The most famous buildings in the world. Solar Dome, Michigan, USA. Profitable house Tarkhova

These buildings are known all over the world, they are admired, admired and idolized. These are the visiting cards of cities, let's take another look at these historical buildings:

The Moscow Kremlin is the largest fortress in Europe, preserved and operating to this day, located in the oldest part of Moscow, the main socio-political, historical and artistic complex of the city, the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation. It is located on the high left bank of the Moskva River - Borovitsky Hill, at the confluence of the Neglinnaya River. In plan, the Kremlin is an irregular triangle with an area of ​​27.5 hectares (ha).

The Taj Mahal in India is located near Agra. In its outward stately appearance, it resembles a temple, but in fact it is a mausoleum built in honor of the second wife of Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal (otherwise Arjumand Bano Begum). It's really very beautiful building. No description, photo or video can convey the entire true beauty this building. The architecture of the building conveys a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture.

Sydney Opera House (Sydney Opera House) - one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, at the same time is a symbol of Australia's largest city. It is considered one of the main attractions of the continent - the sail-like shells that form the roof make this building unlike any other in the world. The Sydney Opera House is recognized as one of the outstanding buildings modern architecture in the world and since 1973 has been, along with the Harbor Bridge, the hallmark of Sydney. Since June 28, 2007, this building has been under the protection of UNESCO as a monument world heritage.

leaning tower of pisa- is a bell tower, part of the ensemble of the city's Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Pisan Cathedral) in the city of Pisa, which has gained worldwide fame due to its unintentional tilt. The tilt of the tower, caused by the softness of the soil, occurred as the construction ended in 1360. The “tilt” process ended only in 2008. The tower has 294 steps. The height of the tower is 55.86 m from the ground on the lowest side and 56.7 m on the highest side. The diameter of the base is 15.54 m. Its mass is estimated at 14,453 tons. The current slope is 3°

The Empire State Building is a 102-story building located in New York City on the island of Manhattan. It is an office building. From 1931 to 1970, was one of the tallest buildings in the world, until the opening north tower World shopping center. Got it back again given status after the tragedy of 2001 (the collapse of the World Trade Center). The architecture of the building belongs to the Art Deco style.

The Eiffel Tower is the most famous architectural landmark of Paris, known as a symbol of France, erected on the Champ de Mars and named after its designer Gustaf Eiffel. It is the most recognizable and tallest building in Paris, its height, together with the new antenna, is 324 meters, which is approximately the same as a house of 81 floors. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 and has an amazing origin story. In 1889, in Paris, in memory of the centenary of the French Revolution, the World Exhibition was held, it was thanks to the exhibition that the city authorities instructed to invent and erect a temporary structure serving as its entrance arch.

The Colosseum is a symbol of strength, power and the age-old history of Rome, one of the most famous sights in Italy. It is considered the most beautiful and largest stadium ancient world built in the first century AD. e. in the form of an amphitheatre. The construction of this grandiose structure began after numerous victories by the emperor Vespasian in Judea. The construction lasted 11 years, during which they did the impossible - quality, a complete emergency and the introduction of advanced, unthinkable at that time technologies - a conveyor.

Big Ben - famous all over the world clock tower Palace of Westminster in London. The Palace of Westminster hosts meetings of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, it is easy to get lost in the multi-kilometer corridors of the palace right direction, there is hardly a person who has visited all of its 1200 rooms, but the most famous part of the palace - the clock tower - is known, without exaggeration, to the whole world and is one of the brightest architectural symbols of the city. The height of the tower is 96 meters, inside it hides a narrow spiral staircase of 334 steps.

Burj Al Arab (Burj Al Arab) - translated from Arabic means " arab tower”, which Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum gave him, rightfully occupies the highest position in the list of the most luxurious hotels in the world. The best designers in the world worked on the interior of the Burj Al Arab hotel in order to emphasize its exclusive luxury. To furnish the rooms and halls of the hotel, they used about 1590 m² of 999 gold foil, as well as the best varieties of marble, precious and semi-precious stones, precious woods and the finest leather. The building rises 321 meters above an artificial island, poured specifically for its construction in the early 90s, 280 meters from coastline, with its appearance resembles a sail installed on traditional Arab ships. Creating a sail for the Burj Al Arab hotel was a truly amazing and time-consuming process.

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When you plan a trip to any of the largest cities on Earth, be sure to visit their most famous buildings. These cities are distinguished by many outstanding buildings, squares and urban landscapes, while history and cultural heritage make them the best cities peace. These gigantic capitals, with countless places of interest, have plenty to offer. However, these 10 most famous buildings on Earth stand out the most. The first tower, called the Shard, rises above the modern and vibrant skyline of London.

The Shard in London

The gigantic Shard skyscraper reshapes the London skyline and makes it the tallest skyscraper in Europe. With a height of just over 300 meters above the ground, the Shard is the tallest building in this part of the world, and definitely one of the most famous. It was completed in 2012 in the heart of London, within walking distance of the Thames, London Bridge and the Tower of London. In addition, the Shard skyscraper is visible from anywhere in the city, especially at night, when the majestic silhouette of this iconic famous building turns into a bright mixture of light and shadows, and the vibrant waters of the river reflect its majesty in a huge mirror of nature. Especially popular is Observation deck at an altitude of 250 meters, offering the best view of the capital of England.

Big Ben

Big Ben, the House of Commons and the House of Lords is another famous landmark in London, with its roots going back to the Victorian Gothic period with its many sharp details, tall pillars, intricate decorations, dark mystical corners and juxtaposed pale silhouettes. This delightful building is one of the city's most iconic landmarks. The gigantic Big Ben tower with its four chiming clock is recognized all over the world, making it one of the most famous buildings in the world.

Burj Khalifa

Of course, the tallest building in the world will not be an exception in the list of the most famous buildings. The Burj Khalifa towers majestically over Dubai at 829.84 meters high, creating a particularly colorful lively atmosphere at night. The many lights of the Burj Khalifa are combined with other buildings to create a true contemporary atmosphere in Dubai. The tower rises above the Dubai skyline with its distinctive Arabian silhouette and Y-shaped design, multiple levels and cross sections. This building can only be called a masterpiece of architecture. At the top of the skyscraper is a restaurant with the most the best view to the city - .

Burj Al Arab

This building is also located in Dubai, along beautiful coast cities. Dubai Sail is the most famous and most luxurious hotel in Dubai and on Earth. It is also quite high - almost 320 meters, which makes it the second highest high hotel on the ground. A symbol of Dubai's heritage, the Burj Al Arab impresses with its bright white silhouette and gigantic scale and size. A small narrow bridge leads to the Parus, and at the top there is a landing area for helicopters.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is another famous building located in eastern Agra in India. This masterpiece of art is famous for its white facades and history, which makes the Taj Mahal one of the most attractive architectural gems in the world. The building dates back to the 17th century. This is a mausoleum and a symbol of love that permeates every corner here. The Taj Mahal has a gigantic 170m high central dome, four smaller domes, a gigantic spacious courtyard, four huge slightly tilted minarets, great Islamic design with marble details, calligraphic embellishments, and more. Standing at the main entrance of the complex, you immediately feel all its grandeur and size.

Colosseum in Rome

The Colosseum in Rome is laced with historical heritage on every wall, façade or stone. The true scale of this arena is quite impressive even in our time, and during the time of the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago, it was a real engineering marvel at all. The Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the world, the center of numerous gladiator battles, where all the Roman nobility gathered. A long network of caves and tunnels stretches under the building, and the outer wall of the Colosseum with its numerous arches, floors and columns is considered one of the symbols of Rome and Italy.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa - not only most of the whole complex Cathedral Pisa, but the most famous. The rounded tower, with a series of spiraling balconies all along its façade, is pale in color with many shades. It is surrounded by many lawns and has a courtyard. The tower has a great Romanesque architectural design, but that's not what it's known for. This tilts almost 4 degrees, giving the visual illusion of falling. This is used by numerous tourists, taking pictures against the backdrop of the famous building.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous buildings in Australia and around the world because it is a real work of art and a masterpiece of art. It is a cultural symbol of the country and one of Sydney's most visited attractions. The Sydney Opera House hosts numerous art, opera and music events. The remarkable architectural vista, positioned right next to the water on one side and modern skyscrapers on the other, makes this outstanding opera house one of the most famous buildings in the world.

Empire State Building

A symbol of the state of New York and the United States, the Empire State Building is one of the must-see places in the city that never sleeps. The skyscraper will impress you with its multitude of colors, pure Art Deco shapes, historical structures and of course its impressive height. It rises almost 450 meters above the Manhattan skyline, dotted with numerous windows. At the top is an observation deck that opens up the magnificent skyline of Manhattan. At sunset, you can admire them for hours.

Eiffel Tower

Topping the list of the most popular buildings in the world is not a building at all, but a tower. The Eiffel Tower is undoubtedly the most popular building in the world. It is located in the center of Paris and is a symbol of the city and France, as well as one of the tallest structures throughout the continent and one of the most popular and visited attractions in the world. The tower is distinguished by its history, many spans, connections, arches, intricate details and other interesting elements that only emphasize its charm.


From modern and surreal skyscrapers to historical buildings who have a huge load of cultural heritage - there are many interesting buildings, which can be visited during one of the following trips. These iconic buildings are located in the largest cities of the world, being part of their history. Such structures are always surrounded by large shopping streets, cultural centers, modern entertainment complexes, so you will always find ways to spend your time here, apart from seeing the most famous buildings in the world. I also advise you to read about the most expensive construction projects of our time in a separate tape.

Judging by these photographs, give the architect free rein and he will be able to design a building of any shape and size. We have collected 33 extraordinary houses to show you and for each you can see the position on the world map so that you can visit them live😉. Join now!

1 Surreal house/Mind House (Barcelona, ​​Spain) map



Mind House is a building located at the entrance to Park Güell, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

2 Crooked House/Krzywy Domek (Sopot, Poland) map



Located in the Polish city of Sopot, this building is a popular landmark for tourists and photographers. The inspiration for the unusual shape of the building came from Polish fairy tale illustrations by Jan Marcin Szanser and Per Dahlberg.

3 Stone house/Casa do Penedo (Portugal) map



The house got its name because it was built on the basis of four large boulders, which serve as its foundation, walls and ceiling. Construction began in 1972 and lasted about two years until 1974.

4 Lotus Temple (New Delhi, India) map



The main temple of the Baha'i religion in India and neighboring countries, built in 1986. A huge building made of snow-white marble in the shape of a blooming lotus flower.

5 Cathedral/Catedral Metropolitana de Brasília (Brazilia, Brazil) map



Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Brasilia. It was built in the modernist style by the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer. When designing, Oscar Niemeyer was inspired by Liverpool Cathedral. The building itself consists of 16 hyperboloid columns, symbolizing hands raised to the sky.

6 Casa Mila/La Pedrera (Barcelona, ​​Spain) map



A residential building built in 1906-1910 in Barcelona by architect Antoni Gaudi for the Mila family, one of the attractions of the Catalan capital. The design of this Gaudi building was innovative for its time: a well-thought-out natural ventilation system allows you to abandon air conditioners, interior partitions in each of the apartments in the house can be moved at your discretion, there is an underground garage.

7 Atomium/Atomium (Brussels, Belgium) map



One of the main attractions and symbol of Brussels. The Atomium was designed for the opening of the 1958 World's Fair by architect Andre Waterkeyn as a symbol of the atomic age and the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

8 Museum of Contemporary Art (Niteroi, Brazil) map



The famous architectural creation of Oscar Niemeyer in the style of modernism. The building took five years to build and was completed in 1996. A sixteen-meter concrete smooth cylindrical structure on a thin leg with a glass belt at the same time looks like a UFO and an exotic plant that has grown on the edge of a cliff.

9 Kansas City Central Library/Kansas City Library (Missouri, USA) map



For a while the facade Central Library Kansas City was designed like a bookshelf made up of different books. Looked amazing)

10 The Hobbit House (Wales, UK) map



The house was built with maximum consideration environment and gave a unique opportunity to live closer to nature.

11 Solomon Guggenheim Museum/Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA) map



The choice of the site for the construction of the Guggenheim Museum fell on a site adjacent to a huge green area. Central Park between 88th and 89th streets on Fifth Avenue. When designing the building, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright departed from existing models and invited the audience to take the elevator to the top floor and descend along the internal continuous spiral, examining the exposition along the way, both on the ramp itself and in the halls adjacent to it.

12 Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain) map



The museum building was designed by American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry and opened to the public in 1997. The building was immediately recognized as one of the most spectacular deconstructivist buildings in the world. Architect Philip Johnson called it " the greatest building our time"

Located on the waterfront, the building embodies the abstract idea of ​​a futuristic ship, perhaps for interplanetary travel. He is also compared to a bird, an airplane, Superman, an artichoke, and a blossoming rose.

13 Habitat 67/Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada) map



Residential complex in Montreal, which was designed by architect Moshe Safdie in 1966-1967. The complex was built for the start of the Expo 67 exhibition, one of the largest world exhibitions of that time, the theme of which was houses and residential construction.

The cube is the basis of this structure. 354 cubes stacked on top of each other made it possible to create this gray building with 146 apartments. Most of the apartments have a private garden on the roof of the neighbor downstairs. The building style is brutalism.

14 House of Music/Casa da musica (Porto, Portugal) map



Designed by Rem Koolhaas concert hall V historical center Porto, where three city orchestras are based. The construction of a building of an unusual shape required the implementation of new engineering solutions. It was carried out in 2001-2005. in connection with the performance of Porto as the European Capital of Culture. The project proposed by Koolhaas received wide recognition in the architectural community. Thus, The New York Times architectural critic Nikolai Urusov called the House of Music "the most attractive" project of Koolhaas, comparing it with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

15 Olympic Stadium/Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Canada) map



It was built as the main sports arena of the summer Olympic Games 1976. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Largest stadium in Canada.

16 Nautilus House / Nautilus House (Mexico City, Mexico) map



The design of the house is very innovative, unusual and daring. Architect Javier Senosiain decided to bring nautical forms into architecture and created a house in the shape of a shell.

17 National Library of Belarus/National Library of Belarus (Minsk, Belarus) map



The building is a 73.6 m high rhombicuboctahedron (23 floors) and weighs 115,000 tons (excluding books). Unusual is the illumination of the building, which is a giant multi-color screen based on LED clusters, which turns on daily at sunset and works until midnight. The design and patterns on it are constantly changing.

18 National Performing Arts Center/国家大剧院 (Beijing, China) map



It is an ellipsoidal dome made of glass and titanium, rising in the middle of an artificial reservoir, across the road from Zhongnanhai Lake. The three main halls of the theater can accommodate at least 6,500 spectators.

The architect was the Frenchman Paul Andre; construction lasted from December 2001 to December 2007. The construction of such a huge futuristic building in the historical center of the Chinese capital caused great controversy, both in terms of its inconsistency with the urban environment, and because of the exorbitant and constantly increasing costs during construction.

19 Conch Shell House (Isla Mujeres, Mexico) map



The house was designed by Octavio Ocampo, one of Mexico's most famous artists, and his brother. The house is a perfect display of his surreal blend of summerhouse and unique underwater aesthetic.

20 House Attack (Vienna, Austria) map



Erwin Wurm is known for his unusual, sometimes humorous and sometimes cryptic work. He created just such an intriguing installation, to the surprise of passers-by.

21 Library of Alexandrina/ مكتبة الإسكندرية الجديدة ‎ (Alexandria, Egypt) map



The idea of ​​building a library on the site of the ancient Library of Alexandria arose in the early 1970s and belonged to a group of professors from the University of Alexandria. The complex is characterized by a very expressive architecture. The concept of the library building is based on the symbolism of the south. The building is like a solar disk, raised to the south and tilted to the north. The glass surfaces of the north-sloping roof let northern light down into the library.

22 Cube houses/Kubuswoning (Rotterdam, Netherlands) map



A series of houses built in Rotterdam and Helmond to an innovative design by architect Piet Blom in 1984. Blom's radical decision was that he installed the house's box not on the edge, as usual, but on the top, and with this top he rests (visually) on the hexagonal pylon. In Rotterdam, there are 38 such houses and 2 more super-cubes, and all the houses are articulated into a single structure. From a bird's eye view, the complex has an intricate appearance resembling an impossible triangle.

23 Postman Cheval's Ideal Palace/Le Palais idéal (France) map



The creator of this impressive monument naive architecture - Joseph Ferdinand Cheval. From the age of 13 he worked as an assistant baker, in 1867 he received the position of a rural postman. Delivering mail, he made a daily journey of 25 km, putting stones of an unusual natural shape into a wheelbarrow. Of these, for 33 years alone in his spare time, day and night, in any weather, with the help of the most unpretentious tools, he realized his dream - a palace beyond imagination.

24 Hallgrímskirkja Church (Reykjavik, Iceland) map



The project of the church was developed in 1937 by the architect Gudjoun Samuelson. It took 38 years to build the church. The church is located in the center of Reykjavik, and is visible from any part of the city. It has become one of the main attractions of the city.

25 Eden project (Cornwall, UK) map



Botanical garden in Cornwall, UK. Includes a greenhouse, consisting of several geodesic domes, under which plants from all over the world are collected. The greenhouse area is 22,000 sq. m. The domes are made of hundreds of hexagons and several pentagons connecting the entire structure. Each of the six- and pentagons is made of durable translucent plastic. Tropical vegetation is represented in the first greenhouse, Mediterranean vegetation is presented in the second one.

26 The Museum of Play (Rochester, USA) map



Interesting architectural solution National Museum games in Rochester. The museum provides a huge interactive collection of exhibits dedicated to the history and exploration of games. A resort complex on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The complex consists of two buildings and a bridge connecting them, which housed 1539 rooms. Initially, the dome cells were with acrylic inserts, but after the fire in 1976, only a metal frame remained. Now the Biosphere has become a recognizable symbol of the city. The house is in the neoclassical style, standing upside down. WonderWorks lets you eat well, have a good laugh, lay on a yoga bed, ride a virtual rollercoaster, control a ball with your mind, find yourself in the desert or inside soap bubble and much more. In total, WonderWorks has about one hundred and fifty interactive entertainment. Longaberger's headquarters was built in the form of one of the company's products - a wicker basket. The building has seven floors, huge handles weigh almost 150 tons. Museum, gallery of contemporary art, opened as part of the European Capital of Culture program in 2003. The concept of the building was developed by London-based architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier. The informal name is a friendly alien. The building was built in the blob style, which contrasts sharply with the surrounding buildings. The base of the building is made of reinforced concrete, the outer shell is made of bluish plastic panels. The Kunsthaus looks decent despite the very low budget for such cultural buildings in major cities. The interior, according to Colin Fournier, should resemble a magician's black box. The facade is implemented as a programmable media installation. A residential complex in Darmstadt in the form of a spiral, designed by the Austrian architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and characterized by the complete absence of rectangular shapes. Other names are “Wooden Skyscraper”, “Solombala Skyscraper”. Wooden 13-storey house built in Solombala (northern Arkhangelsk) by businessman Nikolai Sutyagin. The house was partially dismantled in December 2008 by a court decision as an unauthorized building. On May 5, 2012, the remaining part of the wooden skyscraper was destroyed by fire. It was one of the tallest private wooden buildings in Russia, yielding in height to some tiered wooden churches.

Architecture is a kind of creation and reflection of social consciousness and being, it is designed to satisfy the aesthetic needs of society. The evolution of architecture is inseparable from the evolution of mankind. Any achievements and problems of architecture cannot be separated from social achievements and difficulties.

For architecture, it is more important to fully satisfy the needs of society in equal relationships with the natural environment, and not to develop any prevailing style. For example, popular architectural style the baroque did not lead to the construction of ecological buildings that would be in balance with the natural environment and would fully satisfy the needs of society. So was late modernism.

XX century in the formation of world architecture

The 20th century was critical in the development of all mankind: it was then that the society was first aware of the instability of its development and formation, which led to global changes. For the first time, it was realized that a more sustainable development was needed, based on sustainable construction and architecture.

Remark 1

For the first time in human history in the 20th century, the built environment grew and became the main value of all states. It was during this period that the need for a stable use of resources and the transition to the use of renewable resources was realized, which significantly influenced architecture.

Factors that influenced modern world architecture

During that period, other global problems arise that significantly influenced the architecture:

  • rapid population growth;
  • the formation of cities and the creation of urban areas;
  • lack of vital resources;
  • increasing social inequality;
  • unsustainable development;
  • the rapid growth of undeveloped territories;
  • reduction of natural landscapes.

Therefore, it is more logical to arrange the stages of architectural evolution with the stages of technical, socio-economic, environmental and technological development of society. Assessing the progress of architecture, the needs of society in terms of the natural resource potential of the territory, as well as ecological relations with the natural environment, must be placed in the first place.

Great architectural structures of the world

planning trip around the world, you should definitely visit the cities with the most significant and beautiful architectural structures. These cities are popular because of the large number of buildings, cityscapes and squares, while the cultural heritage and unforgettable architecture make them the best cities in the world.

These vast capitals with innumerable mysterious places can offer many attractions. However, ten of the greatest architectural structures peace.

  1. The Shard tower in London. The huge skyscraper The Shard is drastically changing the London skyline and making it its own high point in Europe. Its height exceeds 300 meters above ground level. The Shard is considered the tallest building in this part of the globe and is rightfully considered the most famous. In 2012, its construction was completed in the very center of London, not far from London Bridge, the Thames embankment and the Tower of London. The Shard skyscraper can be seen from anywhere in the city, especially at night, when the luminous silhouette of this iconic architectural structure turns into a colorful mixture of shadows and light, and the lively reflection in the river conveys all its grandeur. Of particular popularity is the observation deck, which is located at an altitude of 250 meters, and offers the best view of London.

Figure 1. The Shard Tower, London. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

  1. Big Ben. Another famous attraction in London is Big Ben (House of Lords, House of Commons), which has its roots in history. In the architecture of this building, you can see numerous sharp details, tall pillars, sharp jewelry, dark mystical angles and contrasting pale silhouettes. This large-scale architectural structure is one of the iconic landmarks of the city. The huge tower of Big Ben with a clock and a characteristic ringing can be recognized all over the world, which makes this building one of the most famous buildings in the world.
  1. Burj Khadifa. Of course, the tallest building will not be an exception in the list of famous architectural structures. Burj Khadifa towers majestically over Dubai at an altitude of 830 meters. At night, the building creates a particularly colorful and fantastic atmosphere. Numerous lights come together to create a massive spectacle along with other architectural structures in Dubai. The tower rises above the horizon with its distinctive Arabian silhouette, Y-shaped design, cross-sections and multiple levels. This building can be safely called a masterpiece of modern architecture. At the top of the skyscraper is the famous restaurant At.Mosphere.
  1. Burj Al Arab. This delightful architectural structure is also located in Dubai along the coast. Dubai Sail is the most popular and luxurious hotel not only in Dubai, but on the whole planet. Its height is about 320 meters, thanks to which it ranks second in the ranking of the world's tallest hotels. Burj Al Arab is a symbol of the historical heritage of Dubai, it makes an unforgettable impression with its bright white and original silhouette, as well as its gigantic scale and size. A small narrow bridge leads to the Burj Al Arab hotel, and at the top there is a landing area for helicopters.
  1. Taj Mahal. Another famous architectural structure is the Taj Mahal. It is located in India in eastern Agra. This architectural masterpiece famous for its snow-white facades and unique history, making it one of the most eye-catching architectural gems. The history of the building dates back to the 17th century. The Taj Mahal is a love story that permeates every corner of this mausoleum. This building has a huge dome 170 meters high, four smaller domes and a giant courtyard, several inclined minarets. The Taj Mahal is known worldwide for its unique Islamic design, marble details and many calligraphic embellishments. Being at the main entrance, you immediately feel its grandeur and impressive size.
  1. Roman Coliseum. Every detail of the Roman Colosseum is permeated with historical heritage. Each wall, facade and stone has its own history. The scale of this arena is impressive to this day, and even 2000 years ago it was a real engineering miracle. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world, the center of numerous gladiatorial battles, where all the Roman nobility gathered. Below it is a network of tunnels and caves, and the outer part of the Colosseum with many arches, columns and floors is considered the main symbol of Rome and all of Italy.
  1. Leaning tower in Pisa. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is just a small part of the whole complex of the Pisa Cathedral, but it is considered its most famous architectural structure. The tower consists of many spiraling balconies that are pale in color with many shades. It has a courtyard and is surrounded by numerous lawns. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is made in Romanesque architectural design, but it is not known for this at all. It tilts 4 degrees, creating the illusion of falling. This is what tourists use when taking pictures against the backdrop of the original architectural structure.
  1. Sydney Opera House. Opera theatre in Sydney is the most famous architectural structure in Australia, as it is a real work of art and a true masterpiece of art. The Opera House is a cultural symbol of the country and Sydney's most popular attraction. Within the walls of the Sydney Opera House there are numerous events related to opera, art and music. The architectural perspective is located near the water on one side, and on the other side is surrounded by modern skyscrapers, which makes the Sydney Opera House one of the famous buildings in the world.

Figure 8. Sydney Opera House. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

  1. Empire State Building. The symbol of the US state and New York is the Empire State Building. This is one of those must-see places in the city. The skyscraper will impress with its many colors, pure Art Deco forms, historical cultures and, of course, its enormous height. It is elevated almost 450 meters above the Manhattan skyline. The Empire State Building is dotted with numerous windows, and at the top there is an observation deck that offers a divine view of the whole of Manhattan.

Figure 9. Empire State Building, New York. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

  1. Eiffel Tower. The list of the most popular and great architectural structures is not headed by a building at all, but by a tower. Eiffel Tower. It is undoubtedly the most popular architectural structure in the world. The tower is located in the center of Paris and is a symbol of France. It is the tallest building on the entire continent and the most visited attraction in the world. The Eiffel Tower is famous for its unique history, numerous spans, junctions, arches and intricate elements that successfully underline its charm.

Figure 10. Eiffel Tower, Paris. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

Now there are a huge number of great architectural structures that have not only an impressive appearance, but also a hereditary history that fascinates no less than their pompous architecture. These places of worship located in different cities the globe and are an integral part of world history.

Modern cities are made up of buildings of all styles, sizes, designs and shapes - from wooden one-story shacks to high-tech buildings that look like they stepped out of the pages of science fiction novels. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol once said: "Architecture is also a chronicle of the world: it speaks when both songs and legends are already silent." We invite you to take a brief tour of the buildings that have become real architectural milestones in the history of mankind.

1. Hal Saflieni, Paola City, Malta

This underground sanctuary (hypogeum) is one of the most ancient buildings on Earth: according to some estimates, its construction began about six thousand years ago. Initially, Khal-Saflieni was used as a temple, and then began to serve as a burial place - during excavations, archaeologists discovered the remains of more than seven thousand ancient inhabitants of these places.

2. Pyramids of Giza, a suburb of Cairo, Egypt

The pyramids on the Giza Plateau are the only creation of the ancient architects of the legendary Seven Wonders of the World that has survived to this day (strictly speaking, only the highest of them, the Pyramid of Khufu, better known as the Pyramid of Cheops, is classified as a Miracle).

No wonder the Arabs say: "The world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of the pyramids" - for about four thousand years, the pyramid of Khufu was the tallest building on the planet and still amazes the imagination with its majesty and grandeur. Its height is 146.5 meters, the pyramids of Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mykerin) are slightly lower - 136.4 meters and 62 meters, respectively.

3. Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek, Lebanon

The debate about how the Egyptians managed to build "hills" of huge boulders weighing 2.5 tons will probably never subside. However, the builders of the temple of Jupiter in the ancient city of Baalbek could have given them a head start in terms of the size of the “bricks”: when building the temple, they used three blocks weighing 800 tons each, although there are smaller ones, “only” 350 tons each.

Two kilometers from the temple, archaeologists found a block called the "South Stone" - its weight reaches over 1000 tons, but for some reason the largest "brick" remained in the quarry.

4. Assyrian aqueduct near the village of Jervan, Iraq

It's hard to believe, but this masterpiece of Assyrian architects, built in 703-688 BC by order of King Sennacherib, is an ordinary water supply that provided water to the capital of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh. The length of the most famous part of the aqueduct, made of limestone, is about 300 meters, and the height is about 10 meters, while the total length of the ancient water supply system is more than 80 km.

5. Machu Picchu, Peru

The amazing quality of the buildings in Machu Picchu is explained either by the skill of the masons, or, more likely, by the extreme cruelty of the foremen, who forced them to work the blocks with copper and bronze tools so that they fit very tightly to each other and stand without any bonding solution for hundreds of years.

6. Aqueducts of the Roman Empire

Rounded arches were invented in Mesopotamia about four thousand years ago, but they are known all over the world thanks to the Romans, who willingly used this architectural detail in the construction of their aqueducts.

The highest of the ancient Roman aqueducts that have survived to this day is the Pont du Gard, located on the territory modern France. The aqueduct, built in 40-66 AD, was part of the water supply system of the city of Nîmes, the height of the Pont du Gard is 47 meters and its length is 275 meters.

7 Alexandria Window Glass

The first transparent panes in human history appeared in Alexandria around 100 AD (some historians say they are at least 200 years older). One of the Roman glassblowers living in the city guessed to add manganese oxide to the glass mass, as a result of which such an innovative, as they would say now, architectural solution appeared.

8. Concrete domes of Roman temples

The huge stone domes used in many Christian churches were first created by the Romans after the invention of concrete.

The oldest example of the use of a concrete dome is the temple of Mercury, built between the 27th year BC and the 14th year after, during the reign of Emperor Augustus. The largest unreinforced concrete dome belongs to the Pantheon in Rome, completed in 127 AD.

9. Linen processing plant in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK

At first glance, this old building is unremarkable, but meanwhile it is respectfully called the “grandfather of skyscrapers”: when building a factory commissioned by British entrepreneur Charles Badge, architect and engineer William Strutt was one of the first in the world to use cast-iron beams and metal structures, which gave the structure an unprecedented strength.

The construction of the factory was completed in 1797, and for many years its design became a model for the construction of many other industrial and residential buildings.

10. Suspension bridge over the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

One of the first in the world suspension bridges, designed by engineers Erskine Hazard and Josiah White, was the largest of them at the time of opening in 1816, however, it stood for only about a year.

11. Great Orangery Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK

The structure, designed by Joseph Paxton, the author of the famous Crystal Palace in London, was for some time the largest in the world. glass building: its length was 96.2 meters, the width was 37.5 meters, and the greenhouse reached a height of 20.4 meters.

Paxton, who served as a gardener at the residence of the Dukes of Devonshire, amazed the guests of the estate with his unprecedented fantastic designs, but many of them were too impractical: for example, to maintain the temperature in the greenhouse, eight boilers had to be built and 11 km of pipes laid. The Great Orangery cost Chatsworth House so much that it was demolished in 1923.

12. Four-story house, suburb of Paris, France

A nondescript, graffiti-covered building on one of the northern outskirts of Paris - real monument architecture, although it is hard to believe. Its creators, engineer Francois Coignet and architect Theodore Lachaise, were the first to use reinforced concrete as a building material, after which this practice became widespread.

13. Oriel Chambers, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK

Although the factory in Shrewsbury is called the “grandfather of skyscrapers”, this honorary epithet should rightfully belong to a building erected in 1864 by architect Peter Ellis: load-bearing steel structures with window panes fixed to them were first used in Oriel Chambers - this is the technology used to build a large some of the tallest buildings on the planet.

14. Insurance Company Building, Chicago, Illinois, USA

The 42-meter building, built according to the project of William Le Baron Jenney, one of the most respected representatives of the Chicago school of architecture, belongs to the building, for the first time, so to speak, "scraped the sky."

The construction of the world's first skyscraper was completed in 1885, and in 1891 two more were added to its ten floors, and the height increased from 42 meters to 54.9 meters.

The architect, apparently, did not trust the strength of the steel frame too much, so he placed the concern for the stability of the building also on the back load-bearing wall and granite columns. Unfortunately, the first skyscraper has not survived to our time - in 1931 the building was demolished.

15. Ingalls Building, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Chicago is considered the birthplace of skyscrapers, but the world's first such structure made of reinforced concrete appeared in the city of Cincinnati in 1903. An unprecedented 15-story building 64 meters high was designed by the architectural bureau Elzner & Anderson for Melville Ingalls, one of the American financial tycoons of the early 20th century. The skyscraper has survived to this day and is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

16. Villa Savoy, Poissy, France

A small country villa, built in 1931 by the famous Le Corbusier, the founder of modernism in building design, is considered the embodiment of his "Five Points of Modern Architecture", formulating the basic principles of Art Nouveau. These include a flat roof, pillars, horizontal windows, free planning and a free facade - the supports are not located outside the house, but in any way, external walls can also be any.

17. Solar House No. 1, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Employees of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Hoyt Hottel, in 1939 built a building on the territory of the Institute, completely heated by solar energy. Later, several more similar houses were created for scientific purposes, and the first commercial building, heated exclusively by the sun, appeared in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1956, it was designed by Frank Bridgers and Donald Paxton.

18. Echoviren, California, USA

In August this year, a team of Californian architects completed the construction of the world's first building, all building materials for which are made using 3D printing. Of course, it is difficult to call it a building, rather it is something like a small hut: its dimensions are 3 × 3 × 2.4 meters.

The project was named Echoviren - in honor of one of the rare species of redwoods, because the structure of the walls of the 3D hut resembles the cellular structure of the fibers of this tree. It took about 10,800 hours to manufacture its 585 components in total: for two months, seven 3D printers worked almost around the clock, and assembled the “building” in just four days.