These 12 Landmarks Were Beautiful 10 Years Ago But (Thanks To Tourism) Not Anymore

Millions of people travel the globe to see certain awe-inspiring and ancient landmarks that hold a special place in our world's history and have stood the test of time. From the Roman Colosseum to The Great Wall of China, these remarkable landmarks have been around for centuries, but the whopping number of tourists coming to visit them may be destroying them altogether.

It is a sad reality, but many of our beloved landmarks might not be around for that much longer. Many countries depend on tourism to boost their economy, but overtourism is a real thing and hurting places like Venice, Italy, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Governments have even stepped in to preserve these beautiful landmarks, including The Spanish Steps in Rome, and tourists were even arrested for damaging a sacred temple at Machu Picchu in Peru.

Visiting these landmarks may never be the same again, but we need to do our best to preserve what is left of them. Here are 12 landmarks that were beautiful 10 years ago, but thanks to tourism are not anymore.

12 Iceland's Blue Lagoon Is No Longer A Peaceful Paradise

The Blue Lagoon is by far the most popular attraction in Iceland. It is worth going if it's been on your bucket list, but it's also on thousands of other travelers' lists, and you can believe you'll be sharing the experience with them. The Blue Lagoon no longer feels like a serene paradise and the overwhelming crowds are ruining this peaceful place.

11 Petra, Jordan Doesn't Seem So Solemn

Petra, Jordan is a famous archeological site with tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs. What was once a solemn place is now a popular tourist attraction, so good luck trying to capture a clear shot of the carved structures without the crowds. Also, with the area literally in a hot desert, tourists don't tend to explore much further, so it's up to you on how far you're willing to walk to avoid other visitors.

10 Many Important Sites In Dubrovnik Are Crowded Thanks To One Popular Show

What is sadly happening to Venice, Italy, is now occurring in the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Overtourism is hurting the Croatian city thanks to the HBO fan-favorite Game of Thrones. Many scenes from the show, including Cersei's walk of shame and the battle of Blackwater Bay, were filmed here.

9 Olympic National Park Sees Way Too Many Twilight Fans

Washington's Olympic National Park's Hoh Rain Forest was used to film the romantic fantasy saga, Twilight. With the films gigantic following, tours have been offered to hike the area to see the towering trees and moss carpeted floor. When the film came out in 2008, fans rushed to see the location and still do to this day. Because of the movie's popularity, residents have created a Twilight themed tour.

8 Government Stepped In To Save The Spanish Steps In Rome

Thousands of tourists would sit on The Spanish Steps in Rome ever since they became famous in 1953 after they made an appearance in the Audrey Hepburn film Roman Holiday. Ever since then, millions of people have walked the famous steps, and as a result, 135 stone steps are now dirty and have red wine stains. The government has stepped in to protect the steps and has now made it illegal to sit on them.

7 The Taj Mahal Is Under Threat By Tourists And Pollution

Travel enthusiasts never come across a photo like this of the Taj Mahal, but the reality is, this symbol of India cannot handle the influx of visitors and the amount of pollution damaging this sacred place. To reduce overcrowding, authorities have issued fines to tourists who remain on the property for too long and prices for tickets have increased.

6 Machu Picchu Doesn't Feel "Sacred" Anymore

There are so many visitors to Machu Picchu, that there is now a limit of 2,500 tickets a day. This cherished Peruvian archeological site has even been damaged by six tourists, who were later arrested when authorities found fecal matter inside the sacred Temple of the Sun.

5 Everyone Wants To Climb Mount Everest, Even Inexperienced Climbers

Remember when we use to read stories of experienced hikers making it to the top of Mount Everest and we're in awe of them reaching such an incredible feat? Well, it appears that everyone wants to climb the famous mountain now, and hundreds of people reach the summit annually. Mount Everest is surprisingly seeing overcrowding as well, which is extremely dangerous.

4 Visitors Are Harming The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system on our planet and is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Human-caused global warming is causing these magnificent corals to die. The Atlantic wrote that in 2015, more than two billion corals lived in the Great Barrier Reef, and now half of them are dead.

3 The Awe-Inspiring Roman Colosseum Is Being Vandalized

Tourists are disrespecting ancient landmarks all over the world and one prime example is the 2,000-year-old Roman Colosseum. In 2017, an Ecuadorian tourist was caught carving his family's names into the Colosseum and faced fines of up to $23,000 for vandalizing the amphitheater.

2 Only A Small Portion Of The Great Wall Of China Is In Good Condition

The Great Wall of China is easily the greatest human feat in history, but it is sadly crumbling and overtime might just be seen in photographers in history books. Two-thirds of the Great Wall has been destroyed by visitors, developers, and erosion and it continues to fall apart every year.

1 Venice's Historic Architecture And Culture Is Deteriorating

Now, when we think of a beautiful city like Venice, Italy, we think of overtourism destroying it. Venice is already sinking and the number of tourists continuing to flock to the city is not helping. More fines are being implemented to save the city, but locals continuing to complain about the number of visitors.

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