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The Leuven Town Hall (Stadhuis) located in Leuven, Belgium.
1. Ely Cathedral, England (11th - 14th century)
Its wooden, octagonal "lantern" is said to be the world's only true Gothic dome. It was built after the original tower collapsed in 1322.
2. The Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest (1904)
The other notable (neo) Gothic dome is that of Budapest's mighty parliament building. Built over a century ago, it remains the largest building in Hungary, looming over the Danube.
3. Church of Our Lady, Ingolstadt, Germany (1425)
Home to some of the most complex vaulting anywhere. Every corner of the interior is furnished with painstakingly-carved details like this ornate branch-work:
4. Tribune Tower, Chicago (1925)
A cathedral to commerce - the greatest neo-Gothic construction in America. The builders chose a crown-shaped top like that of Rouen Cathedral in France, rather than a spire.
5. St. Anne's Church, Vilnius, Lithuania (c.1500)
An iconic example of Brick Gothic architecture. Seeing it during the French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon wanted to take it home to Paris "in the palm of his hand."
6. Strasbourg Cathedral, France (1439)
The world's tallest building for over 200 years, described by Victor Hugo as a "gigantic and delicate marvel". Its west façade and rose window is Rayonnant Gothic at its best.
7. Sainte-Chapelle, Paris (1248)
Built during what they told you were the Dark Ages. There's no better example of Rayonnant ("radiant") Gothic than this chapel of light, built by King Louis IX to house the Crown of Thorns.
8. St Pancras Station, London (1868)
The Industrial Revolution wasn't all about efficiency. The Victorians built their train stations like wondrous cathedrals.
The government tried to demolish it in the '60s, but it was saved by a poet - John Betjeman's last-minute campaign.
9. Hohenzollern Castle, Germany (1867)
A Romantic age wonder of Gothic Revival architecture. It looks formidable but was not built as a fortress - instead as a family memorial for the House of Hohenzollern.
10. Leuven Town Hall, Belgium (1469)
Lace-like detail on this scale is rare for a non-religious building. It's the finest town hall built during the medieval period, and probably ever.
One more - a wonder that never was:
In 1904, a design surfaced for a neo-Gothic complex next to Westminster Abbey, as the abbey became too crowded with monuments. It would've been the UK's tallest building, significantly higher than St Paul's.
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Best regards,
Mina Shohdy
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