The Top 10 Photos From the Wiki Loves Monuments Photo Contest Will Inspire Wanderlust

Apr 30, 2026

Matt Growcoot

A snow-covered mountain rises in the background behind ancient, weathered brick ruins with an arched gateway, set in an arid landscape under a clear blue sky. — First place – A wall and gate near the Dayr-e Gachin Caravanserai in Iran. | Photo by Hossein Pourakbarian, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Wikimedia Foundation has announced the winners of the 16th edition of the Wiki Loves Monuments photo competition — with three of the top five entries hailing from Iran.

Each year since 2010, photographers from around the globe have come together to celebrate cultural heritage through their camera lens. Since it’s Wikimedia, each photo is uploaded under a Creative Commons license, so it’s free to be used by other people.

A round, brick tower with decorative patterns is illuminated by the warm light of sunset. The moon is visible in the clear sky, and mountains can be seen in the distance behind a desert landscape. — Second place – The Mehmāndust Tower in northern Iran was built by the Seljuk Empire in 1097 to serve as a tomb, but its dome and the names of the people interred there have long been lost to time. | Photo by Darabad Andromeda, CC BY-SA 4.0

For the most recent edition of the contest, 3,789 people submitted 227,918 photos to locally run national contests in September and October 2025. Each country then submitted its winners to a nine-person expert jury, who closely examined and identified the below 25 winners during a multi-month selection process.

This year’s winner captured a wall and gate near the Dayr-e Gachin Caravanserai in Iran. The Wikimedia Foundation says that Dayr-e Gachin has been called the “mother of Iranian caravanserais” due to its size and importance.

A row of ornate domed buildings with intricate carvings is reflected in a calm body of water under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Lush greenery surrounds the historic architecture. — Third place – Kusum Sarovar, a reservoir in northern India is said to have been the place where Krishna clandestinely met with Radha. | Photo by Arjunfotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0

A large, historic stone palace with domed roofs and a tall minaret sits amid snowy mountains and a wide valley under a cloudy sky, illuminated by soft sunlight. — Fourth place – Construction on the Ishak Pasha Palace, located in eastern Turkey, started in 1685 and was not finished for about a hundred years. Its architectural style blended elements from Anatolian, Iranian, and North Mesopotamian styles. | Photo by Volcanicaaa, CC BY-SA 4.0

Snow-covered domed roofs in the foreground overlook a historic city with many flat rooftops, set against a backdrop of snowcapped mountains at sunset. — Fifth place – One of the first buildings constructed in Arak, Iran, was this bazaar, seen here on a cold February day. The bazaar held a public bath, a mosque, water reservoirs, and an inn, and is unusual in its straight symmetrical lines aligned with the four cardinal directions. | Photo by Dehghanpourpix, CC BY-SA 4.0

A large ancient stone statue sits in an open landscape with trees, mountains, and two colorful hot air balloons floating in the clear blue sky above. — Sixth place – Sometimes called the “world’s greatest open air museum,” Luxor contains or sits near a wealth of ancient Egyptian cultural heritage. It is also known for its tourist hot air balloons, giving this image a contrast between old and new. | Photo by Mohamed Abdelzaher, CC BY-SA 4.0

A large stone monastery sits atop a rocky hill surrounded by lush greenery, with distant mountains and a sky filled with scattered clouds in the background. The historic structure features arched windows and ancient walls. — Seventh place – Parts of Sacra di San Michele (Saint Michael’s Abbey) have been around for around a thousand years. Standing atop a mountain in northwestern Italy, it is today an active Catholic abbey and tourist attraction. | Photo by Federico Milesi, CC BY-SA 4.0

A stone church with a tall bell tower stands in a green landscape, surrounded by mountains and trees under a partly cloudy sky at sunset. The building features arched windows and rustic architecture. — Eighth place – Sant Climent, Taüll is a Romanesque-style complex in Catalonia, Spain, with influences from Lombard and Byzantine architecture. The interior contained the primary work of the Master of Taüll, a 12th century painter who became an exemplar of Romanesque art. | Photo by Mikipons, CC BY-SA 4.0

A vibrant blue and green wooden church with golden domes stands in a grassy area, surrounded by trees and a black metal fence under a clear blue sky. — Ninth place – Summer is looming around this image of the Church of the Intercession, built in 1854 and located in a small village in western Ukraine. | Photo by Yurii-mr, CC BY-SA 4.0

A traditional Chinese gate with ornate, multi-tiered roofs stands at the entrance to a scenic area, with people walking nearby and mountains visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky. — Tenth place – An archway within a Confucius temple in Tonghai County, located in southwestern China. | Photo by Kcx36, CC BY-SA 4.0

“Over all its years, Wiki Loves Monuments photographers have collectively donated millions of images to Wikimedia Commons, a freely licensed media repository that supports Wikipedia and other websites,” says the Wikimedia Foundation. “Each photo adds another nugget of knowledge to the world’s collection.”