As summer is in full swing, many tourists from around the world will visit the country to explore its historic and picturesque sites. Whether you are a city lover or a nature enthusiast, the UK is home to a wealth of ancient buildings, nature reserves, and unique architecture.
If you’re struggling with where to visit, a surprising UK landmark has been officially named the “prettiest” in the country. Adobe Express has conducted an in-depth study to find the most photogenic landmarks across the UK. The digital company factored in the number of “photo-opportunity” mentions on Tripadvisor, Instagram hashtags and TikTok searches, landmark search volumes, and more to crown the winner.
Which landmark is crowned number one?
London has taken the top three spots for the “prettiest” in the UK, beating more ancient and natural landmarks such as Edingburh castle and the Lake District. However, the number spot goes to Big Ben.
Big Ben, also known as the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The name was actually given to the bell inside the clock tower because it weighs more than 13 tons, but it is commonly associated with the entire building, according to Visit London.
The clock was created by architects Augustus Pugin and Charles Barry. Construction on the building began in 1843 and was completed by 1859.
A spokesperson for the UK parliament shared fondly on the landmark’s impact and said, “Big Ben has captured the imagination of the country, indeed the world. The clock tower has played a starring role in artwork, books, film, and television. From children’s tales to action thrillers, Monet to modern art, Big Ben offers something for everyone.”
How does the ranking work?
Adobe looked at the percentage of TripAdvisor reviews for each landmark that are rated five stars. They then searched for “photo opportunity” and “picturesque” mentions in each landmark’s TripAdvisor reviews.
The digital company then delved deeper into the number of Instagram posts using #X, where X is the landmark name as well as TikTok. They also looked at the total number of searches globally for each landmark across Google and search partners between April 24 and March 25.
London’s Big Ben boasted 62% of five-star reviews, 217 photo opportunity mentions, 3,627,657 Instagram hashtags, 352,000 TikTok searches, 22,780,000 Google searches and a total score of 61.78 (out of 100). The London Eye ranked a respectable second place, whilst Buckingham Palace ranked third.
Among the UK’s top historical landmarks, Edinburgh Castle placed fourth, Stonehenge came in fifth, and York Minster took the 13th spot. The lowest-ranking landmark is Lake District National Park, Cumbria, with an overall score of 13.49.