When people think about exciting Facilities Management careers, modern skyscrapers such as The Shard, The Gherkin or 20 Fenchurch Street ("The Walkie-Talkie") often spring to mind. These iconic buildings represent the cutting edge of workplace design, technology and sustainability.
However, some of the most fascinating Facilities Management challenges would exist in the world's greatest historical landmarks.
Imagine being responsible for maintaining a city carved into rock, a monument stretching thousands of kilometres, or a 2,000-year-old amphitheatre welcoming tens of thousands of visitors.
While these examples are light-hearted, they also highlight the incredible breadth of skills required within Facilities Management.
Hidden within the mountains of southern Jordan, Petra was once the thriving capital of the Nabataean Kingdom.
Known as the Rose City because of its distinctive pink sandstone cliffs, Petra covers approximately 264 square kilometres and is believed to be over 2,300 years old. Remarkably, archaeologists estimate that around 85% of the ancient city remains undiscovered, making it one of the world's greatest archaeological treasures.
Modern Facilities Managers often complain about long commutes, but Petra presents an entirely different challenge.
Access to the site is primarily through The Siq, a spectacular narrow gorge around four metres wide. Depending on temperatures—which regularly exceed 30–40°C during summer—the journey into the city can take close to an hour on foot.
Transporting staff, contractors, equipment and emergency services would require exceptional logistical planning.
Maintaining Petra while protecting its historical significance would be a constant balancing act.
The city contains more than 1,000 ancient tombs, temples and monuments carved directly into the rock.
Every maintenance project would require careful consideration to avoid damaging priceless archaeological remains, with preservation taking priority over speed and convenience.
Extreme heat, flash flooding, wind erosion and constant tourism all contribute to the deterioration of the sandstone structures.
Facilities Managers would need to balance conservation, visitor safety and infrastructure maintenance in one of the world's most challenging environments.
Stretching an astonishing 21,000 kilometres, the Great Wall of China remains one of history's greatest engineering achievements.
Constructed over several centuries by multiple dynasties, the Wall crosses mountains, deserts, rivers and grasslands.
Simply inspecting the asset would be a full-time occupation.
The Wall spans:
Routine inspections alone would require sophisticated planning and substantial regional management teams.
Modern Facilities Managers rely on emails, mobile phones and CAFM systems.
Ancient managers would have depended entirely upon messengers travelling enormous distances.
Coordinating thousands of workers across such a vast project would have been extraordinarily difficult.
Different sections were constructed using different materials including:
Each would require different maintenance techniques depending on local weather conditions and structural deterioration.
Built around 4,500 years ago, the Great Pyramid remains one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Originally standing almost 147 metres high, it contains approximately 2.3 million stone blocks weighing a combined six million tonnes.
Unlike modern buildings, the Pyramid contains narrow passageways with very limited natural light.
Routine inspections would be physically demanding and potentially hazardous.
Wayfinding, ventilation and emergency planning would all present unique operational challenges.
Protecting one of the world's most famous archaeological sites would require careful management.
Facilities Managers would need to balance:
Every intervention would need to minimise any impact on the structure.
Unlike modern commercial buildings, almost every repair would require specialist conservation expertise.
Even seemingly minor maintenance work would demand detailed planning and approval.
Completed in 80 AD, Rome's Colosseum could accommodate approximately 60,000 spectators and hosted gladiatorial contests, theatrical performances and public spectacles.
Managing major events remains one of Facilities Management's most demanding responsibilities.
Operating the Colosseum would involve coordinating:
On event days, tens of thousands of visitors would need to enter and leave safely through 80 entrances.
Modern Facilities Managers place enormous emphasis on health and safety.
Ancient Rome presented rather different challenges.
Events often involved wild animals, elaborate stage machinery and dangerous performances.
Ensuring safe movement of spectators, performers and animals would require meticulous planning.
Following major events, rapid cleaning would be essential before the next performance.
With tens of thousands of visitors attending regularly, maintaining hygiene standards would represent a major operational undertaking.
The Taj Mahal is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings ever constructed.
Built entirely from white marble during the seventeenth century, the complex includes landscaped gardens, reflecting pools, a mosque and numerous decorative features incorporating semi-precious stones.
The surrounding gardens form an essential part of the visitor experience.
Facilities Managers would oversee:
Maintaining these areas to an exceptionally high standard would require skilled horticultural teams throughout the year.
The Taj Mahal's intricate architecture requires numerous specialist craftspeople, including:
Coordinating these experts while protecting one of the world's most important heritage sites would demand exceptional planning.
Marble is particularly vulnerable to pollution and weathering.
Facilities Managers would need to monitor environmental conditions carefully while implementing long-term conservation strategies to preserve the building for future generations.
Although these examples are presented with a touch of humour, they highlight many of the same challenges Facilities Managers face every day.
Whether managing an ancient wonder or a modern headquarters, successful FM professionals must balance:
The scale and context may differ, but the underlying principles remain remarkably similar.
Facilities Management is often associated with cutting-edge office developments and smart buildings, but its core purpose remains unchanged regardless of the age of the asset.
Whether maintaining a skyscraper in London or preserving a 2,000-year-old archaeological treasure, Facilities Managers are responsible for protecting buildings, supporting people and ensuring operations run smoothly.
These iconic landmarks remind us that great Facilities Management is not simply about maintaining structures—it is about safeguarding places of cultural, historical and operational importance for generations to come.
