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Landmarks and monuments stock photos and royalty free images

Landmarks and monuments are among our most precious cultural treasures. They celebrate the people and the locations where great moments in the history of civilization have taken place. They also stand as iconic symbols of the world's great cities. With contributors from all over the world, the Shutterstock library is the perfect place to find authentic, professional-grade landmarks and monuments stock photos and royalty free images.

Landmarks and monuments photos and royalty free images

Landmarks and monuments stock photos and royalty free images come in a number of varieties. From city landmarks and world monuments to historic buildings and travel backgrounds, these images capture the spirit of famous monuments and world landmarks. New York landmarks, London landmarks, India landmarks — the Shutterstock library of popular landmarks showcases the work of urban travelers from all over the world. Landmarks and monuments images are a great way to invoke the world's most memorable monuments, and they serve well as historic backgrounds for important creative messages. Travel anywhere in the world with a single image, simply by scrolling through our extensive library.

Trending landmarks and monuments images and backgrounds

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Questions about landmarks and monuments images and backgrounds


What are landmarks and monuments in images?

Landmarks and monuments in images are any visual likenesses that represent the historical and cultural buildings, statues, or other markers that various nations around the world use to commemorate important people or events. These images may capture the entire monument or only a recognizable portion. They often serve to conjure a specific culture to communicate a sense of history, exploration, travel, or even patriotism. Because they are so recognizable, these images immediately tie visual designs to a specific place, including the audience's general ideas about what it means to be in that space. Landmarks and monuments images are packed with visual meaning, so designers often lean on them to do the hard work of telling a visual story using as few elements as possible.


What makes landmark and monument images engaging?

Landmarks and monuments images are engaging because they come loaded with a sense of history and place. Monument Valley along the Arizona-Utah border, for example, is a familiar landmark that has appeared in countless Western movies. It conjures images of frontier days in the U.S. — and what it means to stake out across unknown territory. It’s the stories these images tell that makes them so engaging. When we see monuments and landmarks we recognize, it's almost as if we're returning to a place we've visited before — even if we've never been there. We can picture ourselves under the Eiffel Tower or standing outside of Notre Dame. We've seen these images before, so seeing them again in a new design is an invitation to explore cultural treasures to which we feel connected.


How can you find high-quality images with landmarks and monuments?

Finding high-quality images of your favorite landmarks and monuments is easy. To begin, you can simply scroll down and explore our curated collection of landmarks and monuments straight from the Shutterstock library. If you're looking for something more specific, go to the top of this page and enter your search term in "Search for images." When you get your results, you can begin narrowing them down by choosing filters such as orientation, color scheme, or image type. If you already have an image, and you'd like to see something similar, click on "search by images" and upload your file. The Shutterstock A.I. will scour the collection and return similar compositions to your original upload. The rules behind using landmarks and monuments in your creative projects are a little more complicated than standard images, so scroll down to learn more.


Can you license images with landmarks and monuments?

Likenesses of landmarks and monuments are similar to likenesses of people — you usually can't use them in commercial projects (especially not without permission). The rules are different for different monuments. Generally speaking, you can't use landmarks or monuments in projects you intend to monetize, like marketing materials. However, many landmarks and monuments are available for editorial use, especially when you credit them correctly. This means you can use the likeness when you're exploring a specific monument in your creative project, but not for commercial use. Since the rules are different for every monument or landmark, it's a good idea to consider the most famous as inspirations, and then rely on the diverse collection of images in the Shutterstock library to find an image you can license for your project.


Can I use pictures of landmarks and monuments in commercial projects?

Generally speaking, it's safest to assume that you cannot use a likeness of a monument or landmark in your commercial projects — the rules vary for non-commercial, editorial projects, which visually explore the monument or landmark without trying to monetize it. It's always a good idea to check the restrictions for monuments and landmarks before you commit to using one in your project. However, some of the most famous landmarks and monuments are available for restricted commercial use. Daytime, exterior shots of the Eiffel Tower are acceptable for commercial use, while shots of the lighting at night are not. The Hagia Sophia is another good example — images taken off the property are acceptable for commercial use. Exterior shots of the Colosseum in Italy are also acceptable for commercial use. Carefully check each monument or landmark you want to use before you include these images in your creative design.

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How to use images of landmarks and monuments creatively

Using images of landmarks and monuments for websites Famous landmarks and monuments can be great visual elements for websites. Whether you use a photo or a stylized image, these recognizable locations can instantly transport your site visitors to engaging cultural destinations without losing their connection to your site. If your site is for personal or educational use, you can generally feature any image you'd like (with proper citations). However, if you want to monetize your site, including affiliate link programs, marketing, or other revenue-generation models, there are limitations on some landmarks and monuments. Landmarks and monuments images draw a lot of attention, so you don't want to bury any of your important copy beneath them — it's easy to ignore your messaging that way. Instead, use these images as standout attention-getters at prominent points in your layout. Using images of landmarks and monuments for social media Images of famous landmarks and monuments are great on social media. They're powerful attention-getters, and they communicate a real sense of adventure and exploration. We're curious about the world's oldest and most important landmarks, so it's natural to stop scrolling and explore a social media post including one of these images. Typically speaking, the rules for sharing such images will be detailed in your social media platform's user agreement, so take a minute to explore the documentation. Associating your social media profile with these images showcases a global awareness of important cultural destinations, and it's a good way to feature a love of travel and adventure. Even if your viewers haven't been to the location in your image, they have probably seen it before, and seeing it again will return them in a heartbeat to one of the world's historic treasures. Using images of landmarks and monuments for print Using monuments and landmarks images in your print projects is much like using them for the web — there are restrictions on the likenesses of some monuments and landmarks. When you know you're in the clear, look for images with sharp contrast, vivid colors, and balanced layout. It's difficult to know where your viewers will be when they see the image in print, so if the light is dim or the viewing conditions are unideal, busy, muddy images will be difficult to see. This can cheapen your project and defeat the purpose of spending on a print run. It's okay to use new takes on familiar landmarks and monuments, but make sure that they're still recognizable, or you can lose the power of the location's fame.

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