Sandcastle in Germany's Duisburg claims world record

It's official! The western German city of Duisburg is home to the world's tallest sandcastle, at least for now. Measuring 16.68 meters (almost 55 feet) tall, the castle claimed the Guinness World Record following an official jury assessment on September 1.

Sand sculptors from 10 nations teamed up to shape the giant sandy heap into a work of art. The design reflects the group's diversity, including architectural and cultural elements from across the globe. Can you spot the monuments from Thailand, Italy or Greece?

Same city, different result. Duisburg attempted the sandcastle record a year ago (pictured), but a major collapse ended its bid. It didn't qualify for the record due to strict rules stating that only sand and water could be used. This year, the team also suffered a setback when a large section of the castle fell down, but it carried on sculpting, using a different design to secure the win.

According to the local travel agent Schauinsland Reisen, which organized both Duisburg record attempts, more than 180,000 people have visited the castle building site. As well as making history with sandcastles, the location in the city's "Landschaftspark" (Landscape Park) celebrates the region's industrial past.

The previous record holder didn't have the title for long. A team of almost 50 led by famous sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik from India created this "World Peace"-themed 14.84-meter (48.8-foot) sandcastle on Puri beach in the state of Odisha in February. The Duisburg sandcastle has surpassed its height by 1.84 meters.

Aside from its height, Duisburg's newest (and most temporary) landmark boasts other impressive proportions. About 3,500 metric tons (3,860 US tons) of sand were used in the project. Construction took more than three weeks. It's due to stay standing until September 29. Author: Samantha Early