architecture

Koalas might be cute, but they're definitely not bears.

From Chinese checkers and Panama hats to koala bears and king crabs, and beyond, these names aren't quite what they seem.

The entrance to the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.

Once celebrated by millions, these events were later derided as "architectural beauty pageants" and have largely fallen out of favor. What happened?

The Eiffel Tower displays the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

The war in Ukraine is having more unintended consequences, including a new lights-out policy at one of the world's most famous attractions.

To some people, the size of a city’s buildings is just as important as the size of its population.

What was it like to stay in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel? This video reimagines its grandeur.

Sunset on Venice's Grand Canal is tough to beat.

If the Golden Ratio is your metric, the most beautiful city in the world is in Italy.

Here's how an interesting regional design quirk became a focus of superstition.

Look closely at a sunflower, and you'll see the distinct spiral in its center.

Fibonacci developed his theory based on rabbit population growth, but you'll find the golden ratio in everything from flowers to outer space.

LA landlords expect tenants to provide their own appliance.

LA renters have come to expect they'll need to BYOF (Bring Your Own Fridge) when renting. Here's why.

The escalator in St. Petersburg's Admiralteyskaya Metro Station.

You think Washington, D.C.’s metro escalators are long? Wait ’til you hear about St. Petersburg’s.

Fun fact: The Brooklyn Bridge has hidden wine cellars.

The empty vaults beneath the Brooklyn Bridge in New York were used to store wine a century ago.

A view of the pool in New York City's Central Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted

From Central Park to Stanford University's campus, Olmsted's lush and picturesque aesthetic was meant to relieve the stress caused by urban living.

A helicopter on its way with the 20-foot antenna.

The Eiffel Tower isn’t the tallest building in the world—or even the tallest structure in France—but it keeps growing.

The Millau Viaduct during a cycling race in 2012.

At about 1.5 miles long, France’s Millau Viaduct is far from the world’s longest bridge—but it is the tallest.

Star Wars’ most infamous fallen Jedi has been bearing down on unsuspecting cathedral visitors since 1986.

Mr M Evison, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

Taking a peek inside the smallest house in Great Britain may make you feel better about your current living situation.

Notre-Dame's pending facelift is facing criticism.

The 2024 re-opening of Notre-Dame Cathedral could see modern artwork and mood lighting added to the 850-year-old structure, which some critics worry could reduce it to "kitsch."

Clockwise from left: Gilbert Stuart's unfinished portrait of George Washington on the $1 bill; Basilica de la Sagrada Familia; a page from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales; Boldt Castle; Reactors 5 and 6 at Chernobyl; and the National Monument of Scotland.

Famous presidential portraits, literary masterpieces, and iconic tourist destinations all make the list of amazing unfinished projects.

From left to right: Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Connor (Alan Ruck), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) in season 3, episode 2 of Succession.

This palatial loft in Tribeca’s Woolworth Building includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and zero Trojan horses.

The dome of the Margate Shell Grotto in Kent, England.

A farmer stumbled upon an underground passageway adorned with millions of shells in 1835. Nearly two centuries later, we still don't know who built it.

The Enslin Mansion in Troy, New York, was visited by notorious gangster John T. “Legs” Diamond before his violent death.

Robert E. Lee and company in the National Cathedral's stained-glass windows.

Stained-glass windows depicting Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were removed in 2017. Now, Kerry James Marshall is working on their replacements.

The Palace of Versailles is one of several palaces you can stay in.

Sleep like royalty at these palaces around the world. Tiaras and crowns not provided—you'll have to source your own.

kathrin_gaisser, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

It's hard not to feel like the walls are closing in on you while walking down Spreuerhofstrasse in Reutlingen, Germany—the narrowest street in the world.

34 Misleading Misnomers Explained

Why Don't We Have World's Fairs Anymore?

The Eiffel Tower Is Going Dark Over an Hour Earlier—Here’s Why

The 25 Cities With the Most Skyscrapers Worldwide

You Can Take a Virtual Tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Demolished Imperial Hotel in Tokyo

The World’s 25 Most Beautiful Cities, According to Science

The Reason Some Vermont Homes Have 'Witch Windows'

6 Fascinating Places to See the Fibonacci Sequence

The Reason So Many Los Angeles Apartments Don't Come With Refrigerators

The 10 Longest Escalators in the World

The Brooklyn Bridge Contains Secret Wine Cellars

11 Stunning Places Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted

Whaou! The Eiffel Tower Just Got 20 Feet Taller

Meet the Millau Viaduct: The Tallest Bridge in the World

The Story Behind the Darth Vader Gargoyle at Washington’s National Cathedral

Britain's Smallest House Has 16 Square Feet of Floor Space

France Has Finally Approved a Plan to Renovate Notre-Dame, But Not Everyone Is Happy About It

13 Unbelievable Unfinished Projects

Rava Roy’s Tribeca Apartment From Succession Can Be Yours for $23 Million

The Mysterious Underground Shell Grotto of Kent, England

A Haunted House in Troy, New York, Can Be Yours for $444,444—Ghosts Included

The National Cathedral Will Replace Its Confederate-Themed Stained-Glass Windows

10 Luxurious Palaces You Can Stay In

The World's Narrowest Street Barely Fits Most Pedestrians