orthodox Christian monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos. The monastery is built by the sea, on the southeastern side of the peninsula. It was founded by Saint (Osios) Gregory (Gregorios) and it is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. By the end of the 15h century, according to the Russian pilgrim Isaiah, the monastery was Serb. In 1990 the monastery had 71 working monks. The monastery holds 279 manuscripts, of which 11 are on parchment, and it has approximately 6,000 printed books.
• 
  India: TheTaj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of theYamuna river in the Indian city ofAgra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
• 
  Iran: TheShah Mosque (Persian: مسجد شاه), also known as Imam Mosque (Persian: مسجد امام), renamed after the 1979Iranian Revolution, and Jaame' Abbasi Mosque, is a mosque inIsfahan, standing in south side ofNaghsh-e Jahan Square. Built during theSafavid period, ordered by the first Shah Abbas of Persia. It is registered, along with the Naghsh-e Jahan Square, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is in large part due to the beauty of its seven-colour mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions. The mosque is depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 20,000 rial banknote.
• 
  Italy:Archivio Storico Comunale (Palermo) is the city archive ofPalermo. It preserves the archives of the municipal administration from the end of the 13th century to the year 1957 (as of May 2009). The first archival records date back to 1320. The archive has been in the town hall since 1463.
• 
  Morocco: TheKsar (earthen castle) ofAit-Ben-Haddou (Berber: ⴰⵢⵜ ⵃⴰⴷⴷⵓ; Arabic: آيت بن حدّو‎‎; fortified village) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• 
  Nepal: The Chariot ofIndra Jatra (a religious street festival) atBasantapur Durbar Square. The celebrations consist of two events.Indra Jātrā is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images and tableaus in honor of the deityIndra, the king of heaven. The other event isKumāri Jātrā, the chariot procession of the living goddessKumari.
• 
  Peru: Arch and tower of theBasilica Cathedral of Arequipa (Spanish:Basílica Catedral). The cathedral is in thePlaza de Armas of the city of Arequipa, province of Arequipa. Construction first began in the year 1540. On several occasions, the building was damaged by earthquakes and subsequently restored.
• 
  Russia: Aerial view ofPeter and Paul Fortress (Russian: Петропа́вловская кре́пость,Petropavlovskaya Krepost) onZayachy Island,Saint Petersburg. It was founded byPeter the Great in 1703 and built toDomenico Trezzini's designs from 1706 to 1740. In the early 20th century it was still used as a prison by the tsarist government. Today it has been adapted as the central and most important part of theState Museum of Saint Petersburg History. The museum has gradually become the sole owner of the fortress building, except for the structure occupied by theSaint Petersburg Mint.
• 
  Serbia: TheSmederevo Fortress ([Cмeдepeвcκa твpђaвa,Smederevska tvrđava]Error: {{Langx}}: text has italic markup (help)) is a medievalfortified city inSmederevo, which was temporary capital ofSerbia in the Middle Ages. It was built between 1427 and 1430 on the order ofdespotĐurađ Branković, the ruler of theSerbian despotate. It was further fortified by theOttoman Empire, which had taken the city, at the end of that century. The fortress withstood several sieges by Ottomans and Serbs, surviving relatively unscathed. During World War II it was heavily damaged by explosions and bombing. Smederevo Fortress was declared a nationalMonument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979. In 2010, the fortress was placed on thetentative list for possible nomination as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.
• 
  Slovakia: The Church of St. Vavrinec is a Roman Catholic church inZliechov,Ilava district. The Gothic building is from the second half of the 14th century.
• 
  Spain: Dome of the Church ofOur Lady of Remedios,Antequera.
• 
  Thailand:Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan (Thai: วัดสระเกศราชวรมหาวิหาร, usually shortened to Wat Saket) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. In the background isAnanta Samakhom Throne Hall.
• 
  Tunisia: Panoramic view of theAmphitheatre of El Jem, an archeological site in the city ofEl Djem. The amphitheatre, a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site since 1979, was built around 238 AD, when the modern Tunisia belonged to the Roman province ofAfrica. It is the third-biggest amphiteatre and one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world, with a capacity for 35,000 spectators.
• 
  United Kingdom: South aisle of theretro-choir ofWinchester Cathedral. Winchester Cathedral is aChurch of England cathedral inWinchester,Hampshire. Work began on the building in 1079. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, with the longestnave and greatest overall length of anyGothic cathedral in Europe. Dedicated to theHoly Trinity,Saint Peter,Saint Paul, and before theReformation,Saint Swithun, it is the seat of thebishop of Winchester and centre of thediocese of Winchester. The cathedral is a grade Ilisted building.
• 
  United States: TheKorean Bell of Friendship inAngel's Gate Park,San Pedro, California. The bell was presented by theRepublic of Korea to the American people to celebrate the bicentennial of the country and to symbolize friendship between the two nations. It was dedicated on October 3, 1976. There is no reflection pool; the reflection in this photo was artificially created. A copy of this photo without the reflection was also uploaded and can be found atFile:Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro.jpg.