1. Flatiron Building in New York City, United States
Completed in 1902, Flatiron Building is considered to be one of the first skyscrapers ever built and some consider it to be New York City’s first skyscraper. This is because the building was constructed using a steel skeleton construction technique, which was still highly unusual for the time. Today Flatiron Building is a popular spot for tourists taking photographs, it is also frequently seen on television commercials and documentaries as an easily recognizable symbol of the city.
2. Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Australia
The Royal Exhibition Building was completed in 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition, which attracted more than one million visitors. The building was designed by the architect Joseph Reed and the first stone was laid on 19 February, 1879. The Royal Exhibition Building has hosted several exhibitions between 1880-1901 including the opening of the first Parliament of Australia on 9 May 1901, following the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January. The building is still used for exhibitions and it is one of the last remaining world fair buildings which is still used for exhibitions. In 2004 the UN inscribed the Royal Exhibition Building as a World Heritage site and it became the first building in Australia to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
3. Royal Liver Building in Liverpool, United Kingdom
Designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas, for the Royal Liver Assurance company in 1908 and completed in 1911. The Royal Liver Building is the first sight of many visitors to Liverpool and probably the most photographed. The building is a massive structure with a pair of clock towers and Liver Birds sitting on top of the clock towers. The clock-faces are 25ft (7.6 m) in diameter and are larger than those of ‘Big Ben’ in London.
4. United States Capitol in Washington, DC, United States
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, DC., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Though it has never been the geographic center of the federal district, the Capitol is the origin by which both the quadrants of the District are divided and the city was planned. Officially, both the east and west sides of the Capitol are referred to as “fronts.” Historically, however, only the east front of the building was intended for the arrival of visitors and dignitaries
5. Turning Torso in Malmo, Sweden
Opened on 27 August 2005, Turning Torso was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The design was based on a sculpture that was made by Calatrava called ‘Twisting Torso’. Turning Torso has a height of 190 m (623 ft) and consists of 54 floors. The building was constructed between 2001 and 2006. The building is the tallest skyscraper in Scandinavia.
6. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, United States
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is an art museum in Kansas City, Missouri, known for its neoclassical architecture and extensive collection of Asian art. In 2007, Time magazine ranked the museum’s new Bloch Building, # 1 on its list of “The 10 Best (New and Upcoming) Architectural Marvels” which considered candidates from around the globe. On September 1, 2010, Julin Zugazagoitia became the fifth Director of the museum.
7. Emirates Towers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Emirates Towers Complex contains the Emirates Office Tower (also called Emirates Tower One) and the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel (or Emirates Tower Two), the towers rise to 355 metres (1,163 ft) and 309 metres (1,014 ft), respectively. Standing as the 12th- and 29th-tallest buildings in the world, the Emirates Towers are connected by a 9,000 m‚² (96,875 ft‚²) two-storey retail complex known as ‘The Boulevard’.
8. Larnach Castle in Dunedin, New Zealand
Larnach Castle was built between 1871 and 1887 for the wealthy banker, political figure and former Minister of Mines, William Larnach. William Larnach committed suicide in 1898 after a series of financial and personal setbacks, he shot himself in the Parliament Building in Wellington. Larnach Castle is currently owned by the Barker family, Barry and Margaret Barker bought it in 1967, restored it and recreated its 35 acres of gardens and grounds.
9. Athens Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece
The Athens Olympic Stadium, also known as the OAKA (Olympic Athletic Center of Athens), was originally built between 1980-1982 to host the 1982 European Championships in Athletics. It also hosted the 1991 Mediterranean Games and the 1997 World Championships in Athletics. The Athens Olympic Stadium went through extensive renovations in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games. The famous root of the stadium designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava was added just before the 2004 Olympic Games.
