17. Dharahara, Nepal
Built: 1832
Collapsed: 1934 & 2015
Est. Damages: $40 Million*
Dharahara in Nepal has been the victim of not one, but two earthquakes. The first was in 1934 and caused all but two of the structure’s 9 stories to collapse. The second, and more violent quake, struck Nepal on April 25th, 2015, and left nothing but a 33-foot stump where the tower once stood, while claiming the lives of nearly 200 people.
Dharahara, Nepal @khaleejtimes / Twitter.com
It took a few years and almost $40 million but, on April 24th, 2021, one day before the six-year anniversary of the tower’s collapse, the reconstructed Dharahara officially opened. The new tower was made in the image of the former one, but with a few modern upgrades, such as an underground parking facility and elevators to help make the landmark easier to access.