The most famous unfinished building in the world is the Tower of Babel. This ancient wonder of the world began to be erected back in the 18th century BC, it was not completed for the reasons indicated in the biblical texts.
But even today there are many unfinished architectural structures in the world. Some are so magnificent that they have become popular attractions despite being unfinished.
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York
In New York at the end of the 19th century, they aimed to create the largest Anglican cathedral in the world. In the process, they decided to change the style, then funding for the construction was stopped due to the war. The last attempt fell on the 70s - 90s of the last century. Since 1999, the work has stopped. The reason is banal - lack of money.
Locals jokingly call the cathedral St. John the Unfinished. Nevertheless, the building on Amsterdam Avenue is a tourist attraction. And there is something to admire and admire:
- high ceilings
- stained glass
- finishing
- and, most importantly, the scale of the architect's plan, which was never fully realized.
Westminster Cathedral, London
Not to be confused with the abbey of the same name! The cathedral in London is active, the construction was officially completed in 1903. The interior decoration continues to this day. And today, in some parts, you can see brickwork instead of the murals prescribed by the canons. So the main Catholic cathedral of Great Britain can be safely included in the top of the world's unfinished projects.
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
Its construction began at the end of the 19th century. Few people know the name of the first architect, the second architect who changed the project was Antoni Gaudi. He glorified the church, and she glorified the architect. Today, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is almost the most visited attraction in the city. The reason is not only in the unusual appearance of the building, but also in the construction time.
The construction continues to this day. The background to the long-term construction is in the concept. The temple is being erected only with donations, all of them must be anonymous (to exclude PR), neither the government nor business have the right to participate in financing. In a word, the idea is being realized that everything is in God's hands and is created by people.
It is impossible to calculate the total value of donations. The construction period itself is impressive. It is assumed that it will be completed by 2026. And this is without finishing elements.
National Monument of Scotland, Edinburgh
The good goal of glorifying the Scots who died in the Napoleonic Wars remained unrealized. The most common reason is lack of finance.
For the monument, they chose the top of Cato Hill in the very center of Edinburgh. From the fragments that they managed to erect, it is clear that the designers were clearly guided by the Athenian Parthenon. Now the majestic columns are the only decoration of the hill. And they are still a tourist attraction. Because a magnificent panorama of the city opens up from the hill.
Minaret of Hassan, Rabat
The famous landmark of the capital of Morocco, included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered the national shrine of the country.
Construction began at the beginning of the 12th century by order of the then emir. He dreamed of building the tallest structure in the Islamic world. We managed to build a minaret and 348 columns for the future mosque. It was designed for 50,000 people. As usual, the descendants did not care about the plans of the emir. With his death, work stopped. Some of the columns with the roof were destroyed during the 1755 earthquake.
In general, the quality of the work of the ancient builders is respectable. The pink stone minaret with arches and a lattice bas-relief still stands today, attracting numerous tourists, especially from Muslim countries.
