In the face of global doomsday predictions, sustainability has become one of the most crucial aspects of the 21st century, now playing a huge role in everything from politics to the way you dispose of your trash. Fortunately, most architects understand sustainability implicitly, and have adopted it into their lives and work. Or have they? In this article, originally published on Common Edge as “Why Architects Don’t Get It,” green building expert Lance Hosey highlights the failures of the architecture community in reaching their stated sustainability goals, and argues for a new conception of architecture in which good design and sustainable design are integrated.
A few years ago, the American Institute of Architects, the self-declared “voice of the architecture profession,” announced that “AIA members will no longer need to complete the sustainable design requirement to fulfill their AIA continuing education.” Why? Because “sustainable design practices have become a mainstream design intention.” Hooray! If sustainability is “mainstream” now, and knowledge about it is no longer necessary “to maintain competency” and “to advance and improve the profession”—the purpose of continuing education, according to the AIA—then the profession must have met its environmental goals, and there’s nothing left to improve. Mission accomplished.
A decade ago, the AIA adopted the 2030 Challenge, which seeks carbon neutrality by that year. Since buildings account for nearly half of the energy and three quarters of electricity consumed in the US, this is an essential aim. In Paris last fall, the world’s leaders committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions dramatically, and they cannot accomplish this without the building industry. In 2009, the AIA launched the 2030 Commitment to give architects a framework for reporting their projects, and it began collecting this information for the year 2010. In the five years for which data is available (2010-2014), the volume of projects reported has multiplied more than 700 times (from 3.4 million square feet to 2.4 billion), providing a progressively clearer snapshot of the profession. To get to a 100% reduction in fossil fuel consumption by 2030, the target for those years was 60%. So how are we doing?
During that time, the average energy reduction in AIA member projects flatlined around 35%. The highest average in one year (2012), was 37%, 22 points below the target. In fact, in the first year after the AIA “sunsetted” sustainable design requirements, energy performance went down three points. Furthermore, the AIA lists over 80,000 members in nearly 18,000 firms, while some 360 firms have signed the 2030 Commitment, and a little over a third of those (140) actually reported energy data for 2014, according to the latest reports. In other words, only 2% of AIA member firms have committed to pursuing carbon neutrality, and less than 1% are actually reporting on their progress. So much for the mainstream.
A 2009 poll revealed that a third of architects are skeptical about climate change, and 13% believe it’s “a myth.” While these numbers generally align with the larger public’s attitudes about global warming, they don’t suggest that architects are leading the conversation. Furthermore, if two thirds of architects believe in climate change, why have only 2% signed the 2030 Commitment? What’s holding us back?
One possibility is a lack of education. Perhaps the most common criticism about green building is that it costs too much. In a 2008 survey of over 700 construction professionals, 80% cited “higher first costs” as the biggest obstacle to green building. Yet, evidence increasingly shows that higher performance need not mean higher costs. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory calculates that adopting current best practices can achieve 50-60% energy reduction—at no additional cost. How are architects supposed to learn how to do this, if the AIA considers sustainable design education unnecessary?
Lack of leadership is endemic in the profession, and many of the most famous architects dismiss sustainability outright. “‘Green’ and sustainability have nothing to do with architecture,” National Design Award winner Peter Eisenman has said, and Pritzker Prize winner Frank Gehry once called green building standards “bogus.” Gehry since has said that “green building is clearly something architects need to be concerned with,” but his work hardly shows it. James Wines, author of Green Architecture, has called Gehry’s work “mind-boggling waste.”
When many of architecture’s leaders fail to take today’s most urgent challenges more seriously, how can we expect the profession’s rank and file to do so?
If some architects don’t believe sustainability is essential, what do they believe? “I deeply consider architecture as an art—the most abstract of all of them,” AIA Gold Medalist Santiago Calatrava told a reporter last year. As I wrote in the Huffington Post in November, the architect-as-artist is one of the most enduring myths of the profession, and it justifies the most damaging and wasteful extravagances. Can we seriously hope that starry-eyed architects will tackle real-world problems when they’re so busy dreaming of “art”?
Metropolis magazine once asked its readers, “When will all design need to incorporate sustainable practices to be considered ‘good design.’” Over 80% said it would happen within 8-9 years, and half those said within 2-3. That was 2002. In 2010, for my then-column in Architect magazine, I surveyed fifty sustainable design experts to identify the “greenest buildings” of the past few decades and compared the results to a Vanity Fair poll on the “greatest buildings” from the same period. Not one building and not one American architect appeared on both lists. Standards of “good design” and “green design” are far from aligned.
From Eisenman to Calatrava, the profession considers the science of building divorced from the “art” of architecture. In Consilience, E.O. Wilson writes that the perceived conflict between art and science inevitably undermines sustainability: “until that fundamental divide is closed…the relation between man and the living world will remain problematic.”
I wrote my book, The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design (Island Press, 2012), to address a simple question: Does sustainability change the face of design, or only its content? Conventional wisdom is clear: “Sustainability has, or should have, no relationship to style,” claims Rafael Viñoly. AIA Gold Medalist Cesar Pelli has said that architects value “the looks” of a building, and “sustainability doesn’t necessarily photograph.” But consider this: studies show that up to 90% of the impact of a building or product is determined by the earliest design decisions: location, orientation, massing, form, fenestration, etc.
Furthermore, pursuing sustainability can inspire great innovation. For the KfW Westarkade in Frankfurt, Sauerbruch Hutton shaped the tower like an airfoil, minimizing solar exposure at the southwest and conveying breezes across the surface to aid passive ventilation. The result is one of the most elegantly efficient buildings in Europe, achieving a 70% energy reduction below standards: Form and performance merge.
These concept building designs make use of groundbreaking technology – will we be using them soon?
These futuristic structures could be heading our way
From the Taj Mahal to the Empire State Building, people are prepared to travel all over the world to see the some of the planet’s most famous buildings. But thanks to the astonishing architecture in this infographic, we can see that the landmarks of tomorrow might be made up of experimental designs.
We already use structures to generate green energy as it is, but what if buildings take us closer to a more sustainable life style? Could buildings be used to farm or stimulate the growth of bio-fuel? This infographic from Keys90 certainly thinks so.
The skyline of the future should look pretty cool
It’s not all about energy and conservation though, some of these concept buildings are just plain cool. Who wouldn’t want to see a giant pixelated building that looked like it just fell out of a game of Tetris? Or how about a building that can rotate on voice command alone? It might sound far-fetched, but the technology is already there to make such structures a real possibility.
From the Colosseum to the Kabba, get a dose of inspiration from 25 of the world’s most famous buildings.
Whether you’re a busy art director or an illustrator working from home, every creative needs some downtime. And there’s no better way to both relax and be inspired than jetting off somewhere you’ve never been before.
Whenever we travel to far-flung places, we’re attracted to the famous buildings. Much like a photograph, architectural designs record details of specific moments in time. But unlike an photograph, physical structures go on to have a life of their own, becoming a central and functional part of countless people’s lives for hundreds, if not thousands, of years after they were built.
Here we have picked 25 of the most famous building designs from around the world to inspire you.
01. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
The Dome of the Rock is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture
A masterpiece of Islamic architecture, the Dome of the Rock is a 7th century building, located in Jerusalem. Built by Caliph Abd al-Malik between 687 and 691, the octagonal plan and the rotunda dome of wood are of Byzantine design. The Persian tiles on the exterior and the marble slabs that decorate the interior were added by Suleiman I in 1561.
The oldest extant Islamic monument, the Dome of the Rock has served as a model for architecture and other artistic endeavors for over a millennium.
02. La Pedrera, Barcelona
Gaudi’s La Pedrera is one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture
Nested among the urban streets of Barcelona are some unusual and beautiful buildings by infamous architect Antoni Gaudi. His unique approach to the Art Nouveau movement generated some of the most creative buildings the world have ever seen. And La Pedrera is no exception.
One of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture, this is more sculpture than building. The façade is a varied and harmonious mass of undulating stone that, along with its forged iron balconies, explores the irregularities of the natural world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised this building as World Heritage in 1984.
The latest addition to New York’s skyline, the One World Trade Center, is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Construction began in April 2006 and the final component of the building’s spire installed five years later in 2013, making it the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world.
The One World Trade Center’s design is no coincidence, standing at a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541m) in a direct nod to the year of the US Declaration of Independence.
Designed by David M Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 104-story glass tower raises from a cube base before transforming from the 20th floor into eight sleek isoceles triangles. Stood adjacent to the city’s beautiful 9/11 memorial, the One World Trade Center is a shining beacon for the city.
04. St Paul’s Cathedral, London
British architect Sir Christopher Wren took 10 years to finalise his designs for St Paul’s
London’s most iconic building, St Paul’s Cathedral, was designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren. Sitting at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, its famous dome is one of the world’s largest, measuring nearly 112 metres high.
The original church on the site was founded in the year 604AD. Work on the present English Baroque church began in the 17th Century by Christopher Wren as part of a major rebuilding program after the Great Fire of London.
Wren started working on St Paul’s in 1668, his designs for the cathedral taking a decade to complete and the actual construction taking a further 40 years. St Paul’s has played an integral part of London life ever since – as a domineering element in the city’s skyline, as a centre for tourism and religious worship, and most recently as a focal point for anticapitalist protests.
05. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur
The Petronas Towers are an iconic landmark in Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur
Standing at 170 metres above ground, the Petronas Towers are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The buildings, which held the titled of tallest in the world between 1998-2004, are an iconic landmark of the capital city.
The distinctive postmodern style was created by architects Cesar Pelli and Achmad Murdijat, engineer Deejay Cerico and designer Dominic Saibo under the consultancy of JC Guinto.
Irish architect James Hoban was the man behind the design of the White House. In 1792 Hoban submitted a plan for the presidential mansion and subsequently got the commission to build the White House. Constructed began in 1793 through to completion in 1801. The mansion, which has been home to every US leader since the country’s second president John Adams, is made from white-painted Aquia sandstone.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures in Europe. Most famous for its tilt, the tower began to lean during construction after soft ground on one side was unable to properly support the structure’s weight.
Building work on the tower began in 1173 and went on for over a whopping 300 years. There has been much controversy surrounding the true identity of the architect behind the tower – the design originally attributed to artist Bonnano Pisano but studies have also implicated architect Diotisalvi.
08. The Kaaba, Mecca
The Kabba is a most scared space in Islam
The Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is a square building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. A most scared place in Islam, the Kabba is elegantly draped in a silk and cotton veil. Every year millions of Muslims travel to the Kabba for the hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
The small square building is about 60 feet high and it’s walls a metre wide, with it’s total size occupying roughly 627 square feet.
09. The Shard, London
The Shard is an 87-storey skyscraper, which sits in the heart of London
Also referred to as the shard of glass, The Shard is an 87-storey skyscraper, which sits in the heart of London. Construction began in 2009 and was completed three years later in 2012, making it Western Europe’s tallest building.
Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is the second tallest free standing structure in the UK. It’s exterior boasts 11,000 glass panels – that’s equivalent in area to eight football pitches or two-and-a-half Trafalgar Squares.
The building was developed to have multiple uses, described on the website as a ‘vertical city where people can live, work and relax’. This motto was clearly taken on board by a fox, nicknamed Romeo, that was found on the 72nd floor towards the end of construction.
10. St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
The unique St Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow was designed by architect Postnik Yakolev
No, we haven’t included a piece of Disneyland architecture on our list. This garish, candy coloured cathedral is in fact Moscow’s most visited tourist attraction. The famous landmark, shaped to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, is located just outside the Kremlin gates and marks the geometric centre of the city.
Built between 1554 and 1560, the cathedral was erected during the reign of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). Little is known about the building’s architect Postnik Yakovlev, but he was clearly a fan of onion domes, sharp spikes and polygonal towers.
11. Empire State Building, NYC
Construction of the world-famous Empire State building was completed in just one year and 45 days
We couldn’t put together a list of world-famous buildings without including this grand Art Deco skyscraper. Once the tallest building in the world, construction began on the Empire State building on St Patrick’s Day 1930 and was completed just 410 days later.
The building was designed by William F Lamb of architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. It was declared by the American Society of Civil Engineers to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is known around the world as an icon of New York City.
This futuristic building looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie rather than Lime Street in London. The award-winning Lloyds building (also known as the Inside-Out building) is an iconic architectural landmark and one of the most recognisable constructions on the London skyline.
Architect Richard Rogers was the brains behind the innovative design, which has its services – including water pipes and staircases – on the outside. Built between 1978 and 1986, the building also features 12 exterior lifts, which were the first of their kind in the UK.
This elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome is considered as one of the greatest architectural feats achieved by the Ancient Romans. The stadium was capable of seating 50,000 spectators and used mainly for gladiatorial games.
Built from concrete and stone, construction began on the Colosseum began around 72AD and finished in 80AD. The design and shape of the Colosseum has been the inspiration for many modern day stadiums. Today it is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
Recognised as ‘the jewel of Muslim art in India’, the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Often mistaken as a palace, this famous landmark was actually built as a tomb for the Emperor’s wife after she died giving birth to their 14th child.
The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture – an amalgamation of Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. Construction on the mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and gardens took a further five years to finish.
15. Chrysler Building, NYC
The Chrysler building attained the title of world’s tallest in building in 1930 for just one year when the Empire State was erected. Image Joris Van Rooden
In the early part of the 20th Century, people everywhere were in a race to build the tallest building. At the time, this gorgeous Art Deco skyscraper was almost outdone by the Bank of Manhattan but its spire (which was constructed in secret) enabled it to take the title of ‘tallest building in the world’ in 1930.
It didn’t last long though. Just a year later the Empire State Building was erected. Designed by architect William Van Alen, the skyscraper was commissioned by car manufacturer Walter P Chrysler, hence its name.
16. Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House is the most famous Australian architectural icon
Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century. The innovative design came from architect Jørn Utzon, who was relatively unknown until January 29, 1957 when his entry to the ‘International competition for a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney’ was announced the winner.
The beautiful building comprises of three groups of interlocking shells, which roof two main performance halls and a restaurant. A masterpiece of modern architecture, the opera house has become an iconic symbol of both Sydney and the Australian nation.
The futuristic Space Needle in Seattle, Washington was built for the 1962 World’s fair. The famous landmark stands at 184m high and 42m wide at its widest point.
The design was a collaborative effort between architects Edward E Carlson and John Graham. Not only is the architecture a marvel to look at but the building’s impressive design can survive wind velocities of 200mph and can escape serious structural damage during earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitudes.
18. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Now a museum, Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul, Turkey
Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, Hagia Sophia is a architectural masterpiece. A perfect example of Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia is located in Instanbul, Turkey.
The building was built for the first time by the emperor Constantine the Great (306-337). However, due to many factors, including being burned down in riots and earthquakes, the ancient cathedral has been rebuilt many times since. Despite this, Hagia Sophia is widely recognised as one of the great buildings of the world. And if that wasn’t cool enough, the building also features in the opening scenes of the Bond film, Skyfall.
Originally known as Buckingham House, George III bought the property in 1735 when the mansion was little more than a red brick house. Since then, various architects have worked on the building to make it what it is today, including John Nash, Edmund Blore and Sir Aston Webb.
The palace also had to undergo extensive work after being bombed no less than nine times during World War II. However, still very much in operation, it’s one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.
Designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934, Fallingwater is quite possibly the most famous private residence in the world. But why? Well, the unique design makes it look like the house stretches out over a 30ft waterfall, with no solid ground beneath it.
This isn’t the case, obviously, but the innovative design captured everyone’s attention when it was finalised in 1939. It became famous instantly and is now a natural historic landmark. It’s so cool you can even get a Lego version of the architectural masterpiece!
21. Pantheon, Rome
Built approximately 2000 years ago, the Pantheon continues to inspire architects all over the world
Rome is home to many amazing buildings, and the Pantheon is no exception. And, like the city itself, it was not built in a day. Destroyed twice and rebuilt each time, the building started as a rectangular structure, which, over time, evolved into the gorgeous dome building seen today.
An inspiration to architects all over the world over the last 2,000 years, the Pantheon roof remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. There is much debate between historians over which emperor and architects were responsible for the Pantheon’s design although it is known that this ‘Temple of the Gods’ was built around 126AD.
22. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
Architect Frank Gehry developed the unique concept for the museum after winning an architectural competition to design the building
The Guggenheim museum Bilbao is one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture. California-based Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry created the unique concept after winning an architectural competition to design the building.
Since the museum doors opened in 1997, it has been hailed one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Now with over a decade of success, the museum has homed over a hundred exhibitions and has welcomed more than 10 million visitors.
23. Flatiron building, New York
Chicago architect Daniel Burnham designed the distinctive Flatiron building, which is instantly recognisable in New York’s skyline
The eye-catching Flatiron building in Manhattan was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham and built in 1902. The distinctive triangular shape allowed the building to fill the space located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway.
Another of New York’s skyscrapers, it was never the tallest but remains one of the most memorable and has been a source of inspiration for artists and architects for over a century now.
24. Villa Savoye, France
Villa Savoye was originally built as a country retreat for the Savoye family in 1928
Designed by Swiss architects Le Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, Villa Savoye is an early and classic example of the International style – a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and ’30s.
The property was built in 1928 and, after surviving several demolition plans, was designated as an official French historical monument in 1965.
Last on our list – but by no means the least – is the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. The mammoth skyscraper and magnificent centerpiece of Downtown Dubai stands at a whopping 828.9 metres high.
Construction began on the 160-floor building in 2004 with its doors opening six years later in 2010. The task of creating the world’s tallest manmade structure was awarded to the Chicago office of American architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings and Merril LLP.
The Smithsonian is the world’s largest research and museum complex, with 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and various research stations. More than 137 million objects detailing America’s story are housed here, so you’d better prepare for a long week of walking. There’s so much to see that, if you spent one minute day and night looking at each object on exhibit, in ten years you’d see only ten percent of the whole. Therefore, it’s wise to head out with a plan. Focus on only one or two exhibits at two or three different museums.
Main attractions: Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, the dresses of the First Ladies, and the original Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History; the Gem Hall (including the Hope Diamond) at the National Museum of Natural History; and the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 command module at the National Air and Space Museum.
Le Louvre, Paris, France
The Louvre was a medieval fortress and the palace of the kings of France before becoming a museum two centuries ago. The addition of I. M. Pei’s pyramid shocked many when it was unveiled in 1989 as the new main entrance, yet it somehow works, integrating the palace’s disparate elements. The museum’s collections, which range from antiquity to the first half of the 19th century, are among the most important in the world. A good place to start is the Sully Wing, at the foundations of Philippe-Auguste’s medieval keep—it’s in the heart of the Louvre, kids love it, and it leads straight to the Egyptian rooms.
Main attractions: “Venus de Milo,” “Winged Victory of Samothrace,” and Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”
The Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
The stunning ground floor gallery houses finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. Its amazing transparent glass floor provides a walk over history, with a view of the archaeological excavation, while sloping upward to the Acropolis with sanctuaries of the Athenians from each historic period nearby. Smaller settlements have been excavated, yielding glimpses of Athenian life. For the first time, the exhibits in the Archaic Gallery allow visitors to take in all sides of the objects, which are displayed in open spaces characterized by changing natural light.
Main attractions: The frieze of the Parthenon is mounted on a structure with exactly the same dimensions as the cella of the Parthenon, giving comprehensive viewing of every detail.
State Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
Russia may be isolated from the artistic centers of Paris, Rome, and London, butthe Hermitage has managed to acquire a spectacular collection of world art—more than three million items—spanning the years from the Stone Age to the early 20th century. The museum occupies six buildings along the Neva River, the leading structure being the confection-like Winter Palace. This gloriously baroque, blue-and-white structure was finished in 1764 and over the next several centuries was the main residence of the czars. Catherine the Great founded the museum that same year when she purchased 255 paintings from Berlin. The museum’s focal point is Western European art—120 rooms in four buildings ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. Rembrandt, Rubens, Tiepolo, Titian, da Vinci, Picasso, Gauguin, Cézanne, van Gogh, and Goya are all represented here. For in-depth tours, contact Glories of the Hermitage.
Main attractions: The Treasure Gallery’s Gold Rooms showcase golden masterpieces from Eurasia, the Black Sea Littoral in antiquity, and the Orient. The museum also houses pieces from Nicholas II’s private collection, including paintings, drawings, and medals created to commemorate his coronation.
The British Museum, London, England
Britain’s largest museum looks after the national collection of archaeology and ethnography—more than eight million objects ranging from prehistoric bones to chunks of Athens’ Parthenon, from whole Assyrian palace rooms to exquisite gold jewels.
Main attractions: The Egyptian gallery boasts the world’s second finest collection of Egyptian antiquities outside Egypt, including the Rosetta Stone, carved in 196 B.C.
The Prado, Madrid, SpainThe Spanish royal family is responsible for the Prado’s bounty of classical masterpieces. Over centuries, kings and queens collected and commissioned art with passion and good taste. In addition to stars of Spanish painting such as Velázquez, Goya, Ribera, and Zurbarán, the Prado has big collections of Italian (including Titian and Raphael) and Flemish artists. Fernando VII opened the collection to the public in 1819, in the same neoclassic building it’s housed in today, designed by Juan de Villanueva.
Main attraction: “The Three Graces” by Rubens.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New YorkThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere. Its collection of more than two million items is not only broad—covering the entire world, from antiquity to the present—but deep, with holdings so large in a number of areas that some might be considered museums unto themselves. Its European paintings are stunning: works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, Rodin, and other luminaries. The Egyptian Collection showcases the tomb of Perneb (circa 2440 B.C.) and the exquisite Temple of Dendur (circa 23-10 B.C.). The American Wing contains American arts and crafts, including a room from a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie House. And the list goes on and on.
Main attractions: “Adam and Eve,” the well-known engraving by Albrecht Dürer, is only one of the many impressive pieces you will discover at the Met.
The Vatican Museums, Vatican City, ItalyTwenty-two separate collections comprise the Musei Vaticani, each one more spectacular than the next. The most famous are probably the Museo Pio-Clementino, with its splendid classical sculpture; the Raphael Rooms, entire rooms painted by Raphael; the Pinacoteca (picture gallery), which contains the cream of the Vatican’s collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings; and, of course, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. But there is also the ancient Egyptian exhibits of the Museo Gregoriano Egizio, as well as the Etruscan offerings of the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco. And that’s just a start.
Main attractions: The renowned Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms are not to be missed.
The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy“Great” is an overworked adjective in Italy, where so many of the country’s monuments and works of art command the highest praise. In the case of the Galleria degli Uffizi, it barely does justice to a gallery that holds the world’s finest collection of Renaissance paintings. All the famous names of Italian art are here—not only the Renaissance masters, but also painters from the early medieval, baroque, and Mannerist heydays.
Main attraction: “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli is one.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsAbout 900,000 objects fill the Rijksmuseum, the largest collection of art and history in the Netherlands. It is most famous for its paintings by 17th-century Dutch masters, including Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Established in 1800 to exhibit the collections of the Dutch stadtholders, the Rijksmuseum also displays art from the Middle Ages. The main building is closed for renovation until 2013; collection highlights are displayed in the Philips Wing and at Rijksmuseum Schiphol.
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