Scaling the Heights

The five moments in this challenge

The scenes are shown below — tap a card to reveal its place and year.

1. 

   Round 1 · 2001

   Destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas

   Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan

   Taliban militants ruthlessly used anti-aircraft guns, artillery, and planted dynamite over several weeks to completely obliterate two massive, 6th-century Buddhist statues that were carved directly into the ancient sandstone cliffside.

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2. 

   Round 2 · 2004

   Launching the Millau Viaduct Deck

   Millau, France

   The tallest bridge in the world was constructed by building the pylons first, then slowly sliding the massive steel roadway out into thin air from both sides until they met in the middle.

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3. 

   Round 3 · 1879

   Collapse of the Tay Bridge

   Dundee, Scotland

   A fierce winter gale caused the central navigation spans of the massive iron railway bridge to collapse, taking a passenger train with it into the river.

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4. 

   Round 4 · 732

   Construction of Tikal Temple I

   Tikal, Guatemala

   Known as the Temple of the Great Jaguar, this towering stepped pyramid was built as the funerary shrine for Tikal's greatest ruler, Jasaw Chan K'awiil.

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5. 

   Round 5 · 350

   Erection of the Axum Obelisk

   Axum, Ethiopia

   The massive 33-meter solid granite obelisk, intricately carved with false doors and windows, collapsed and shattered during or very shortly after its erection.

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