Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an architectural landmark, comprised of three

buildings. The War Memorial Center (1957) was designed by Finnish-American
architect Eero Saarinen; the Kahler Building (1975) by David Kahler; and the
Quadracci Pavilion (2001) was created by ​Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava​.

Forbidden City, Beijing

The Forbidden City is
listed by UNESCO as
the largest collection of
preserved ancient
wooden structures in
the world. Constructed
between 1406AD to
1420AD – the
Forbidden City was
home to Emperors
from the Ming dynasty
to the end of the Qing
dynasty, making it the
political centre of
China for half a
millennium.
The Dancing House, Prague

The Dancing House, Prague’s Nationale-Nederlanden building was designed by

Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić and Canadian-American ​Architect Frank
Gehry​. The deconstructivist – or new-baroque – architecture forms an unusual
dancing shape thanks to 99 concrete panels, each a different shape and dimension.
It’s proved so popular that the building now features on a gold 2,000 Czech koruna
coin issued by the Czech National Bank.

Great Mosque of Djenné, Djenné

It is thought that a
mosque has existed
on this site since the
1200s, and the
current structure was
rebuilt in 1907. The
building is made of
earth bricks that
have been dried in
the sun, mortar
made of sand and
earth bricks, and a
plaster that gives it
its smooth surface.
Lotus Temple, New Dehli

The Lotus Temple is a Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi consisting of 27

structures resembling petals of the lotus flower that open onto a central hall around
40m high. It has nine sides, nine doors, and can accommodate 2,500 people. Its
surface is made of white marble from Mount Pentelicus in Greece, the same marble
used to build the Parthenon.

Himeji Castle, Himeji

Himeji Castle is a
spectacular Japanese
castle located near
Kyoto. It's over 400
years old and hasn't
been damaged by war
or any natural
disasters, and is made
up of over 80
buildings, which are all
connected together by
gates and winding
paths. This building is
a marvel in itself, and
is often called White Egret or White Heron Castle because of its white elegant
exterior. It's also said to resemble a bird taking flight.
Cologne Cathedral, Cologne
Cologne Cathedral is a High Gothic
five-aisled basilica, the construction
of which began in 1248 and stopped
in 1473, before the building was
complete. Work did not resume until
the 1800s, and it was finally finished
in 1880. Later work follows the
original medieval plan faithfully.

It is renowned as a Gothic
masterpiece and houses many
works of art as well as the Shrine of
the Three Kings, which is
traditionally believed to hold the
remains of the Three Kings.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

A masterpiece of Islamic architecture, the Dome of the Rock is a 7th century

building, located in Jerusalem. Built by Caliph Abd al-Malik between 687 and 691,
the octagonal plan and the rotunda dome of wood are of Byzantine design. The
Persian tiles on the exterior were added by Suleiman I in 1561; the interior
decoration was added to later with marble, mosaic and faience. The oldest extant
Islamic monument.
La Pedrera, Barcelona

Nested among the urban streets of Barcelona are some unusual and beautiful
buildings by infamous architect Antoni Gaudi. His unique approach to the Art
Nouveau movement generated some of the most creative buildings the world have
ever seen. And La Pedrera is no exception.
One of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture, this is more
sculpture than building. The façade is a varied and harmonious mass of undulating
stone that, along with its forged iron balconies, explores the irregularities of the
natural world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) recognised this building as World Heritage in 1984.
St Paul's Cathedral, London

London's most iconic building, St Paul's Cathedral, was designed by English

architect ​Sir Christopher Wren​. Sitting at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in
the City of London, its famous dome is one of the world's largest, measuring nearly
112 metres high. The original church on the site was founded in the year 604 AD.
Work on the present English Baroque church began in the 17th Century by
Christopher Wren as part of a major rebuilding program after the Great Fire of
London. Wren started working on St Paul's in 1666, his designs for the cathedral
taking nine years to complete and the actual construction taking a further 35 years.
St Paul's has played an integral part of London life ever since – as a domineering
element in the city's skyline, as a centre for tourism and religious worship, and most
recently as a focal point for anti capitalist protests.

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Standing at 451.9 metres-tall, the

Petronas Towers are twin skyscrapers
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The
buildings, which held the title of tallest
in the world between 1998-2004, are
an iconic landmark of the capital city.

The distinctive postmodern style was

created by architects ​Cesar Pelli​ and
Achmad Murdijat, engineer Deejay
Cerico and designer Dominic Saibo
under the consultancy of JC Guinto.
 The White
House,
Washington
Irish architect ​James
Hoban​ was the man
behind the design of the
White House. In 1792
Hoban submitted a plan
for the presidential
mansion and
subsequently got the
commission to build the
White House. Construction began in 1793 and was completed in 1801. The mansion,
which has been home to every US leader since the country's second president John
Adams, is made from white-painted Aquia sandstone.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa

Most famous for its tilt, the tower

began to lean during construction
after soft ground on one side was
unable to properly support the
structure's weight.

Building work on the tower began

in 1173 and went on for over a
whopping 199 years. There has
been much controversy
surrounding the true identity of the
architect behind the tower – the
design was originally attributed to
artist ​Bonnano Pisano​ but studies
have also implicated ​Architect
Diotisalvi​.
The Kaaba, Mecca
The Kaaba, meaning cube in
Arabic, is a square building
located in Mecca, Saudi
Arabia. A most sacred place
in Islam, the Kabba is
elegantly draped in a silk and
cotton veil.

The small square building is

about 45 feet high and its
walls are a metre wide, with
its total size occupying
roughly 627 square feet.

The Shard, London

Also referred to as the shard of glass,
The Shard is an 95-storey skyscraper,
which sits in the heart of London.
Construction began in 2009 and was
completed three years later in 2012,
making it Western Europe's tallest
building.

Designed by architect ​Renzo Piano​,

The Shard is the second tallest
freestanding structure in the UK. It's
exterior boasts 11,000 glass panels –
that's equivalent in area to eight
Wembley football pitches or
two-and-a-half Trafalgar Squares.

The building was developed to have

multiple uses, described on the website
as a 'vertical city where people can live,
work and relax'. This motto was clearly
taken on board by a fox, nicknamed
Romeo, that was found on the 72nd
floor towards the end of construction.
Las Lajas Sanctuary, Nariño
This gothic-looking church
is in Southern Colombia,
the site where a woman
and her daughter
reportedly saw an
apparition of the Virgin
Mary in 1754, which made
the previously deaf and
mute daughter able to
speak.
Since then, various
shrines have been built,
and the current
construction was created
between 1916-1949.

St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

The famous landmark, shaped to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky,
is located just outside the Kremlin gates and marks the geometric centre of the city.

Built between 1555 and 1561, the cathedral was erected during the reign of Ivan IV
(Ivan the Terrible). Little is known about the building's architect ​Postnik Yakovlev​,
but he was clearly a fan of onion domes, sharp spikes and polygonal towers.
Empire State Building, New York
Art Deco skyscraper. Once
the tallest building in the
world, construction began on
the Empire State building on
St Patrick's Day 1930 and
was completed just 410 days
later.
The building was designed
by ​William F Lamb​ of
architectural firm ​Shreve,
Lamb and Harmon​.

Lloyd's Building, London

The award-winning Lloyd's
building (also known as
the Inside-Out building) is
an iconic architectural
landmark and one of the
most recognisable
constructions on the
London skyline.

Architects Roger Stirk

Harbour + Partners were
behind the innovative
design, which has its
services – including water
pipes and staircases – on
the outside. Built between
1978 and 1986, the
building also features 12
exterior lifts, which were
the first of their kind in the
UK.
Colosseum, Rome
This elliptical amphitheatre in
the centre of Rome is
considered as one of the
greatest architectural feats
achieved by the Ancient
Romans. The stadium was
capable of seating at least
50,000 spectators and used
mainly for gladiatorial games.
Construction – mainly using
concrete and stone – began
around 72AD and finished in
80AD. The design and shape of the Colosseum has been the inspiration for many
modern day stadiums.

Taj Mahal, Agra

Recognised as 'the jewel of Muslim art in India', the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan. Often mistaken as a palace, this famous landmark was
actually built as a tomb for the Emperor's wife after she died giving birth to their 14th
child.
The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the finest examples of ​Mughal architecture​ –
an amalgamation of Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. Construction on the
mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1643. The surrounding buildings
and gardens took around five more years to finish.
Chrysler Building, New York
At the time, this gorgeous Art
Deco skyscraper was almost
outdone by the Bank of
Manhattan but its spire (which
was constructed in secret)
enabled it to take the title of
'tallest building in the world' in
1930.
Just a year later the Empire
State Building was erected.
Designed by architect ​William
Van Alen​, the skyscraper was
commissioned by car
manufacturer ​Walter P
Chrysler​, hence its name.

Sydney Opera House, Sydney

The innovative design came from architect ​Jørn Utzon​, who was relatively unknown
until January 29, 1957 when his entry to the 'International competition for a national
opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney' was announced the winner. The beautiful
building comprises of three groups of interlocking shells, which cover two main
performance halls and a restaurant. A masterpiece of modern architecture.
Space Needle, Seattle

The futuristic Space Needle in Seattle,

Washington was built for the 1962 World's
fair. The famous landmark stands at
184m high and 42m wide at its widest
point.

The design was a collaborative effort

between architects Edward E Carlson and
John Graham. Not only is the architecture
a marvel to look at but it's a solid structure
too – it was built to survive wind velocities
of 200mph and earthquakes of up to 9.1
magnitudes.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, Hagia Sophia is an

architectural masterpiece. A perfect example of Byzantine architecture, Hagia
Sophia is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The building was originally constructed
between 532AD and 537AD and due to many factors, including being burned down
in riots and earthquakes, the ancient cathedral has been rebuilt many times since.
Buckingham Palace, London

Originally known as
Buckingham House,
George III bought the
property in 1735 when
the mansion was little
more than a red brick
house. Since then,
various architects have
worked on the building to
make it what it is today,
including ​John Nash
and Edmund Blore​.

Fallingwater, Pennsylvania

Designed by famous
American architect ​Frank
Lloyd Wright​ in ​1934​,
Fallingwater is quite possibly
the most famous private
residence in the world. But
why? Well, the unique design
makes it look like the house
stretches out over a 30ft
waterfall, with no solid
ground beneath it.
Pantheon, Rome

Destroyed twice and

rebuilt each time, the
building started as a
rectangular structure,
which, over time,
evolved into the
gorgeous dome building
seen today. the
Pantheon roof remains
the world's largest
unreinforced concrete
dome.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

The Guggenheim museum Bilbao is one of the most admired works of contemporary
architecture. Canadian-born American architect ​Frank Gehry​ created the unique
concept after winning an architectural competition to design the building.

Since the museum doors opened in 1997, it has been hailed one of the most
important buildings of the 20th century.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai

The mammoth skyscraper and

magnificent centerpiece of
Downtown Dubai stands at a
whopping 828.9 metres high.
Construction began on the
160-floor building in 2004 with its
doors opening six years later in
2010. The task of creating the
world's tallest manmade structure
was awarded to the Chicago office
of American architectural and
engineering firm ​Skidmore,
Owings and Merril LLP.