Difference between revisions of "Architecture"

Revision as of 23:48, 23 February 2010

    This article is a travel topic

Architecture is concerned with the design and construction of buildings. The architecture of a place is often a tourist attraction in its own right. Some consider buildings beautiful to look at while others consider the view from a tall building to be a beauty to behold.

Notable architecture

Historic buildings often tell their own story and provide a place with a heritage that asks the visitor to find out more.

Ancient Buildings

• Stonehenge
• Pyramids
• The Parthenon in Athens
• The Great Wall of China

Unusual Buildings

Some buildings are unique....

• The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Religious Buildings

Cathederals, temples and other places of worship have, until recently, been among the most notable and longest lasting forms of architecture.

Stupas

• Bodhgaya, Bihar State, India - the site where Shakyamuni Buddha gained enlightenment.
• The Great Stupa of Bodhnath', Kathmandu - the heart of Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal.

Cathedrals

• Notre Dame in Paris
• Cathedral of Chartres

Mosques

• Dome of the Rock/Masjid Al Sakhrah

Temples

• Angkor Wat
• Anahita Temple

Civic Buildings

There are a large number of buildings for civic or governmental purposes. These include:

• Seats of Government
• Transportation Centres such as railway stations and airports

Memorials

Around the world, commemorative structures are amongst the most notable tourist attractions. For example:

• The Taj Mahal in Agra
• Tombs
• War Memorials

Architectural Styles

Some styles like Art Deco attract tourists to visit. The town of Napier, New Zealand, is largely built in the Art Deco style after the town was rebuilt in the 1930s following an earthquake. The local historical society has capitalised on this and runs frequent walking tours around the buildings.

World's Tallest

Building the tallest building in the world is every architect's dream (or perhaps nightmare) project, as it will eventually be topped by an even taller structure. See the Chicago skyline guide for information on the many tall buildings in Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper.

Buildings

1. Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan (Built 2004) 101 storeys 509 m
2. Petronas Tower 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Built 1998) 88 storeys 452 m
3. Petronas Tower 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Built 1998) 88 storeys 452 m
4. Sears Tower, Chicago, USA(Built 1974) 110 storeys 442 m
5. Jin Mao Building, Shanghai (Built 1999) 88 storeys 421 m
6. Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong (Built 2003) 88 storeys 415 m
7. CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, China (Built 1996) 80 storeys 391 m
8. Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, China (Built 1996) 69 storeys 384 m
9. Empire State Building, New York,USA (Built 1931) 102 storeys 381m
10. Central Plaza, Hong Kong (Built 1992) 78 storeys 374 m

Towers

1. CN Tower, Toronto, Canada (Built 1975) 553 m
2. Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia (Built 1967) 537 m
3. Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, China (Built 1995) 468 m
4. Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand (Built 1997) 328 m - Tallest in southern hemisphere.
5. Sydney Tower, at Centrepoint, Sydney, Australia (Built 1981) 305 m
6. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France (Built 1889) 300 m - when built, 324 m with TV antenna.

In the USA (and from 1974 to 1991 in Poland) there are some guyed radio masts, which were taller. The tallest construction built so far, was the Warsaw radio mast near Gabin.