Humans do one thing better than other species: we build things. For millennia, people have altered the landscape to create awe-inspiring architectural and engineering wonders that rival the most impressive structures created by nature. Cities built temples to worship their gods; kings sponsored structures to glorify their reigns; nations constructed sophisticated systems of canals and roadways to expand their economic influence; architects designed novel buildings to house an ever-growing population.
In only one book can you find them all. The Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats presents over 200 achievements in architecture and structural engineering in all the inhabited continents from prehistory to the present. A structure is included because of the importance of its technological advance, its refinement of existing systems, or its social and economic significance.