What would you say are humanity’s most impressive creations? Sure, there are exquisite paintings and genius musical compositions, but the best of human creativity can also come in the form of some seriously impressive (and beautiful) architecture.
To showcase the most show-stopping pieces of architecture and design on the planet, has just produced a list of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Our 24-strong list celebrates beautiful buildings the world over, while exploring the moving inspiration behind them and the mind-boggling engineering that made constructing them possible.
Claiming first place was the Taj Mahal, which was built as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the late wife of Emperor Shah Jahan and took 22 years to construct (talk about grand gestures, eh?).
However, eight buildings from all over Europe were included in our ranking. The first European entry went to Hallgrímskirkja, a modernist and expressionist Evangelical-Lutheran church in Iceland, which claimed second place on the worldwide list.
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While its appearance is rocket-like, designer Guðjón Samúelsson took inspiration from Iceland’s moody, rugged landscape, with the sloping edges to the church’s façade mimicking cooled lava, and its white concrete finishing nodding to the snow-capped peaks behind Reykjavik.
At number 10 is The Twist in Norway, a remarkably striking feat of engineering where a 90-degree-rotated bridge doubles as an art gallery, right in the heart of Kistefos Sculpture Park. Maggie’s Centre in the UK comes in at number 19 – an innovatively designed space full of nods to nature, which was designed for cancer patients.
The oldest entry for Europe is Rome’s legendary Pantheon, which dates back to 118-128 AD and features the largest unreinforced concrete dome on the planet. But it’s not just the engineering that makes this facet so impressive. Every year on April 21, the ‘oculus’ of the Pantheon (that’s the hole in its summit) casts light on a grill above the entrance and illuminates the entire courtyard. Pretty cool, right?
These are the most beautiful buildings in Europe, according to
- Hallgrímskirkja, Iceland
- Fondation Louis Vuitton, France
- Trinity College Library, Ireland
- The Twist, Norway
- Sagrada Familia, Spain
- Pantheon, Italy
- Palmenhaus at Schonbrunn Palace, Austria
- Maggie’s Centre, St James’s Hospital, UK
Did you see that Italy has been named the ‘ultimate’ solo adventure destination for 2025?
Plus: This is officially the best European country for work-life balance in 2025.
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