15 Stunning Structures You Have To See

It's hard to define exactly what makes for great architecture. Is it the lines? Symmetry? Size? The time and materials that go into it? There are plenty of buildings with odd lines and asymmetrical designs that catch the eye, and beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. But just because a building is made from Italian marble doesn't make it beautiful. So we might not be able to define it, but we sure know great architecture when we see it. 

Architects around the world all have different ways to make our jaws drop. That's really the stunning thing about architecture: how so many wildly different styles can all achieve the same effect — awe. Stand back and be amazed.

1. Central Station, Antwerp, Belgium 

2. Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai, India

3. Namba Parks, Osaka, Japan

4. Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan

5. Neuschwanstein, Bavaria, Germany

6. The Hoo-do of Byodoin Temple, Kyoto, Japan

7. Lotus Temple, New Delhi, India

8. Timmerhuis, Rotterdam, Netherlands

9. Hotel del Saltos, Colombia

10. Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic

11. Bahrain World Trade Centre, Manama, Bahrain

12. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

13. Frauenkirche, Dresden, Germany

14. Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary

15. EMPAC, Troy, New York

Main/Collage image via flickr / Jan 1147