What are the best mind-blowing buildings from around the world? 

When it comes to learning about the history of a certain country you’re planning on visiting, you probably look for some mind-blowing buildings that are both amazing and also full of, let’s say, personality. After all, architecture has remained a very important expression of how society has grown over the years.

In today’s world, where man has access to everything he wants, innovative building techniques and a bit of extra skill can make a formidable combo! Some of them are a bit quirky, while others seem completely out of place on this planet.

We wholeheartedly agree with the statement that the only item you can purchase that increases your wealth is travel! So, after reading this article, make sure you leave us a comment with your favorite building and when you plan on visiting it!

Now, let’s start with one of the most mind-blowing buildings, located in Spain.

1. Casa Batllo, Spain

Located in the heart of one of the most incredible cities on Earth, which is Barcelona, Casa Batllo is one of the mind-blowing buildings you must see at least once in your life! I mean, the picture already speaks for itself. This building was made by Antoni Gaudi in 1904 and is a restructured building, a re-design of a formerly old house.

It is a wonderful building that charms visitors with its exceptional beauty since it features a stunning color scheme and fantastic architectural majesty. It’s understandable why every visitor stops to take a picture of it!

2. Ferdinand Cheval Palace, France

Wow! This building looks out of this world, and after it took so many years to get it done, it should! Ferdinand Cheval Palace, also known as the Ideal Palace, is made of rocks collected by Ferdinand himself over 33 years. There’s a legend that sounds like this: first, because the rocks were small, Ferdinand could easily carry them in his pockets. But after a while, he also decided he would also need bigger rocks, so he went for a wheelbarrow and baskets.

Because this building was his, let’s say, personal ambition, Ferdinand worked even at night to finish it. We have nothing but appreciation for his work, even if it’s considered “naive architecture.” If you’re planning on visiting France anytime soon, you should add this to your list of mind-blowing buildings that you must see in this life!

3. Montaña Mágica Lodge, Chile

The Montana Magica, located in Chile, is a hotel that looks a bit unusual, in the shape of a volcano! Neat, right? It has only nine rooms available in which guests can stay, and it’s going to be a great experience for sure. Plus, this is another mind-blowing building that’s placed in a green nature reserve. Another reason to visit it as soon as possible!

4. Piano and violin building, China

If you’re a fan of music, this astonishing building will make you fall in love with it! Built in 2017 and located in Huaian City, China, it was created to develop a new style. This was a collaboration between students from the Hefey University of Technology and the designers from Huaian Fangkai Decoration Project Company.

Seeing it live during the day is one thing, but this is one of those mind-blowing buildings that is breathtaking at night! Given that the violin is made of glass, it’s beautiful to watch how the lights reflect it. What a lovely sight for visitors to view!

5. Cubic houses, The Netherlands

When it comes to weird architectural inventions, The Netherlands is pretty high on the list! And let us give you an example: the cubic houses created by Piet Blom. These quirky houses are both cute and nice to watch, and you’d love to move there one day.

The architect who built them wanted to create something else, something that no one had thought about before. That’s why these are built over a pedestrian bridge. Although it may seem weird to see their interiors shaped, these houses have three liveable spaces, and the locals say they’re also pretty cozy.

Passionate about mind-blowing buildings or architecture in general? We’ve got the perfect book for you! An astonishing album that is abundant in photography and descriptions of various architectural styles shows the evolution of architecture over a century. The book is called “Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style” and can be found both in Kindle variant and hardcover. It is a bit pricey, but it’s worth it to have it on your bookcase! 

6. The UFO houses, Taiwan

“X-Files theme on background”… Honestly, who wouldn’t like to live in a UFO or at least be abducted by the aliens to live in a galaxy far, far away? If you say otherwise, we won’t believe you anyway! Jokes aside, in Taiwan, there is a collection of houses, something unique in the world, that were built in the late 1970s.

Unfortunately, due to financial losses and several fatalities during construction, the houses were abandoned in 1980. Regarding the reason for the fatalities, there are several conflicting tales; one well-known one attributes the killings to the deconstruction of a dragon sculpture located close to the entrance to enlarge the road.

Whatever the circumstances, these stunning residences were regrettably destroyed in 2010, so unlike other mind-blowing buildings on the list, you will never have the chance to see them again.

7. Nakagin capsule tower, Japan

We’re on a roll with mind-blowing buildings, for sure, because this one is one of them and perhaps one of our favorite buildings from Japan. But while we’d like to tell you a happy story about how 2022 was its 50th anniversary, its future didn’t look that bright!

This Nakagin Capsule Tower is extremely simple and built for people who are single or who want to downsize to a compact living space. If you weren’t looking for a bigger place that you couldn’t possibly afford in Japan (because, sheesh, rents here are pretty skyrocketing), an apartment in this building was perfect for you. It was called “Jenga Tower with Washing Machines by many people because of its weird shape and large round windows that host 140 tiny capsules.

What do you think about this particular building? Would you like to throw back time to live in it? Tell us in the comments section.

8. Cor, United States

The significant structures in the United States cannot be overlooked! How many of you, for instance, are familiar with Miami’s Cor building? This is yet another outstanding energy-saving achievement. To fully realize the potential of this astonishing creation, these bubble-like openings will house wind turbines and garden terraces. Neat, right?

9. Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

The ninth building on the list isn’t JUST a building, but many! This is more like a futuristic city that measures 64,120,320 square feet. It was created by Masdar, which is a company based on self-sustaining and saving the environment, so the city plans to be carbon-neutral and car-free.

It sounds great, but we wonder how many people would like to live in a car-free city. It might indeed be better for our environment, but if you’re in a hurry to get to the office, what are you going to do without a car? We hope that bicycles are allowed!

10. Toilet-shaped house, South Korea

There is something about Asian people, and not in a bad way! Sometimes we wonder if they’re living in the future because every time a story about Asian culture pops up on the internet, everybody is like, “Wow.” And with a reason!

For example, how would you feel to live in a toilet-shaped house? You’ll probably need a lot of toilet paper (haha). This is another quirky building that’s located in South Korea and was designed by Sim Jae-Duck, and the enthusiasm of this individual, who served as the founding member of the committee that planned the World Toilet Association’s inaugural general assembly, is evident throughout his residence.

That’s it! We hope you enjoyed reading about the world’s mind-blowing buildings, and if you did, don’t forget to subscribe to our free newsletters. Now, we’re curious: which one was your favorite? Tell us in the comments. We’re eager to hear from you!

Curious about more Mind-Bending Facts about our world? Then we invite you to check out this article: Beware 8 Dangerous Places You Won’t Want to Visit Anytime Soon.