British prefer the Pyramids over Big Ben

A survey by Truprint.co.uk shows the British prefer the Pyramids over Big Ben

The Pyramids of Egypt have been voted the UK’s favourite world landmark in a survey by Truprint.co.uk,.

Truprint, the online digital photo printing service, asked more than 1,000 Britons to pick their favourite from ten of the world’s most iconic historical sights.

One in five people chose The Pyramids of Egypt as their most-loved landmark over The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal, The Sydney Opera House, London’s Big Ben, The Great Wall of China, The Statue of Liberty, The Colosseum, The Leaning Tower of Pisa and Graceland, home of Elvis Presley in Tennessee.

London’s Big Ben was a close second with 17 per cent of the vote, followed by The Eiffel Tower in Paris with 15 per cent.

The Great Wall of China and Leaning Tower Of Pisa on the west coast of Italy came in last with only 3 per cent.

“It’s almost impossible to take a bad photo of The Pyramids of Egypt. They look breath-taking from sunrise to sunset and so they have a special place in many photo lovers’ hearts”, said Carolyn Dawkins, Digital Marketing Manager of Truprint.co.uk. “Many other interesting landmarks need to be snapped at the right angle at the right time of day – just think how often a picture of the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa can look like a strange hat on the top of someone’s head.”

Official Results

Position Landmark % of vote by 1,000 Britons
1. The Pyramids of Egypt, Cairo 20
2. Big Ben, London, UK 17
3. The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 15
4. The Statue of Liberty, New York, USA 14
5. The Sydney Opera House, Australia 13
6. The Taj Mahal, India 11
7. The Colosseum in Rome 7
8. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy 3
9. The Great Wall of China 0
10. Graceland, home of Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee, USA 0

A number of entrants nominated their own favourite landmarks. Alice McCarthy, is an Australian living in London and her most-loved site is The Big Prawn in Ballina, Byron Bay.

Nick Downie from Penrith, Cumbria loves the sight of his local pub, The Cross Keys, as it serves the best Cumbrian sausages.

Finally, Sarah Mills from Devon likes to gaze at the church where she got married.

How to take a photo of your favourite landmark? Five top tips from Truprint.co.uk

1. Keep the sun behind you.

2. Follow the ‘Rule Of Thirds’; have the horizon either one third below the top or above the bottom of your photograph, rather than in the middle.

3. Make sure there are no unsightly objects in your shot, such as rubbish, electricity pylons or rain clouds!

4. Put the landmark in the background so that the image tells more than one tale and incorporates the local people, customs and heritage.

5. Historical sites have a best side, just like people! Have fun trying various positions that will make your landmark appear even more dramatic.