Some works of art and architecture are known throughout the world. Looking into their histories reveals less familiar stories, TCH reports.

The apartment at the top of the Eiffel Tower

Gustave Eiffel, who built France’s famous landmark, also created an apartment for himself at its highest level. He used it to rest and receive guests, once holding a long conversation there with Thomas Edison. The original account describes a kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms, with spectacular views. It now serves as a museum.

The broken chain at the Statue of Liberty’s feet

France gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States to mark the centenary of the American Revolution. It symbolises liberty, democracy and the abolition of slavery. A broken chain at its feet expresses this symbolism, although many visitors overlook it.

Another Mona Lisa

Many artists have reproduced the Mona Lisa, but another portrait is believed to have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci himself rather than being a copy. Its perspective differs slightly. It may have been made by another artist, or several, although the experts cited in the original account considered it more likely to be an earlier version of Leonardo’s masterpiece.

Mount Rushmore’s time capsule

During construction, Gutzon Borglum wanted to create a Hall of Records inside the rock: a hidden chamber preserving foundational documents and information about US history for future generations. He excavated a cave behind Abraham Lincoln’s head but died before completing his plan. In 1998, more than fifty years after his death, copies of important documents and presidential records were placed in the unfinished chamber, turning it into a time capsule.

The Matterhorn at Disneyland

Named and modelled after the Alpine mountain on the Swiss–Italian border, Disneyland’s Matterhorn is described in the original account as the first continuously tubular-tracked roller coaster. A small attic-like space near its summit serves as a staging and rest area for climbers and contains a basketball hoop. Climbers and staff used the space to prepare for scheduled ascents or pass the time when weather prevented them.

The Sphinx’s original appearance

The Great Sphinx of Giza is described in the original account as the world’s oldest statue. It was initially decorated with bright paint, traces of which remain behind one ear.

It also had a nose and a substantial beard; remnants are displayed in British and Egyptian museums. Some experts believe it may originally have had a lion’s or dog’s head, with a human face carved later, potentially explaining the difference between its large body and small head.

The origins of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The tower’s tilt is well known, but the identity of the designer of Pisa Cathedral’s bell tower remains uncertain. Construction extended over approximately two hundred years. Historians have proposed Bonanno Pisano, while the original account considers Diotisalvi, designer of the adjacent baptistery in a similar style, another possible candidate.

The face in Rembrandt’s Danaë

Rembrandt began Danaë two years after marrying Saskia van Uylenburgh. He portrayed her in many works, yet the weaker resemblance in this painting compared with others from the 1630s remained a puzzle. X-ray examination revealed a clearer likeness to his wife beneath the visible image.

The name Big Ben

“Big Ben” refers to the great bell rather than the entire tower. Until September 2012, the structure was known as the Bell Tower of the Palace of Westminster; its official name is now Elizabeth Tower.

The Golden Gate Bridge’s colour

Agreement with the US Navy over the bridge’s construction took time. The Navy wanted black and yellow stripes for visibility in fog. Architect Irving Morrow persuaded the authorities to use a dark orange colour instead, combining visibility in different weather conditions with an attractive appearance.

The sky in The Scream

In 2003, astronomers proposed that the vivid red sky that struck the artist had been caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883.

Article adapted from KOHA.