50 Iconic Buildings Around the World You Need to See Before You Die

When it comes to learning about the history of a new destination, 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 it’s the buildings that 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 us clues to what the future holds (not to mention make for a great travel gram, too).

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. A fair amount of them are well-known, of course: 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 too. And while some of these edifices exist off the beaten path, they’re just as important in their own right. Here, AD rounds up iconic buildings from around the world 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 richer, and we couldn’t agree more.

1. Hagia Sophia — Istanbul, Turkey

Photo by DeAgostini. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

2. The Guggenheim — New York City, USA

Photo by Stan Honda. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

3. Taj Mahal — Agra, India

Photo by Julian Finney. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

4. Dancing House — Prague, Czech Republic

Photo by Insights/UIG. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

5. Château de Chenonceau — Chenonceaux, France

Photo by DeAgostini. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by Patrick Altmann. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

7. The Pyramids of Giza — Giza, Egypt

Photo by Sean Gallup. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

8. Acropolis of Athens — Athens, Greece

Photo by Milos Bicanski. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

9. Le Centre Pompidou — Paris, France

Photo by DEA/C. SAPPA/De Agostini. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo By Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

11. Musée d’Orsay — Paris, France

Photo by Chesnot. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

12. The Gherkin — London, U.K.

Photo by Oli Scarff. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

13. Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília — Brasília, Brazil

Photo by Matt Frost. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

14. Mosque of Córdoba — Córdoba, Spain

Photo by Gerig/ullstein bild. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

15. Westminster Abbey — London, U.K.

Photo by Pawel Libera. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

16. Dresden Frauenkirche — Dresden, Germany

Photo by Sean Gallup. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

17. Château Frontenac — Québec, Canada

Photo by Jayakumar Radhakrishnan. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

18. The Colosseum — Rome, Italy

Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by Andrew Burton. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

20. The Lotus Temple — New Delhi, India

Photo by Universal Images Group. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by Pola Damonte. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

22. Dome of the Rock — Jerusalem, Israel

Photo by Joris Görling. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

23. Casa Milà — Barcelona, Spain

Photo by Michelle McMahon. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by Alex Wong. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

25. Forbidden City — Beijing, China

Image courtesy of Getty Images.

26. Sagrada Família — Barcelona, Spain

Photo by Prasit. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

27. Lincoln Center — New York City, USA

Photo by Siegfried Layda. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

28. The Shard — London, UK

Photo by Greg Fonne. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by Jeff Morgan. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

30. Bran Castle — Bran, Romania

Photo by Wojtek Laski. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

31. Angkor Wat — Siem Reap, Cambodia

Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

32. Sultan Ahmed Mosque — Istanbul, Turkey

Photo by Bulent Kilic. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

33. Konark Sun Tower — Konark, India

Photo by Aswajith Cs. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

34. Chrysler Building — New York City, USA

Photo by Mario Tama. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

35. Sacré-Coeur — Paris, France

Photo by Fox Photos/L. V. Clark. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

36. Potala Palace — Lhasa, Tibet, China

Photo by Yin Shichang/VCG. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

37. Musée du Louvre — Paris, France

Photo by Pascal Le Segretain. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

38. Sydney Opera House — Sydney, Australia

Photo by Michael Dunning. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

39. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao — Bilbao, Spain

Photo by Tim Graham. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

40. Fallingwater — Mill Run, Pennsylvania, USA

Photo by Richard A. Cooke III. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

41. The Pantheon — Rome, Italy

Photo by Werner Forman Archive/Heritage Images. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

42. Space Needle — Seattle, Washington, USA

Photo by Otto Greule Jr. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

43. Villa Savoye — Poissy, France

Photo by Juan Jimenez. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

44. House of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower — London, U.K.

Photo by Kriangkrai Thitimakorn. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

45. Burj Khalifa — Dubai, UAE

Photo by Chopper Shoot LLC/Barcroft Media. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

46. Leaning Tower of Pisa — Pisa, Italy

Photo by Dado Daniela. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

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

Photo by vbacarin. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

48. The Flatiron Building — New York City, USA

Photo by Noam Galai. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

49. The Sistine Chapel — Vatican City

Photo by Franco Origlia. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

50. Eiffel Tower — Paris, France

Photo by Alexander Spatari. Image courtesy of Getty Images.