Illuminating Masterpieces: 10 Breathtaking Ceiling Artworks Spanning The Globe
- Ceiling artwork extends beyond the iconic frescoes of The Vatican's Sistine Chapel, encompassing examples like a mosque in Malaysia, a temple in Seoul, and a monastery in Nepal.
- The ceiling designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava at a transportation hub in New York City is a remarkable example of contemporary architecture, while Antoni GaudÃ's Palau Güell in Barcelona is equally impressive and worth experiencing.
Visitors traveling to Vatican City often head to the Apostolic Palace to admire the renowned frescoes within the Sistine Chapel. However, numerous other breathtaking ceilings around the globe also captivate attention and hold intriguing tales of their own.
A few are adorned based on traditional design frameworks, whereas others feature captivating geometric motifs, folklore symbols, mythological creatures, or grand depictions of battles.
Here are 10 of the finest examples ranging from Malaysia to Scotland, and South Korea to the United States.
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1. Apollo Gallery at The Louvre, located in Paris, France
Where would you be more likely to discover a stunningly beautiful ceiling mural than in an art gallery? Among the over 500,000 artifacts featured at the globe’s most frequented museum lie dozens of breathtaking ceilings. the Louvre .
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During my latest visit, I frequently found myself neglecting the valuable artifacts hanging on the walls to look upward, particularly in the extremely opulent Apollo Gallery.
Adorned with golden details, the gallery showcases myth-filled frescoes adorning its arched ceilings. The most notable of these is "Apollo Slaying the Dragon," created by the French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863). This artwork portrays the Greek deity Apollo engaged in an intense struggle with a snake-like creature.
2. The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque in Shah Alam, Malaysia
I feel as though I'm being pulled into a whirlpool. The massive, dark-brown ceiling over me features a series of rings that draw my gaze inward, exerting an almost mesmerizing pull toward their center.
The intricate patterns adorn the inside of a massive dome, making it one of the most distinctive elements of the mosque, which was finished in 1988.
According to my guide, not many international travelers would visit Shah Alam, which is a small city located 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) west of downtown area. Kuala Lumpur A few years back, pictures of this mosque’s 142-meter-tall (466-foot-tall) minarets, its striking blue dome, and mesmerizing ceiling started circulating widely on Instagram.
Currently, he explains, it has become a favored spot for visitors looking for an attractive setting to feature on their social media feeds.
3. Oculus Transit Center, New York, United States
Alongside New York's September 11 Memorial Plaza Dedicated to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attack, this imposing structure looks like a huge metal eagle with outstretched wings.
The shopping center and train station were conceived by the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and finished in 2016, with total expenses amounting to approximately $4 billion.
The inside is even more enchanting because of its distinctive ceiling. This feature, featuring numerous white steel beams that dominate the space, looks like a massive skeletal structure. The addition of a 100-meter long skylight enhances this effect, creating striking shadows throughout.
4. The Mandarin's Structure, Hue, Vietnam
Sharp fangs jut out from the mouth of a towering dragon overshadowing a cluster of tourists. Surrounded by swirls of cloud, blooms, chalices, and foliage, this mythical beast overshadows a multicolored fresco on the rooftop of the Mandarin’s Structure, an old dining hall within the Emperor’s Complex in Hue.
Constructed in the early 19th century as the center of power for Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty, this fortress-like complex retains around 20 preserved structures. Several feature elaborate, hand-crafted ceiling paintings. The most impressive among these showcases images of Vietnam’s four mythical guardian animals: the dragon, tortoise, qilin (a form of unicorn), and phoenix.
5. The Chapel of the Holy Shroud, located in Turin, Italy
In northwestern Italy, Turin is renowned for a 4-meter long piece of fabric believed to have been worn by Jesus and which shows impressions of his body. Despite debates about its origin, visitors flock to the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, where a copy of this linen relic is exhibited.
Above, within this 17th-century chapel constructed by the renowned Italian architect Guarino Guarini (1624-1683), lies an extraordinary dome. It resembles a cogwheel from a complex timepiece, featuring multiple tiers of hexagons enhanced with golden elements and arched openings that channel sunlight into the interior of the church.
6. Bongeunsa Temple, located in Seoul, South Korea
It appears appropriate that the principal temple should be Seoul's Gangnam district , which houses numerous K-pop studios, boasts the city's most daring ceiling design.
Bongeunsa Temple has stood for over 1,200 years, but its ceiling appears perfectly crafted for today’s social media enthusiasts, brimming with color and teeming with intricate details.
Intricate geometric designs and floral elements — hallmarks of Korean art — decorate the surface. Dancheong A system for adorning major temples involves having numerous intricately made lanterns hanging from the ceilings.
The prayer hall becomes particularly picturesque in September during the annual Jeongdaebulsa ceremony when numerous monks gather inside.
7. St Giles' Cathedral, located in Edinburgh, Scotland
Similar to an artistic rendition of the Scottish flag, the ceiling overhead resembles a sea of blue intersected by ribbed vaults.
St Giles' Cathedral – which is officially a parish church today – boasts intricate stone carvings and striking frescoes. Similarly captivating is the relatively plain but unmistakably appealing ceiling of this 900-year-old place of worship, situated in the heart of the city. the city's Old Town , just 300 metres from Edinburgh Castle.
Volunteer guides share with visitors information about the church’s Gothic architecture and recount how it endured numerous attacks by the English throughout several centuries.
8. Charminar, Hyderabad, India
Surrounded by thousands of people, I feel as though all noise has faded away. This is the captivating impact of my initial view from within the Charminar, a landmark located in Ghansi Bazaar, the bustling historic quarter of Hyderabad.
Shaped like an intrados The curved section of the arch, the stonework ceiling features floral designs and is encircled by a balcony-like walkway adorned with arched openings. Each opening is intricately engraved with Persian-inspired arabesque patterns.
Tourists can explore these passageways by ascending the steep stairs of the 49-meter-tall Charminar, which was constructed in 1591 under the rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. This Islamic ruling family had strong ties with Persian traditions and influences.
9. Park Güell, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona owes much of its identity to the brilliance of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), an architect responsible for numerous top draws among tourists visiting Catalonia, including several iconic landmarks. La Sagrada Familia church .
And you could spend hours taking pictures as you wander under the deep brown wooden rafters of his Palau Guell mansion, culminating at the apex in the structure’s main atrium.
Enhancing the lavish wooden decorations is a parabolic domed ceiling adorned with tiny openings that diffuse natural sunlight, causing the roof to resemble a night sky filled with stars.
10. Kopan Monastery, located in Kathmandu, Nepal
Goggles are virtually essential when observing the radiant ceiling of the Kopan Monastery.
Perched atop a lush hill approximately 6 kilometers northeast of the city center Kathmandu The imposing presence of this Buddhist complex masks its serenity.
The premises are peacefully calm as I stroll by beginner monks in my quest to find the picture-perfect prayer hall.
Within, an explosion of colors, motifs, and murals adorns its ceiling. Images of Buddha alongside mythical beings like the Garuda are set among floral extravagance or intricate geometric designs.