Describe a historical building you have been to IELTS Cue Card
IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC
Describe a historical building you have been to
You should say:
- Where it is
- What it looks like
- What it is used for now.What you learned there
- And how you felt about this historical building
Sample 1
As a history enthusiast, I visit places of historical interest. Last month, I went to Rajasthan. It is a city called Mandawa. I visited an old Haveli that is around 100 years old.
The Haveli has grown old, and the paint on the wall indicates that it has not been repaired for a long time, but the architecture is still a marvel to look at and still looks amazing. The basic purpose for which it is used as of now is tourism.
People from various nations come to see the Indian architecture of the 19th century. I learned a lot of things there, but the basic thing I knew was that 100 years ago, life was pretty simple because this building didn’t have electricity. Another important thing to learn was that at that time, the quality of construction was too high because, despite many earthquakes in the Rajasthan region, the building was still intact. It’s still maintaining its charm.
Apart from that, I also learned that everything is temporary in this world. While looking at Haveli, one could feel that it was a place where more than 50-60 people used to stay at one point in time, but now that place is vacant. Only tourists come.
That shows that nothing lasts forever. Everything is temporary, and what I felt about this historical building was that instead of spending so much money on creating an infrastructure you could enjoy for just a few years, it is better to invest that money to help the poor section of society because that is one change. If you do, people will remember you throughout their lifetime.
Sample 2
I have been to many historical buildings in my life, but one building which I can surely remember is the Taj Mahal. I have visited it 3-4 times. The Taj Mahal is situated in Agra near New Delhi. It is in UP, and Shah Jahan made it in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz.
The Taj Mahal is entirely made of white marble and is a beautiful place to watch. Everyone should go and visit it. On the red moon night, the white marble of the Taj Mahal reflects a red colour gradient, which looks very nice and feels like we are running around in heaven at that point. It is constructed on 90 acres of Chameen and has many tourists visiting it daily.
The Taj Mahal is one of the world’s seven wonders and has to be India’s most historical and beautiful place. Taj Mahal has its own culture of the Mughals as they have a rich and enriching culture. Shah Jahan built it around 1618 BC when he was the ruler, and his wife’s death occurred in 1612.
Taj Mahal took nine years to complete its building, and Shah Jahan cut the hands of the architects and builders so no other buildings like this could be made again.
Sample 3
The historical place I visited with my family is the Johnson Hotel in Manali. It is a British-made historic building with a restaurant, and it is more prevalent among some old hospitality residents, like that of Himachal tourism.
It is the most beautiful and most visited place in Himachal Pradesh. I stayed there in December of last winter with my family. It has excellent sudden holistic development around it, consisting of British-made gardens.
Also, it is more popular than other hotels, and many people visit it repeatedly, mainly during the winter season, to see snowfall. It has British architecture and serves many cuisines, such as Chinese, continental, and North Indian food, to its guests.
The Johnson Hotel in Manali was a residential place for Britishers but is now used as a tourist place for all people who stay there while visiting Manali. However, the government must take more severe steps and pollute the environment near this historical building for roads and infrastructures, thus reducing these places’ dimensions. The beauty of these monuments in this place and the most popular is Hidimba temple.
Also, I saw apple farms around the hotel where I was staying and short roads from British times. I feel relaxed about visiting this historical place and will revisit it.
Follow-ups
Here are some examples of follow-up questions that the examiner might ask during your speaking part 3 related to the cue card: “Describe a historical building you have been to”.
1. Why do people visit historical places?
People like to visit historic places because they want to learn something new. If they study history books, they want to visit historic places because they represent traditional or ancient things captured in old memories.
2. Do Indian people like visiting historical places?
Yes, Indian people like to visit historical places because they are in touch with their Asian traditions, so they want to visit historical places. It gives them a lovely view of the history of their ancestors, so they like to visit historical places.
3. Should the government fund the protection of historical places?
Yes, the government should fund protection for historical places because many tourists harm these monuments or areas, and the government should take strict action against that.
4. Is it necessary to protect historical buildings?
Yes, it is necessary to protect historical buildings because visitors cannot protect them. Many strict rules should be made so that people do not touch the walls or furniture of old buildings because they are the memories or the ancient culture saved in our country.
