18 Beautiful Ceilings Around The World (PHOTOS)

Take a look at the ceiling above you. Chances are, it's some subtle variation on the color white: bright eggshell, perhaps, or a creamy ivory. All elegant words for what it actually is: blank.

While ceilings are often the most nondescript feature of homes and offices, they are at times the most striking feature of cultural, religious, and even commercial buildings. For your viewing pleasure, we've selected some of the most beautiful ceilings all over the world. Take a look and get inspired!

As always, we don't want anyone to miss out on places that we may not have included; send us your photos!

 

What beautiful ceilings did we leave out? Send us your pictures!

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Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

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Total comments: 24 | Post a Comment

1 of 25

Ceiling

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

So-so. Stunning!

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Comments

[Karen McCaughan]

11:18 AM on 11/07/2010

Pictures cannot capture how stunning this ceiling is....or how large.

[Rosewren]

11:08 PM on 11/05/2010

Here is another view of the theater

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsuperbob/216512082/in/photostream/

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=63

[Rosewren]

11:04 PM on 11/05/2010

Here is a great photo of a ceiling and entrance

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snweb/2779515265/in/photostream/

[ganglewaefre]

10:26 PM on 11/04/2010

Awesome stuff

[babybecks]

03:00 PM on 11/04/2010

Topkapi is more stunning in person, as are all I'm sure. Turkey is one of the most incredible places on planet Earth. Couldn't say enough good things about it, and can't wait to go back.

[StoryTime]

12:48 AM on 11/04/2010

Glad les Galeries Lafayette made it too, probably too busy but stunning ceiling nevertheless
I'd like to add Le Train Bleu's ceiling, also in Paris
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/03/sandwich-day-in-los-angel_n_778430.html

[MohammedAbbasi]

02:02 PM on 11/03/2010

Those are some nice ceiling---- wow very nice

[Anne Boomer]

01:44 PM on 11/03/2010

The Tiffany glass ceiling of the Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de México in Mexico City. The building is Art Deco and the ceiling is fabulous. Grand Central Station? For real?

[forrestblogging]

12:14 PM on 11/03/2010

There are some amazing choices here. Another one that could have made the list: the abbey library in St Gallen. http://nobeatenpath.com/?p=1051

[Jeff Behrens]

12:14 PM on 11/03/2010

One of the most beautiful ceilings, at least in legend, is the Pantocreater mosiac of Christ as Master of the World in the dome of the Hagia Sopia in Constantiniople (Istanbul). The problem is that no one is sure it still exists, and if it does it is hidden under Islamic calligraphy put there by the Ottomans, which would have to be destroyed to reveal it.

[Tom95134]

11:48 AM on 11/03/2010

The Sistine Chapel is absolutely stunning since it has been cleaned of all that candle smoke and the previous attempts at restoration. Can you imagine the reaffirmation of faith that people experienced when that were allowed to view it just after it was originally completed. Remember, most people of that time could not read and they depended on images to be their books. It's why the stained glass windows in the Gothic cathedrals were so important to the people.

[roblabrousse]

10:31 AM on 11/03/2010

This is a throwaway. Hey Joe how bout we do something about ceilings? Check it out on gGoogle and get me about 18 images. Nah there's no criteria. You can chose whatever you like.

[KIVPossum]

11:34 AM on 11/03/2010

LOL

That's the way it's done on most of the Most/Best pictorals

[bmattix]

10:30 AM on 11/03/2010

Galeria Umberto in Naples, Italy is pretty cool too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heimatiater/280749534/in/gallery-eriani69-72157624206699438/

[cloudmaker]

10:15 AM on 11/03/2010

If it weren't for gay men, we wouldn't have most of those ceilings.

[Joey C]

10:10 AM on 11/03/2010

The Hospicio Cabanas in Guadalajara Mexico has an amazing ceiling with murals by Jose Clemente Orozco. In the center dome, there is his famous Hombre de Fuego (man on fire) piece. Incredible. You can see it here
http://eliasg2005.blogspot.com/2007/11/hombre-de-fuego-jos-clemente-orozco.html