50 Iconic Buildings Worldwide You Must See In Your Lifetime

When learning about a new destination’s history, travelers should look no further than its iconic buildings. Of course, there are other ways to discover the local culture, which can be reflected in the food, the textiles, and the dialects, but the buildings can reveal the most about a place. Local landmarks are—in essence— silent witnesses to past eras, kingdoms, and tastes, but they can also offer clues to the future.

Consider this lineup to be a travel bucket list of sorts. These buildings are renowned for various reasons—some for their architectural charm, others for their historical significance, and some for a healthy mix of both. Many are well-known: Think Europe’s museums, churches, and other landmarks whose replicas live on in souvenir shops and countless photos. There are also, of course, a decent number on this list designed by famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Oscar Niemeyer. And while some of these towers exist off the beaten path, they’re just as important in their own right.

Here, A&D rounds up iconic buildings worldwide that you’ll be glad you’ve seen when you look back on your travels. It’s been said that travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you more prosperous, and we couldn’t agree more.

01. Hagia Sophia — Istanbul, Turkey

Photo by DeAgostini

02. The Guggenheim — New York City, USA

Photo by Stan Honda

03. Taj Mahal — Agra, India

Photo by Julian Finney

04. Dancing House — Prague, Czech Republic

Photo by Insights/UIG

05. Château de Chenonceau — Chenonceaux, France

Photo by DeAgostini

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

Photo by Patrick Altmann

07. The Pyramids Of Giza — Giza, Egypt

Photo by Sean Gallup

08. Acropolis Of Athens — Athens, Greece

Photo by Milos Bicanski

09. Le Centre Pompidou — Paris, France

Photo by DEA/C. SAPPA/De Agostini

10. The Gateway Arch — St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Photo by Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives

11. Musée d’Orsay — Paris, France

Photo by Chesnot

12. The Gherkin — London, U.K.

Photo by Oli Scarff

13. Metropolitan Cathedral Of Brasília — Brasília, Brazil

Photo by Matt Frost

14. Mosque Of Córdoba — Córdoba, Spain

Photo by Gerig/ullstein bild

15. Westminster Abbey — London, U.K.

Photo by Pawel Libera

16. Dresden Frauenkirche — Dresden, Germany

Photo by Sean Gallup

17. Château Frontenac — Québec, Canada

Photo by Jayakumar Radhakrishnan

18. The Colosseum — Rome, Italy

Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

19. One World Trade Center — New York City, USA

Photo by Andrew Burton

20. The Lotus Temple — New Delhi, India

Photo by Universal Images Group

21. St. Basil’s Cathedral — Moscow, Russia

Photo by Pola Damonte

22. Dome Of The Rock — Jerusalem, Israel

Photo by Joris Görling

23. Casa Milà — Barcelona, Spain

Photo by Michelle McMahon

24. The White House — Washington, D.C., USA

Photo by Alex Wong

25. Forbidden City — Beijing, China

Image courtesy of Getty Images

26. Sagrada Família — Barcelona, Spain

Photo by Prasit

27. Lincoln Center — New York City, USA

Photo by Siegfried Layda

28. The Shard — London, UK

Photo by Greg Fonne

29. Le Mont-Saint-Michel — Normandy, France

Photo by Jeff Morgan

30. Bran Castle — Bran, Romania

Photo by Wojtek Laski

31. Angkor Wat — Siem Reap, Cambodia

Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy

32. Sultan Ahmed Mosque — Istanbul, Turkey

Photo by Bulent Kilic

33. Konark Sun Tower — Konark, India

Photo by Aswajith Cs

34. Chrysler Building — New York City, USA

Photo by Mario Tama

35. Sacré-Coeur — Paris, France

Photo by Fox Photos/L. V. Clark

36. Potala Palace — Lhasa, Tibet, China

Photo by Yin Shichang/VCG

37. Musée du Louvre — Paris, France

Photo by Pascal Le Segretain

38. Sydney Opera House — Sydney, Australia

Photo by Michael Dunning

39. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao — Bilbao, Spain

Photo by Tim Graham

40. Fallingwater — Mill Run, Pennsylvania, USA

Photo by Richard A. Cooke III

41. The Pantheon — Rome, Italy

Photo by Werner Forman Archive/Heritage Images

42. Space Needle — Seattle, Washington, USA

Photo by Otto Greule Jr

43. Villa Savoye — Poissy, France

Photo by Juan Jimenez

44. House Of Parliament And Elizabeth Tower — London, U.K.

Photo by Kriangkrai Thitimakorn

45. Burj Khalifa — Dubai, UAE

Photo by Chopper Shoot LLC/Barcroft Media

46. Leaning Tower Of Pisa — Pisa, Italy

Photo by Dado Daniela

47. São Paulo Museum Of Art — São Paulo, Brazil

Photo by Vbacarin

48. The Flatiron Building — New York City, USA

Photo by Noam Galai

49. The Sistine Chapel — Vatican City

Photo by Franco Origlia

50. Eiffel Tower — Paris, France

Photo by Alexander Spatari

All photos courtesy of Getty Images

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to our top stories.