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Old Towns of Europe
Most European cities are very well-known for their unique old towns and buildings, with some having been built in 3500 BC. Some of the most beautiful old towns are Prague, Amsterdam, Warsaw, and Vilnius. Here are some of the most famous buildings:
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Located in Pisa, Italy, this tower is the third oldest building on Pisa’s cathedral square. The construction of the tower began back in 1173 and actually remained upright for over 5 years. However, just after the completion of the third floor, it started to lean. The reason? The three-meter deep foundation of the tower was built over a clay mixture that was not strong enough to support the tower. After the tower started to lean, construction was halted for 100 years and would continue to be halted a few times throughout the years. In 1987, The Leaning Tower of Pisa was declared a Unesco World Heritage site and stands tall today, where tourists can even climb to the top of the tower.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
This candy-colored cathedral is Moscow’s most visited tourist attraction. Built in 1561 by Ivan The Terrible, the cathedral contains nine chapels dedicated to the Protecting Veil of Mary; the Entry into Jerusalem, Saints Kiprian and Ustinia, the Holy Trinity, St. Nicholas Velikoretsky, St. Gregory of Armenia, St. Barlaam Khutynsky, St. Alexander Svirysky, and the Three Patriarchs. The ninth chapel was added in honor of Saint Basil. St. Basil’s Cathedral is located in Moscow, Russia, just outside the Kremlin gates, marking the geometric center of the city. The cathedral wasn’t painted until the 17th century, and it is said the cathedral was originally white to match the white stone of the Kremlin.
Colosseum
This amphitheater in the center of Rome is definitely one of the greatest feats achieved by Ancient Romans. The construction began in AD 72 under the emperor Vespasian and was finished in AD 80. It was capable of seating 50,000 people and was mainly used for gladiator games.
Church of St. Anne
This flamboyant and brick gothic church, built around 1500, is considered to be the most beautiful church in Lithuania. Because of it, Old Town of Vilnius is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is said that when Napoleon visited Vilnius, he ordered to take the church to Paris.
Hagia Sophia
Before becoming a museum, this building was used as a church and later – a mosque. The Hagia Sophia was constructed between 532 and 537 by emperor Justinian I. This perfect example of Byzantine architecture is located in Istanbul, Turkey.
Sagrada Familia
Construction has continued on this temple since 1882 when the first stone was laid on St. Joseph’s Day. Antoni Gaudi, a famous Catalan architect, was appointed to begin working on the project in 1883. After the death of Gaudi, his collaborator Domènec Sugrañes took over the project until 1938. Currently, over 70% of the construction of the temple has been completed, and it is said La Sagrada Familia could be complete by 2026.
Examples of Modern Architecture
Lloyd’s of London Building
This futuristic building is often called “inside-out,” because its water pipes and staircases can be seen from outside. Lloyd’s dates back to 1986 and is one of the largest insurance firms in the world. The architect, Richard Rogers, designed the building so all of the service functions are placed at the exterior of the building to allow for easy replacement and maintenance, and also opens up the interior space.
Fallingwater
The Fallingwater house was built in 1935 as a weekend getaway house for the Kaufmann family in Pittsburgh. This family owned the Kaufmann’s Department store and used the house until 1963. Designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Fallingwater house is incredibly unique as it stretches out over a 30-foot waterfall in southwest Pennsylvania. Today, the house is a National Historic Landmark and offers guided tours for those who wish to view the 5,330 square foot house.
Guggenheim Museum
This building is one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture. Since 1997, this museum has welcomed over 10 million guests. It’s located in Bilbao, Spain.
Burj Khalifa
Located in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa has quite a few accolades: the tallest building in the world, the tallest free-standing structure in the world, the most stories in the world, the highest occupied floor in the world, the highest outdoor observation deck in the world, an elevator with the longest travel distance in the world, and the tallest service elevator in the world. Long story short, this building is tall! The building reaches 2,722 feet tall and was only constructed back in 2004.
Traditional architecture
Taj Mahal
This breathtaking white marble mausoleum was built in 1643 by order of the Mughal emperor to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River and is considered to be the greatest architectural achievement within Indo-Islamic architecture.
Temple of Angkor Wat
This famous ancient temple was built in the first half of the 12th century and is spread over roughly 500 acres of land in Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. The temple was originally built as a Hindu temple but later converted into a Buddhist temple in the 14th century. The builder of Angkor Wat was a king named Suryavarman II.
Kremlin
The Kremlin was built between the 14th and 17th century by Russian and foreign architects, and was where the Great Prince resided. The Kremlin is located in the center of Moscow and is the oldest part of the city. Closely associated with Kremlin, Red Square lies beneath its east wall and was finished in the late 19th century.
Weird and Amazing Buildings Around the World
Piano House
Located in Anhui, China, this building is shaped like a piano and a violin. Built in 2007, it serves as a showroom for exhibiting plans for the district of Shannan in Huainan City, China. The violin is transparent and houses the escalators whereas the main piano building showcases the plans and development for the new area in Shannan. The locals have nicknamed this building “the most romantic building in China.”
Kunsthaus Graz
This weirdly shaped building in Graz, Austria is a new museum of modern art. It takes an unusual form, known as “blob architecture” and is referred to as the “Friendly Alien” by its creators Colin Fournier and Peter Cook.
Longaberger HQ
The old Longaberger headquarters is a local landmark and an example of novelty architecture, taking the shape of the company’s most sold product: a basket. The building opened in 1997 and no longer serves as the headquarters, which has since moved to Frazeysburg. Fun fact: the basket handles weigh almost 150 tons and can be heated during cold weather to prevent ice damage.
Kugelmugel
This building may look like an orange from the outside, but it’s actually an independent micro-nation located in the heart of Vienna, Austria. The Austrian artist Edwin Lipburger declared his property an independent nation in 1984 after a dispute with the government over building this spherical house. He renamed it the Republic of Kugelmugel. Kugelmugel was eventually moved to the Prater park amusement park in Vienna where it is now a tourist attraction.
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About the Author |
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| Dominykas Stasiulaitis // Traveling Lithuania Dominic is the owner of the travel blog Travelling Lithuania. There you can find information about Lithuania’s most interesting and beautiful places that you must visit. |
