Architecture

The Palacio Real -Royal Palace- in Madrid is grandious. This view is taken from the gardens. Plan to visit the Sabatini gardens close to your visit to the palace.

One of the largest projects ever attempted, The Three Gorges dam spanning the Yangtze river in Sandouping has been under construction since 1994, having been in various planning stages for 50 years before that.

Under construction from the 3rd century BC to the 16th century AD, the Great Wall of China stretches from east to west across one of the largest countries in the world.

The fame of the dome is particularly ironic since the plans, third in succession after two rejected models, didn't call for one. Wren took advantage of a clause in the commission permitting him to make 'ornamental' changes.

And, in effect, the large dome - visible from several parts of London far away - is just an ornament. In the interior is a much smaller dome directly underneath and between the two a large cone-shaped structure supporting the 850-ton lantern.

Built between 1163AD and 1345AD the Gothic masterpiece remains today one of the world's great structures. The enormous interior can seat 6,000 at the base. But, for many, the major attraction is the 387-step climb to the top of the famous towers.

Once reached via that winding, narrow passageway the visitor enters a large area dominated by a huge church bell and spectacular sights. From here it's easy to imagine the fictional Quasimodo (the Hunchback of Notre Dame) ringing the 13-ton bell and clambering on the gargoyles around the perimeter.

Frank Lloyd Wright is justly regarded as one of the greatest architects in history. But it wasn't always so. Early in his career, as with most artists, he struggled for recognition and commercial success.

For many years the world's tallest skyscraper, the Sears Tower is really nine buildings combined into one massive structure. Completed in 1974, it was erected to consolidate offices housing 6,500 Sears employees from all over the city.

Though the Chrysler Corporation, long since acquired by Daimler-Benz, moved out in the mid-1950s, the building that bears its name remains one of the world's most recognizable structures.

Its distinctive Art Deco design represents the pinnacle of that architectural movement. A 77-story rectangular building, the upper floors are a wonderland of steel-clad arches garnished with automotive-themed gargoyles. Those arches form a narrowing cascade to the building's once-record breaking 1,048 foot peak, where a spire caps the work.

The Eero Saarinen designed edifice is at the apogee of the International Style. Saarinen, a Finnish born architect of world-renown, also designed the elegant Washington DC airport terminal. The CBS building is his only skyscraper.

The building's dark gray exterior is formed by straight-to-the-sky concrete pillars clad in Canadian black granite alternating with darkened glass. It appears almost as a modern version of a medieval castle, with an inviting plaza substituted for a drawbridge.