Travel and tourism are of great importance to many people,
so we will embark on a grand tour of more than one wonderful building around the world,
The selection ranges from must-see classics to contemporary marvels.
Palacio Nacional da Pena, Portugal
Built in 1885, this red-and-yellow fairytale castle sits atop a 1,450-foot mountain peak with domes, towers, and romance.
The palace was built for King Ferdinand II of Portugal and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
incorporating Moorish, Manueline and Gothic elements.
Visitors can enjoy flower-filled lands from every part of the Portuguese Empire.
and interiors that have remained virtually unchanged since Queen Amelia’s departure around the time of World War I.
Sydney Opera House, Australia
Built in 1973, the Sydney Opera House is considered the jewel of the Sydney skyline,
and one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century, enjoying a picturesque location on a peninsula facing Sydney Harbour.
The iconic structure consists of a series of 8 surfaces that were high-tech in engineering terms.
This caused a dispute between the Danish architect Jørn Utzon and his client, with another architect brought in to finish the job.
Flower petals are scattered over the building, and the roofs are made of more than a million concrete roof tiles held in place by 217 miles of tensioned steel cables.
Performance spaces anchor each interior space, but even if you don’t go to a show, visit the lounges overlooking the harbor.
La Sagrada Familia, Spain
Begun in 1881, one of the most artistic buildings ever built,
António Gaudí’s design for Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia remains unfinished, lending it an aura in some ways.
Construction continues today, 135 years after the foundation stone was laid, and it is now a functioning church, along with an architectural marvel.
Gaudi’s design, inspired by nature and resembling a surreal sandcastle,
It includes 12 350-foot-tall towers decorated with colorful mosaics and filled with bells that ring through their hollow cores.
Three large facades and a giant nave were constructed without the need for flying buttresses.
He devoted the last ten years of his life to its construction, and while construction is still ongoing, unfortunately,
Gaudí’s original plans and models were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in 1936 leaving today’s architects to guess what his vision was.
Petra, Jordan
Built in the 1st century AD, it is now superficially defined by its starring role in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
But Petra is a jolt of deep history and deeper colours.
It’s an ancient city carved into the pinkest red rock you’ll ever see.
The legendary kilometer-long sandstone Siq (the narrow valley that leads directly to the famous Al-Khazneh, or Treasury),
It is the most famous sight, but there is much more, and as you scramble from tomb to temple,
Enjoying the relics of antiquity miles after miles, the impact of this “wonder of the world” does not cease.
Qatar College of Islamic Studies, Qatar
Built in 2015, it looks like a huge insect or a new type of futuristic vehicle, but the College of Islamic Studies in Qatar,
In Doha Education City, it is indeed a new place of learning – a place that blends faith, knowledge and modernity.
As Qatar has become a cultural center under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser,
This building suggests learning in its very fabric,
with five large columns representing the five pillars of Islam and Arabic calligraphy carrying the message forward in a sci-fi way.
Gigard Monastery, Armenia
Construction began from the fourth century to the thirteenth century, and the rock-cut church is an eternal sight.
The Gigard Monastery in the Upper Azat Valley in Armenia includes several churches in a medieval complex.
The monastery began as a small cave church, which Gregory declared to contain a sacred spring in the fourth century, perhaps partly due to its picturesque location.
With its looming cliffs and the Azat River gorge, it became the ecclesiastical and cultural center of medieval Armenia.
The name “Gegaard” refers to the spear that wounded Christ, and Dan Braunitz will enjoy the fact that the spear is still here.
Hagia Sophia, Turkey
Built in 532-537 AD, this magnificent scarab rising from the Istanbul skyline is one of the most important buildings in the world.
It served as the center of the Byzantine Empire, then an Ottoman mosque, and now a museum.
Its dome is considered a technological masterpiece linking the Roman era and the monotheistic era.
Lincoln Cathedral, England
Built in 1072-1311 AD, it is the third largest English cathedral.
But many (including John Ruskin, who called it “the most valuable piece of architecture in the British Isles”) believe it is the best.
The three towers overlooking the flat lands – in the year 1311, may have been…
It has surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza to become the tallest building in the world –
or the place at the top of a steep hill,
Or the rich collection of Anglo-Medieval art, including one of the four copies of Magna Carta.
