Many jeered when the Statue of Liberty was announced as one of the candidates.Portugal was widely opposed to the US-led invasion of Iraq.

• 许多人嘲讽美国的自由女神像竟然也成为了候选建筑之一，因为当时葡萄牙对于美国入侵伊拉克的战争是持强烈反对的立场。