10 Weird Architectural Marvels Around the World

Fine architecture is perhaps one of the most important aspects of travel. At its best, architecture is an artistic expression unlike any other and as a result, can make a city feel wholly unique. With that in mind, here are 10 architectural marvels that truly stand apart.

1. The Atomium, Brussels, Belgium
Built for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, the Atomium is a 102 m-tall structure in the shape of an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times. The Atomium is made up of 9 steel spheres, out of which 3 are closed to the public since they lack virtual support; the remaining spheres are connected via escalators, the top one offering a breathtaking view of the city of Brussels. The construction symbolizes peace between nations, faith in progress and a positive view on the future of humanity.

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2. Cathedral of Brasília, Brazil
This Roman-Catholic church in Brazil’s capital was designed by Oscar Niemeyer to symbolize two hands pointing to heaven. The cathedral is made up of 16 concrete columns, representing hyperboloid structures with asymmetric sections. In the square outside the cathedral, four bronze sculptures representing the Evangelists greet visitors. Three suspended angel sculptures decorate the building’s interior, weighing 100 kg, 200 kg and 300 kg.

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3. Kunsthaus, Graz, Austria
Built to celebrate European Capital of Culture recipient Graz in 2003, the Kunsthaus was designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier in an organic shape with a skin made of iridescent blue panels. With its large protruding nozzles, a concept known as “blob architecture”, the building has been nicknamed the “Friendly Alien” by its designers. The unusual museum hosts a variety of contemporary art from the last 40 years. At night, the museum is an amazing sight with its computerized lighting system that glows beneath the acrylic skin.

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Image by Wikimedia Commons

4. The Crooked House, Sopot, Poland
Built by Szotyńscy & Zaleski and inspired by a children’s illustration made by Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, the Crooked House (Krzywy Domek) was built in 2004 as part of the Rezydent shopping centre in downtown Sopot. It was built to fit in with the other surrounding buildings but to appear melted or exhausted. The three-story house features several bars, restaurants and tourist shops and is the most photographed building in Poland.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

Image by Wikimedia Commons

5. Palais Idéal, Hauterives, France
The Palais Idéal or the Ideal Palace is a testament to how far you can get if you doggedly pursue a dream. The castle was built by Ferdinand Cheval, a French postman who dedicated 33 years of his life inspired by a stone he tripped over on his rounds. He stopped to examine this rock and found it so bizarre that he decided to take it home with him and returned the next day to gather more rocks. After noticing the amazing way time had shaped the rocks, Cheval decided to become an architect and built his castle from little rocks and pebbles. This fine example of “naïve art” architecture with influences from the Bible and Hindu mythology is now open to the public.

Image by misterdi

Image by misterdi

6. Casa Batlló, Barcelona, Spain
Built in 1877 and restored by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol, the Casa Batlló is a perpetual Barcelona highlight and part of the Gaudí UNESCO World Heritage Site. Referred to by locals in Catalan as Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), the building’s exterior indeed has a remarkable skeletal appearance. The façade is made from broken ceramic tiles in hues of orange, green and blue. In his design, Gaudí was inspired by the shapes and colours found in marine life.

Image by Ivan Mlinaric

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7. Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia
This civic centre in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria was built as a focal point for the city, to mask the unattractive railway lines that ran through the city centre. The railway had to be covered with 3,000 tons of steel beams and 4,000 spring coils to absorb vibrations. The unusual design of the square makes copious use of sandstone, zinc and glass. Taking 8 years to design and build, Federation Square hosts several shops, restaurants and coffee shops, as well as the Ian Potter Centre, the first major museum dedicated exclusively to Australian art.

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8. National Stadium, Beijing, China
Designed for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, Beijing National Stadium is considered to be the world’s largest enclosed space, with a volume of three million cubic metres. The design created by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron inspired by Chinese art and culture is more commonly known as “Bird’s Nest Stadium” due to the web of steel beams that compose the roof. The 91,000-seat stadium weighs 42,000 tons and measuring 294 m from east to west and 333 m from north to south. Beijing National Stadium will host the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2015.

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9. Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada
Designed by French architect Roger Taillibert and built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, Montreal’s much-maligned and costly Olympic Stadium is the perpetual brunt of jokes and indeed, clandestine affection. Alternatively known as the “Big O” or “Big Owe”, due to the exorbitant price-tag, the stadium was not completed in time for the Olympic Games and had to be used without a tower or roof. The retractable roof arrived from Paris in 1981 and stood unused because of insufficient funds but more likely, municipal corruption. Even after it was installed, the roof ripped and needed expensive repairs. For these and many other misfortunes, the Olympic Stadium is Montreal’s most notorious skylime attraction. Still, the Big O is the largest stadium in Canada by seating capacity and at 175 m, the distinctive, inclined tower is the highest in the world. For a great view of the city, ride up to the observation deck.

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10. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA
Construction on the Walt Disney Concert Hall began in 1992, after a $50 million donation from Walt’s widow, Lillian Disney. Pritzker Prize winner Frank Gehry delivered the designs a year earlier but some of his initial plans were changed to improve acoustics. The building’s exterior of stainless steel, mirror-like panels had to be sanded to reduce sunlight beaming into adjacent apartments. If you love Gehry’s iconic Guggenheim Bilbao, you’ll fall for Disney Hall in turn.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

Image by Wikimedia Commons