Famous Buildings and Structures Prehistorical and Ancient (part 2 of 2): Peter(England; 1220–1472);Milan Cathedral(Italy; begun in 1386); andCologne Cathedral(Germany; 13th–19th centuries; damaged in World War II but completely restored). The Duomo(cathedral) in Florence, with its pink, white, and green marble façade, has become a symbol of the city and the Renaissance. Construction began in 1296 and was completed nearly 200 years later, with the addition of Brunelleschi's massive dome. The adjacent baptistery is famous for its gilded bronze doors by Ghiberti. The Vaticanis a group of buildings in Rome comprising the official residence of the pope. TheBasilica of St. Peter,the largest church in the Christian world, was begun in 1452, and it was rebuilt between 1506 and 1626. TheSistine Chapel,begun in 1473, is noted for frescoes by Michelangelo. Other examples of Renaissance architecture are thePalazzo Riccardi,thePalazzo Pitti,and thePalazzo Strozziin Florence; thePalazzo Farnesein Rome; thePalazzo Grimani(completed c. 1550) in Venice; theEscorial(1563–93) near Madrid; theTown Hallof Seville (1527–32); theLouvre,Paris; theChâteauat Blois, France;St. Paul's Cathedral,London (1675–1710; badly damaged in World War II); theÉcole Militaire,Paris (1752); thePazzi Chapel,Florence, designed by Brunelleschi (1429); and thePalace of Fontainebleauand theChâteau de Chambordin France. The Palace of Versaillesin France, containing the famous Hall of Mirrors, was built during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century and served as the royal palace until 1793. Built on the colossal scale typical of many works of baroque architecture, the palace is also noted for its gardens, which include some 1,400 fountains. Outstanding European buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries are theSupergaat Turin (Italy); theHôtel-Dieuin Lyons; theBelvedere Palaceat Vienna; theRoyal Palaceof Stockholm; theBank of England,theBritish Museum,theUniversity of London,and theHouses of Parliament,all in London; and thePanthéon,theChurch of the Madeleine,theBourse,thePalais de Justice, and theOpera House,all in Paris. The Eiffel Tower,in Paris, was built for the Exposition of 1889 by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. It is 984 ft high (1,056 ft including the television tower). TheGuggenheim Bilbao Museum(1993–97) in Bilbao, Spain, was designed by Frank Gehry. The undulating form of this riverfront building, clad in glass and gleaming sheets of titanium, has been compared to a fish, a boat, and water itself. See also: Architects World's Tallest Buildings Seven Wonders of the World Asian, African, and South American The Taj Mahal(1632–1650), at Agra, India, built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, is considered by some as the most perfect example of the Mogul style and by others as the most beautiful building in the world. Four slim white minarets flank the building, which is topped by a white dome; the entire structure is made of marble. Another well-known Muslim edifice is theCitadel,located on an outcrop of limestone overlooking Cairo. Begun in 810, it was fortified (1176–1183) by Saladin during the Crusades. Petra,in Jordan, is an ancient city whose buildings have been carved out of the surrounding hills. It was the capital of the Nabataeans in the 4th centuryB.C.The most famous of its buildings is Al Khazneh, a temple or treasury, with its impressive two-story facade jutting out from a pink rock. Other famed Muslim edifices are theTombs of the Mamelukes(15th century) in Cairo, theTomb of Humayunin Delhi, theBlue Mosque(1468) at Tabriz, and theTamerlane Mausoleumat Samarkand. Angkor Wat,outside the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia, is one of the most beautiful examples of Cambodian, or Khmer, architecture. The sanctuary was built during the 12th century. The 8th-century Borobudur Templeon Java is a masterpiece of Indonesian Buddhist art and architecture. Its ascending terraces feature bas-relief sculptures and 72 Buddha statues. The Great Wall of China(begun c. 214B.C.), designed specifically as a defense against nomadic tribes, has large watchtowers that could be called buildings. It was erected by Emperor Ch'in Shih Huang Ti and is 1,400 mi long. Built mainly of earth and stone, it varies in height between 18 and 30 ft. The Forbidden City(1407–1420) in Beijing served as the seat of imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911). It is the world's largest palace complex, covering about 183 acres and including 9,999 buildings. Typical of Chinese architecture are the pagodas, or temple towers. Among some of the better-known pagodas are theGreat Pagoda of the Wild Geeseat Sian (founded in 652) andNan t'a(11th century) at Fang Shan.