Observed annually on the first Monday in October, World Architecture Day is a holiday that celebrates the world’s ancient and modern architectural works. It’s also a day that celebrates the architects who designed these marvelous works of art.

Some of the architectural works that people can admire on this day include Beijing Daxing International Airport, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

Of course, there are other architectural and engineering feats that can be observed on this day, including the Saint Louis Arch, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Empire State Building in New York.

The History of World Architecture Day

For thousands of years, humankind has created architectural works that are not only functional but also elevate the mind and the soul to new heights. There was the Classical Period of architecture, including the Parthenon, the Colosseum, and the Temple of Athena Nike.

There are also the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods that created some of the greatest cathedrals in the world. No discussion of architecture would be complete without talking about the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles that created the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Equitable Building.

In 1985, the International Union of Architects created this holiday. World Architecture Day was created to serve as a reminder of the responsibility that humans possess to not only build homes for people to live and work in but also to build structures that elevate the mind and soul of every human being who interacts with these structures.

Some Incredible Facts About Architecture

Below are some incredible facts about architecture that we found while researching World Architecture Day. Let us share the following facts with everyone before we continue with the rest of this article.

• Cologne Cathedral was started in 1248, but it would take another 632 years to finish it.
• Sir Christopher Wren designed St. Paul’s Cathedral, but it took 35 years to build.
• In 1931, the Empire State Building was finished. It is currently the fourth-largest building in New York.
• In 1859, Big Ben was finished. It was the largest clock tower of its time in London.
• In 1653, the Taj Mahal was completed in Agra, India.
• The Guggenheim opened in 1959, but it was called an inverted oatmeal dish by one critic.

Observing World Architecture Day

Everyone is encouraged to head out into the world on this day and explore some of humankind’s greatest architectural achievements. If that’s not feasible, then people should head out onto the Internet and explore pictures of these wonderful works.

And while they’re on the Internet, people should take the time to use the hashtag #WorldArchitectureDay to spread the word about this day to everyone around the world.