Crazy King Ludwig spent millions on a castle that he never saw finished.
It seemed like a requirement that the Hofburgs of Austria needed to one-up their ancestors when building their residence.
And the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is still being built to this day, 132 years after its inception.
I visited a lot of incredible buildings in Europe and their beauty is only matched by the amount of money these would have cost. I am not going to speculate on how much, but I’ve collated some of my favourite palaces, churches and castles that have made the shift from active use to tourist attraction.
York Minster, York
Half an hour train ride from where I used to live, in a town of only 200,000 is a marvellous example of Gothic architecture and was one of the biggest I saw across Europe. So large it was difficult to fit the whole thing in one frame due to surrounding buildings.
Sacre Coeur, Paris
Located just out of central Paris in Montmarte is the imposing figure of the Sacre Coeur, named after the “Sacred Heart” of Jesus Christ. An exquisite church made all the more so by the imposing location up on the hill.
Il Vittoriano, Rome
There are many churches in Rome that would have cost a mint (or a few indulgences more likely) to build, but my favourite building in Rome was actually the Il Vittoriano.
Also known as the Altare Della Patrio, or in English the “Alter of the Fatherland”, the Vittoriano is a mighty building. Maybe it’s the symmetry, maybe it’s that it’s so dominant and looks down on you, but the Vittoriano was actually one of my favourite things to see in Rome. It’s just such a beautiful building.
Buckingham Palace, London
Home to one of the wealthiest families in the world, the House of Windsor, Buckingham Palace attracts thousands of visitors every day just to watch their guards change shift. One of the few in this list that is still a residence and not a memorial or museum.
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
In stark contrast to some cathedrals in Europe, St Patrick’s in Dublin is built on acres of space. It’s a beautiful spot within the city limits to wander the grounds or just have a rest by the fountain with a great view of the bell tower.
San Marco Basilica, Venice
In unusually tight quarters, St Mark’s Basilica stands out like nothing else. A different perspective to what you might usually see is gained up the nearby tower. Imagine having this on your doorstep?!
St Vitus Cathedral, Prague
Now if you want to talk about Cathedrals in areas so built up it’s almost impossible to fit in the entire structure into a frame, let’s talk about St Vitus Cathedral – the climax of any Prague Castle Tour. I am standing in the absolute corner of the courtyard and can only just fit it in the frame.
See.. from the front, this is as much of the front facade I could fit.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
Probably the most expensive holiday home in the world, King Ludwig II of Bavaria didn’t even live to see his dream completed. If you notice any similarities to Cinderella’s Castle in Disneyland, that’s because Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for Walt Disney.
Berliner Dom, Berlin
If my church’s name was Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church in Berlin – I’d probably shorten it to something easy like Berliner Dom as well.
Brussels Town Hall
The Town Hall of Brussels is a stand out of the impressive Grand Place, the centrepiece of Brussels city centre, and a location you won’t be content with seeing just once.
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
I couldn’t write a post on beautiful European architecture without including my absolute favourite, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. I think I love this one so much because I visited it after 6 months of seeing Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals throughout Europe. As impressive as they are, I was ready for something a little more unique.
Gaudi was an artistic and architectural genius and the Sagrada Familia is just one place through the city that has his fingerprints. And after 133 years since ground was broken, it was only consecrated only in 2010 and is still being completed!
Now obviously I’ve left plenty out, these are just a few of my personal favourites. Which historic building across Europe has stolen your heart? Did it make this list? Let me know in the comments below.
Did you enjoy this post?
Make sure you sign up for the newsletter to make sure you never miss a post. Don’t worry, I am definitely less annoying of that little sister of yours.
Ha ha you’re right, there are a lot of extreme examples! The Cathedral in Milan is another I’d add to the list! My favourites you have here are the York Minster and La Sagrada Familia – both wonderful!
Yeah the Duomo in Milan is actually one I really want to see as well. Unfortunately I’ve actually been to Milan, I had one night and went to a Muse concert instead!
Congratulations on fitting all of St Vitus Cathedral into the frame! I’ve never managed. I actually took almost exactly the same picture of the facade, and that’s as close as I got!
I remember standing there. And I would take 3 photos scanning up the facade to capture everything. Then I actually had the good fortune to return a few months later and I had the bright idea to walk around the courtyard and learn from the previous time.