• The Sphinx is believed to stand guard over the pyramids of Giza.Sphinx image by Pete Blackman from Fotolia.com
  
  "Historic monument" is a term applied to sites and structures of historic importance or interest, which are set aside and protected by local and national governments. The world holds countless examples of historical monuments. Even though many of these structures were erected in antiquity, they have a seemingly clear purpose, such as the castles and forts of the United Kingdom and Europe. Others have sparked intense debate for many years, such as the mysterious and intriguing stone circles at Stonehenge, in the United Kingdom.
  
  

Stonehenge

• Stonehenge is in the county of Wiltshire in the United Kingdom. It is a large collection of enormous stones erected in a roughly circular pattern around another collection of stones in a horseshoe arrangement. Stonehenge was erected sometime during the Neolithic period, 4000 B.C. to 2000.B.C. Archaeological evidence is limited; therefore it is impossible, as of 2010, to give a more accurate date. The true function of Stonehenge remains a mystery and sparks lively debate. The site attracts many thousands of visitors throughout the year, and several thousand people travel there each year for the summer solstice. The structure's arrangement is so precise that it captures and frames the sunrise on the longest day of the year, which implies that the builders were mathematically advanced. This also leads to the theories that Stonehenge was a place for worship or astronomical observation.
  
  

Easter Island Heads

• Easter Island is a small, treeless island of volcanic origin in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The island is small, measuring only 63 square miles, and has three extinct volcanoes. The island is home to mysterious, large stone heads. Approximately 1,000 heads were erected originally, sometime between 1000 and 1680 A.D. They are an average height of 14 feet, 6 inches, and weigh, on average, 14 tons. The monuments are elongated stone heads with shoulders and part of the upper torso; some have headdresses. The monuments all face inland, toward the center of the island, although many are very close to the shore. The statues' purpose is unknown and remains a subject of speculation, as does the nature of the society that erected them.
  
  

The Sphinx

• Situated near the pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Sphinx is a huge stone monument. Believed to have been built at the command of pharaoh Khafre in approximately 2530 B.C., the Sphinx has the face of a man, believed to be that of Khafre, and the body of a lion. It measures 240 feet in length and is 66 feet high. Known in some Arabic communities as Abu al-Hawl, the Father of Terror, the Sphinx is believed to be a guardian, protecting the tomb of pharaoh Khafre. The Sphinx has suffered a great deal of damage over the centuries. It is severely weather damaged, with all of the original coloring vanished, except a small portion close to one ear. The face is also badly damaged, specifically the nose and beard, which is believed to have resulted from target practice by various foreign troops occupying the region.