Jaw-dropping photos show some of the world's most stunning works of architecture
- Agora, a free photography app, recently held its #Architecture2020 contest.
- More than 10,000 images were submitted for the competition, which showcased the "best shots of unique and outstanding architecture" taken across the world.
- Fifty finalists were chosen through votes cast on the Agora app.
- Photographer Tran Tuan Viet's picture of the Golden Bridge in Vietnam won the contest and took home a $1,000 prize.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
From the United States to Indonesia, stunning architecture can be found all across the world.
To show this, Agora recently challenged photographers to submit the best shots of buildings, bridges, and other unique structures they've captured. And after the free photography app received more than 10,000 submissions, 49 finalists and one winner were chosen.
Here's a look at their breathtaking images.
Read the original article on Insider"One of the best moments of my life" by Talha Arshad
"Every year, millions of pilgrims head to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, for the Hajj pilgrimage — which is one of the five pillars of Islam," Arshad told Agora. "When I went there, I could feel Allah at every heartbeat. It's a place of unity, equality, and peace. I consider myself so lucky that I experienced this beautiful moment."
"Windows" by Jay Wu
Wu spotted this yellow building, as well as its vibrant reflection in a puddle, in Singapore.
"The reflection of the city" by Cao Ky Nhan
While taking this photograph in Vietnam, Nhan ended up getting bitten by tons of mosquitoes.
"Don't forget to apply mosquito repellent if you ever go to this lake," the photographer told Agora.
"The chair" by @edgar_mtz
A photographer who goes by @edgar_mtz online told Agora that he spontaneously took this image while visiting a museum in Mexico.
"The museum's guard went to the bathroom, so I took my chance to photograph his chair," he said.
"The first jummah prayers during Ramadan" by Kazi Md. Jahirul Islam
According to the photographer, this mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is "constantly getting overcrowded, especially during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan," so much so that the local government "had to add extensions."
"The mosque has several modern architectural features whilst preserving the traditional principles of Mughal architecture," Islam told Agora.
"Urban geometry" by Arthur Kanatov
Speaking to Agora, Kanatov said he had arrived at this location in Moscow, Russia, earlier than planned. As a result, he spent time speaking with people and children around him.
"When I started to fly, so many little kids ran to me," the photographer said of his camera drone. "It was really funny to see their wondering faces, and I let them see their home from above."
"I want to believe" by @photosbyaadil
This nominated image was captured in Pakistan. It was taken from inside a structure, with light pouring in from an open pathway.
"Sathorn bridge" by Genny Sian
"I really love architecture, so I wanted to photograph some of the modern buildings in Bangkok during my trip there," Sian told Agora. "The Sathorn Bridge Tower caught most of my attention."
"I spent a few hours there that day, from daylight to evening, without even getting tired," the photographer continued.
"Safdarjung's Tomb" by Arun Sharma
Sharma captured this tomb in Dehli, India. In previous years however, that might not have been possible. According to the photographer, local governments in India only recently added lighting to its monuments so that they become more visible at night.
"Rainy day long exposure" by Zhe Qian
Whereas some photographers dislike rainy days, Qian told Agora that he actually finds them to be "more appealing" than bright weather. So when it started to drizzle during an otherwise sunny day, the photographer headed to San Francisco to take this photo.
"I spent about 30 minutes standing in the rain next to my tripod, but it was all worth it," Qian said. "What I was trying to deliver is the tranquility and quietness of the city when it is covered by falling rain, which is the kind of beauty I appreciate a lot."
"Painted Hall" by Liam Man
Man's photograph is one of the only nominated images taken inside a building. He captured the shot at the Old Royal Naval College in London.
"The Vessel" by Katharina Imhof
The Germany-based photographer took this shot of The Vessel, a tourist attraction, while in New York City.
"Infinity and beyond" by Abdullah Sarwar
Looking up at the sky, Sarwar captured his nominated image in Lahore, Pakistan.
"Water" by Andy Huan
Huan photographed this stunning waterfall in Malaysia.
"The roofs in an old village" by Nông Thanh Toàn
Taken from above, Toàn's photograph shows a colorful area filled with blue roofs in Thanh Hóa, Vietnam.
"Light Through the Dragon's Gate" by Blair Sugarman
According to Sugarman, natural lighting was "perfect" for this picture as result of a sunset. He also told Agora that he hopes his photo evokes "curiosity and wonder at the uniqueness of Hong Kong's building structures."
"Monument Sunset" by Marian Flessa
This nominated photograph, taken at sunset, focuses on the Emperor William Monument in Porta Westfalica, Germany.
"Hong Kong from above" by Michelle Loois
As its name suggests, this aerial photograph provides an unexpected view of Hong Kong.
"Inception" by Yura Borschev
There's more to this nominated photo of Petrovsky Palace than meets the eye.
"I wanted to capture its amazing architecture using a technique called 'Inception,'" Borschev told Agora. "There are nine photos from different angles manually merged into one photo."
"Landmark 81" by Azim Khan Ronnie
While in Vietnam, Ronnie decided to photograph the tallest building in Ho Chi Minh City. He also did so from the ground, which helped to capture the architecture's height.
"Urban Grid | Barcelona" by Lee Mumford
To capture this photograph, Mumford needed the lighting to be just right. He waited until clouds had passed, and took this shot early in the morning.
"Running under the storto" by Marco Tagliarino
Speaking to Agora, Tagliarino said he wanted to "underline the integration between the new architecture" of his city and the "respect of the environment with this runner passing by" through his photograph. It features a view of Generali Tower in Milan, Italy.
"Tulum" by Blake Hobson
Hobson took this photograph of a woman walking across a bridge while traveling in Tulum, Mexico.
"Surrounded by 72 Buddha statues — The Great Candi Borobudur" by Risa Wicaksana
Wicaksana's aerial photograph was taken in Indonesia. It focuses on Borobudur, which is described by UNESCO as a Buddhist temple dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries.
"Stairway to Heaven" by Perry Wunderlich
"I was in Hamburg, Germany, for two days, and spent my time photographing the beautiful stairs across the city," Wunderlich told Agora. "I like such abstract pictures where you don't immediately grasp what it is."
"Stupa homage" by Min Zaw
This stupa, also known as a Buddhist shrine, was photographed by Zaw in Myanmar. According to the photographer, the crack seen in the middle of the architecture was created by an earthquake.
"Parking" by Matias Garcia
"I was walking around Barcelona, my home city, when I came across this particular building," Garcia told Agora. "I decided to go inside and have a look."
"It reminded me of how important it is to look for different points of view when photographing something," he continued. "The outcome can change radically if we give it another perspective."
"Pahtotharmyar" by Aye Chan Tun
According to Tun, capturing this image required "meticulous organization," as the sun only shines through the Myanmar temple for a brief moment each day.
"Golden Bridge" by Tran Tuan Viet
It's no surprise that Viet's photo of the Golden Bridge in Vietnam was named the winner of Agora's #Architecture2020 contest. Not only does it show a unique bridge that's held by larger-than-life hands, but it also captures the beauty of its surrounding landscape.
"Close Quarters" by Kent Sampson
While in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, Sampson aimed to capture the city's "dense" architecture. Speaking to Agora, he said he was specifically captivated by the area's "older, grittier, and seemingly never-ending apartment blocks."
"I spent a couple of hours getting lost in this part of the city, getting carried away with the different colors and patterns of all the various buildings," he said. "For me, no other picture I took sums up Hong Kong as a city better than this one."
"Lonely house" by Artem Pikalov
Through this photograph, which was taken in Crimea, Russia, Pikalov wanted to convey "the peace of being in such a secluded place." The image is also important to him, as he took it on the same day he found out he would become a father.
"Petare" by Donaldo Barros
In Petare, Venezuela, Barros captured this cluster of buildings.
"Matsumoto Castle in the land of the rising sun" by Jan Meyer
This nominated image was taken by Meyer in Matsumoto, Japan.
"Clifton suspension bridge" by Tom Bridges
Bridges told Agora that he lived next to this bridge in Bristol, UK, for two years, but had "never managed" to capture fog as it passed over. But after moving an hour away, he decided to travel back to the location for three consecutive days to get the shot.
"Modern lookups" by Sebastian Burziwal
"I'd seen some shots of this place before, but I never knew exactly where it was, so I had to ask a lot of people to find out," Burziwal told Agora about the building in his photograph. "It's one of Vienna's most classic lookups in the city center."
"Chinese New Year in Singapore" by Ghislain Fave
According to Fave, he was able to take this photograph of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore from a nearby condo building.
"I wanted to show the contrast between this place of worship and the modern district of Singapore in the background," he told Agora.
"Aerial view" by Pham Huy Trung
While in Hue, Vietnam, Trung photographed this floating restaurant from the air because it "can be better admired from above," as he told Agora.
"Castlemania!" by @moodfella
This nominated images focuses on Eltz Castle, a medieval structure located near Mayen-Koblenz, Germany.
"Central in Hong Kong" by Jacky Woo
Not only does Woo's photograph feature eye-catching architecture, but it's also enhanced by neon lights and winding roads.
"Arundel Folly" by Bear Martin
Speaking to Agora, Martin said he visited the Hiorne Tower in West Sussex, UK, at 8 p.m. on a "very dark but clear winter night." To add some light to the architecture, he used bright drones to circle the structure.
"Colorful architecture in Tokyo" by Alvaro Valiente
Valiente photographed this colorful building while traveling in Tokyo, Japan.
"Bottle Opener and Needle" by Vitaly Tyuk
Tyuk, a Russian photographer, travelled to Shanghai, China, to capture this shot.
"Fort Alexander 1" by Alexey Nikitin
This aerial photograph was taken by Nikitin near Kronstadt, Russia. It features Fort Alexander 1, a naval fortress originally built in 1838.
"Flat iron building" by Øystein Karlsen
In New York City, Karlsen used a wide-angle lens to capture this building from a low perspective — so low that he had to lay on the ground. Unfortunately for the photographer, he accidentally dropped a different camera lens in the process.
"This picture cost me about $1,200 for the repair of a lens I didn't even use!" he said.
"Ciudad de las ciencias" by Luis Talon
Talon's nominated photograph features the City of Arts and Sciences building in Valencia, Spain.
"I took this photo at sunset, where I took advantage of the beautiful natural light and the artificial lights coming from the building," the photographer told Agora.
"Low fog in Moscow" by Sergei Poletaev
As its name suggests, this image was taken in Moscow, Russia. Poletaev told Agora that he used a drone to get the shot, and did so around 3 a.m.
"The fog was very dense, so I didn't even see the tower itself from my vantage point," he said. "But when I took off my drone, I saw this striking picture: a thin sky needle above the sea of fog, with a shadow that makes it endless. It was the best sunrise of that summer."
"Cairo" by Banu Diker
Diker found this building in Cairo, Egypt, and was captivated by its color.
"The rustiness of the building was the only different color in the picture, because the reflection on the windows reflected the same blue as the sky," she told Agora. "When I realized this, I thought the contrast was beautiful and I took the photo."
"A cold winter day" by Luca Cornago
Speaking to Agora, Cornago said his hands were frozen while photographing the Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany.
"The architecture of this castle is stunning," he told the photography app. "It reminded me of my childhood and Walt Disney."
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