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5 Architectural Masterpieces Around the World Inspired By Love and Romance

By Bernadette Salapare | Feb 13, 2024 05:36 PM EST

Just like movies, love stories can also serve as powerful inspirations for architectural endeavors. Delve into these heartwarming narratives of buildings constructed across the globe, each crafted with a profound sense of love, igniting hope for romance in every heart in light of Valentine's day.

(Photo : Unsplash/Sylwia Bartyzel)

1. Taj Mahal, India

The mausoleum, now recognized worldwide, was initially constructed in honor of love. The beauty of India is something that attracts a lot of tourists these days. It represents an outstanding achievement of architectural endeavor. White marble was used to construct the palace, which featured elegant furnishings and a magnificent park. Every day, hundreds of guides share the stories of the area with tourists. 

Jahan was mesmerized and devoted to the girl's attractiveness. He married a merchant from the neighborhood market while he was a monarch of India. They raised a large and influential family together. However, Mumtaz Mahal passed away during the fourteenth birth of her child. In honor of her memory, the emperor constructed the Taj Mahal, often considered the most stunning mausoleum in the world.

(Photo : Flickr/William Warby)

2. Dobroyd Castle, England

Dobroyd Castle, located prominently on the Todmorden moors, was initially conceived as a promise of love and later evolved into a resort for newlyweds. It is believed that John Fielden, the son of a wealthy businessperson, fell in love with a weaver girl. She told him she would marry him if he promised to build a castle on a hill for her. It is reportedly the mythology that has been passed down through the generations. This historic site was completed with 66 opulent rooms, four small turrets, a stable accommodating seventeen horses, and a central structure.

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(Photo : Tatler/Suicasmo )

3. Kodaji Temple, Japan

Kodaji Temple is one of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto's Higashiyama district. It was built in 1606 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife, Nene, to honor her husband, the Sengoku period warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's most important historical people.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, who succeeded Hideyoshi as successor to the throne, provided the financial assistance that allowed the main buildings to be constructed in the opulent style of the era of Japan's unification. The interiors of these buildings were painted with lacquer and decorated with delicate gold ornaments. Although it was reconstructed in 1912 with less ostentation, it was destroyed after multiple fires.

The Japanese government has recognized it as a historical landmark and a location of scenic beauty, and it is reported that the landscape garden designer Kobori Enshu was the one who constructed the stunning zen gardens that are located there.

(Photo : Archute/Chateaur Versailles )

4. Petit Trianon, France

The Petit Trianon was built on the grounds of Versailles. It was a smaller version of the Grand Trianon, one of the most beautiful baroque-style chateaus in the French palace. King Louis XV constructed it between 1762 and 1768 for his long-standing love and mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Unfortunately, she could never reside there since it was only finished four years after her passing.

(Photo : Tatler/Swallow's Nest)

5. Swallow's Nest, Ukraine

A German noble constructed this perilously situated citadel in Crimea atop the 130-foot-tall Aurora Cliff, which overlooks the Black Sea, in 1912. His honeymoon reportedly included visiting the property, which housed a modest timber dwelling. 

The neo-Gothic fortress, Swallow's Nest Castle, was constructed because the owners believed it would be more appropriate for a romantic castle to serve as the couple's hideaway. The building has endured the elements, including a 1927 earthquake, and is accessible to visitors despite its precarious location.

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