The world’s most breathtaking interiors

Stepping inside an architecturally stunning building is an experience like no other and whether it’s a grand staircase or a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, some interiors have a way of taking your breath away the moment you walk through the door. From soaring ceilings to ornate design details, many of the world’s most iconic buildings will continue wowing you from the moment you step inside. 

To find out which interiors are the most captivating of all, we conducted a global eye-tracking study analysing images of some of the world’s most beautiful interiors, looking at which ones caught participants’ attention the quickest, the percentage of participants that who noticed and fixated on each image at least once, as well as how long each one held their attention, before combining the three metrics together. 

Whether you’re planning your next trip or simply love architecture and design, join us as we unveil the world’s most awe-inspiring interiors. And if these breathtaking buildings have you dreaming of your next adventure, make sure you’re covered with comprehensive travel insurance before you jet off. 

Which globally iconic interiors are the most beautiful?

Topping the list of the world’s most awe-inspiring interiors is the Abbey Library of Saint Gall in Switzerland, with Mysore Palace in India following closely behind in second place. Rounding out the top three is Budapest Parliament in Hungary, which offers a stunning display of Gothic Revival architecture. 

The top 10 includes a wide variety of visually captivating interiors spanning six continents. Among them are the Sydney Opera House, whose sail-like interiors prove just as captivating from the inside as they do from the harbour, and the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, situated in Brazil‘s Rio de Janeiro and one of the most ornate libraries in the world.

The UK also makes an appearance in the top 10, with St Paul’s Cathedral in London taking sixth place thanks to its intricately designed dome and elaborate mosaic ceilings. The USA features in the top 10 too, with the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library in New Haven claiming joint ninth place alongside Cairo’s Egyptian Museum. 

The world’s top 25 most awe-inspiring interiors

1. Abbey Library of Saint Gall – St. Gallen, Switzerland

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 97.0/100

Topping the ranking as the world’s most awe-inspiring interior is the Abbey Library of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest working libraries in the world. Participants fixed their gaze on this masterpiece of interior design faster than any other interior in the study (1.36 seconds), which secured it an overall eye-catching score of 97.0 out of 100. Home to over 170,000 manuscripts, some dating back over 1,000 years, its ornate wooden shelving and painted ceilings make it a complete feast for the eyes.

2. Mysore Palace – Mysore, India

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 86.1/100

Scoring an impressive 86.1 out of 100, Mysore Palace in India secures second place in our study. Built for the Wadiyar dynasty (royal Indian family that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1947), its interior showcases an impressive mix of Hindu, Islamic and Gothic influences, with stained-glass domes, ornate archways and a gleaming marble floor. It’s no surprise that participants spent longer looking at this interior than almost any other in the study (2.55 seconds).

3. Budapest Parliament – Budapest, Hungary

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 85.7/100

Budapest’s Parliament Building is next, with an impressive interior that features gold leaf detailing, delicately designed ceilings and a sweeping staircase. Guarded around the clock, the building’s Holy Crown of Hungary sits beneath a domed hall that continues to catch the eye of visitors from around the world, scoring it 85.7 out of a possible 100.

4. Sydney Opera House – Sydney, Australia

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 84.9/100

Sydney Opera House, which we also named the world’s sixth most iconic attraction in one of our previous studies, lands in fourth place with a score of 84.9 out of 100, proving its interior is just as striking as its iconic sail-shaped exterior. Inside is a jaw-dropping concert hall, as well as soaring glass walls which frame views straight out over Sydney Harbour, offering visitors a breathtaking view the moment they step through the doors.

5. Reichstag Dome – Berlin, Germany

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 82.1/100

Germany‘s Reichstag Dome rounds out the top five with a glass dome built around a mirrored cone that reflects daylight down into the parliamentary chamber below, while a spiral ramp winds up around the outside and lets visitors walk all the way to the top. Those who make the journey are treated to panoramic views over Berlin, making it as much a viewpoint as it is a working government building.

6. St Paul’s Cathedral – London, United Kingdom

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 80.6/100

Sixth place goes to London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, with a score of 80.6 out of 100, thanks to Sir Christopher Wren’s brilliantly iconic design. Its most famous feature is the Whispering Gallery, a walkway that runs around the inside of the dome. Stand at one end, whisper against the curved wall, and someone over 100 feet away on the other side will hear you clearly! It’s a trick of acoustics that has delighted visitors for centuries and makes the climb up hundreds of steps well worth it.

7. Blue Mosque – Istanbul, Turkey

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 80.3/100

Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, with its interior covered in over 20,000 handmade blue tiles arranged in more than 50 tulip designs and lit by more than 200 stained-glass windows, lands securely in the top 10. Completed in 1616, the mosque takes its nickname from this striking tilework and remains one of the few in the world built with six minarets, a rare feature that adds to its instantly recognisable silhouette on the Istanbul skyline.

8. Real Gabinete Português de Leitura – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 79.7/100

Inspired by Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery, this library is built in a style called Neo-Manueline (including elements like twisted ropes, royal symbols and complex stone carvings), with towering wooden bookshelves that rise several storeys high, supported by iron columns and topped with a huge stained-glass skylight. It’s also home to nearly 400,000 books, including rare manuscripts and first editions.

9. Egyptian Museum – Cairo, Egypt

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 79.6/100

Cairo’s Egyptian Museum is filled with ancient Egyptian treasures, from towering statues to detailed carvings that tell stories from thousands of years ago. Many of its most famous pieces, including items from Tutankhamun’s tomb, have since moved to the new Grand Egyptian Museum nearby – but the original museum is still packed with wonders, and its huge halls feel just as amazing as the history inside them.

10. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library – New Haven, United States of America 

‘Eye-Catching’ Score: 79.6/100

Rounding out the top rankings is Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library in New Haven. Its walls are made of thin marble panels that let sunlight glow right through them, turning golden by day and lighting up like a lantern at night. In the middle of the building, a tall glass tower holds around 180,000 rare books, including a Gutenberg Bible – making it a modern twist on the grand, historic libraries that scored so highly in our study.

If our research has inspired you to see some of these breathtaking interiors for yourself, make sure you’re prepared and buy your travel insurance ahead of time, to save any last-minute holiday stresses.

Methodology

We analysed 52 architecturally renowned interiors from around the world, each known for offering stunning views for people who are willing to step inside some of the world’s most beautiful buildings.

A group of 150 participants from around the world took part in the research. Each participant was presented with a series of images showcasing these interiors, and their visual engagement was measured using eye-tracking technology. 

We recorded three key metrics:

• Time to First Fixation (TTFF): the speed at which participants first focused on an image, indicating immediate visual appeal
• Total Viewing Duration: The average length of time participants spent looking at each image, reflecting sustained interest
• Reach (%): The percentage of participants who acknowledged the image at least once.

To determine the final ranking, these metrics were combined in a weighted formula: 65% based on TTFF and reach (how quickly an image captures attention) and 35% based on total viewing duration (how long it holds attention).

The results revealed the interiors that are the most visually captivating, earning them the title of the world’s most awe-inspiring interiors.

Data correct as of July 2026.