National Parliament House

Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban is the National Parliament of Bangladesh and ranks among the most important works of modern architecture worldwide. American architect Louis Kahn designed the massive concrete complex in 1962, originally for East Pakistan, but it was only completed in 1982, long after Kahn's death and after Bangladesh's independence. Eight cylindrical and rectangular blocks group around an octagonal chamber, with geometric openings filtering daylight. The surrounding Sher-e-Bangla Nagar grounds are shaped like a citadel of the mind, with water bodies and axial gardens. Interior tours are reserved for delegations, but the exterior can be circled freely, the most striking view coming from Crescent Lake to the southeast.