15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

The world is full of many wonders, both natural and man made. Fans of architecture and design will love these feats of man all over the world.  Stunning architectural examples showcase the ingenuity, creativity, and also the engineering skills of civilizations past and present.  While there are easily triple or quadruple the number of fantastic building to see than we have listed here, we are giving you a glimpse of what the world has to show you.  So, please enjoy these fifteen incredible must-see buildings in your lifetime.  You might also want to start a bucket list as you are sure to want to visit each one.

Hagia Sophia — Istanbul, Turkey

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

Hagia Sophia, a symbolic monument for both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, was once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum.

Taj Mahal — Agra, India

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

The Taj Mahal is an example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was cited as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.”

Dancing House — Prague, Czech Republic

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime
Photo courtesy of the Dancing House Hotel

 

Designed in 1992 and completed in 1996, the building called the Nationale-Nederlanden on the Rašínovo Embankment is informally known as the Dancing House.  It is now a hotel and a charming place to visit.

Niterói Contemporary Art Museum — Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

The Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (Niterói Contemporary Art Museum) is a major landmark and and architectural beauty located in the city of Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Dresden Frauenkirche — Dresden, Germany

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

This landmark church, destroyed by bombing during World War II, was reconstructed beginning in 1994.

Acropolis of Athens — Athens, Greece

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime
Photo courtesy of Unesco

 

The Acropolis of Athens is a stunning and also enduring example of Greek Antiquity.

The Colosseum — Rome, Italy

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

Home to many gladiator matches and also legendary tales, this building is a must see.

The Lotus Temple — New Delhi, India

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

The Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, India is another must see building.  The nickname “The Lotus Temple” is due to the unique architecture and shape of the building.  Opened in 1986, this house of worship has drawn over 70 million visitors to the site.

St. Basil’s Cathedral — Moscow, Russia

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

This legendary building is officially “The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat”, but most people refer to it as St. Basil’s.  The nickname refers to Basil the blessed who was buried on site in the Trinity Cathedral.

Forbidden City — Beijing, China

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime
Image via Palace Museum

 

Within the Forbidden City, you will find more than 90 palace compounds and also a large moat. The red walls and yellow roof tiles make the buildings distinctive.

Casa Milà — Barcelona, Spain

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

Casa Milà, popularly known as ‘La Pedrera’ (the stone quarry), was built between 1906 and 1912. In 1984, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 Sultan Ahmed Mosque — Istanbul, Turkey

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

Officially Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish, the Blue Mosque will take your breath away with the blue tiles covering the walls.  This historic mosque in Istanbul was built between 1609 and 1616.

Sagrada Familía — Barcelona, Spain

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime

 

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site .  The Sagrada Familia is the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world.

Musée d’Orsay — Paris, France

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdxuFcUnKK4/?hl=fr&taken-by=museeorsay

 

Originally a railway station, Musee d’Orsay is a renowned art museum today.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel — Normandy, France

 

15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime
Photo courtesy of Le Mont Saint Michel

 

You will love this enchanting island in France with a medieval monastery that appears to defy gravity.

So, which of these must see buildings are you adding to your bucket list?  Are you eager for more travel destination ideas?  Visit this article to read our picks for the best hotel pools around the world.

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15 Incredible Must-See Buildings in Your Lifetime
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