Limestone is a sedimentary rock made up of the fragments of marine lifeforms such as mollusks and coral. It is a calcium carbonate. The stone was used widely in the 19th century, ranging from hospitals, banks and major transportation centres. The state of Indiana is known for producing some of the best limestone in the entire world.
When we look through history, it is amazing to see how many buildings were built from this popular source of stone. It is a laundry list of famous and not-so-famous structures.
- The pyramids of Egypt were built from this readily available stone, including the famous Great Pyramid of Giza.
- The ancient Romans loved to use limestone, improving the known techniques and using it widely as they built their empire over the centuries.
- In the medieval era, limestone was an often-used material. It was known for standing up to the elements and being resistant to harm. Due to this, many famous medieval buildings and fortifications were made from it.
- The Great Tower of London was coated with a lime whitewash, and at the other end of the world, The Great Wall of China had remodeling done that used a great deal of limestone.
A walk through history shows how limestone has made a huge contribution to the rise of civilization across continents and societies. And in our own modern era, limestone can still be seen being used for facades on buildings. It is a timeless rock that we will see used many years into the future.