Latest news with #PrixVersailles
The Irish Sun
17 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
One of the world's most beautiful train stations that looks like ‘Gotham City' is home to weirdly-beautiful Burger King
ONE of the world's most beautiful stations has been described as looking like something from a comic book. Helsinki Central Train Station in Finland has been named one of the most stunning train stations by both Lonely Planet and BBC. Advertisement 5 Helsinki Central Train Station has been named one of the world's most beautiful Credit: Alamy 5 Some have said it looks like Batman's Gotham City Credit: Alamy It dates back as far as the 1860s which is when the railway tracks were first laid, although the main building opened in 1919. The Art Nouveau station also has a huge glass roof inside that was added in 2001. The main features outside are the two statues, called the Lyhdynkantajat (Lantern Bearers) on either side of the entrance, as well as the huge clock tower. One tourist wrote online: "The central station wouldn't look out of place in Gotham City with the characters built into either side of the main entrance." Advertisement Read more on train stations Another agreed: "One of the most Impressive buildings in Helsinki. To me looks Like from Gotham city in the Batman movies." Around 240,000 people use the station per day, as it is used as a transport hub for both commuters and long-haul travellers . Yet only half of those people are actually using the station for transport purposes, with the other half visiting it as a tourist attraction. It is so popular, it is is actually the most visited building in all of Finland. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Along with 19 platforms, there are 15 cafes and restaurants including everything from juice bars and sandwich delis to fancier wine bars and beer stops. And the station is currently undergoing a huge renovation with improvements to the platform waiting area. Huge new train station to open in world's most popular city 5 The two statues outside are a famous feature Credit: Alamy As well as the addition of more seating, digital displays and automatic doors, a new brewery, restaurant and food court are also being added. Advertisement Passengers are warned of temporary restrictions because of this until spring 2026. The Burger King in Helsinki's Central Station is even praised for being on of the most beautiful in the world. Tourists enter through a glass archway and are met by a huge chandelier hanging outside. 5 Inside are more than 15cafes, bars and restaurants Credit: Alamy Advertisement One Youtuber said: "Absolutely the fanciest Burger King in the world, it's got to be." Visit in the winter months as you will also post a huge outdoor ice skating rink outside the station as well. Here's what it is like to go on a For other beautiful train stations architecture and design award Prix Versailles. Advertisement Belgium have also been praised. And we've rounded up the prettiest ones in the UK. 5 The train station renovations are set to be complete by 2026 Credit: Alamy Advertisement
The National
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Art Futures named one of the world's most beautiful museums
Diriyah Art Futures has been named one of the world's most beautiful museums. It is the first space in Saudi Arabia dedicated to digital art and emerging technologies, and was listed by the Prix Versailles, which recognises achievements in architecture and interior design. The museum, in the town of Diriyah near Riyadh, was designed by Italian architects Schiattarella Associati. It is one of seven museums selected globally for the 2025 award, and the only one from the region. Others recognised include the Grand Palais in Paris, Kunstsilo in Kristiansand, Norway, and Bali's Saka Museum. Diriyah Art Futures' architecture has been praised for its sensitive integration with the surrounding landscape, drawing from traditional Najdi heritage while embracing contemporary sensibilities and the future-facing spirit of its curatorial programme. The museum is not a single building, instead unfolding across a series of sculptural pavilions, housing galleries, research labs and an auditorium. It also has a new media library and a bookstore. The distinct spaces are connected through shaded passageways that echo the rhythm of historical desert settlements. 'We wanted the architecture to feel as though it emerged from the earth,' the architects said. 'This is our approach to design: harnessing natural values to create a contemporary language that resonates deeply with the location.' The recognition is a milestone for Saudi Arabia's cultural architecture. Prix Versailles was established in 2015, with the support of Unesco. It celebrates architecture that makes a cultural, ecological and social impact. Prix Versailles named Zayed International Airport the world's most beautiful airport in 2024.
The National
4 days ago
- The National
Dubai hotspots Gerbou and Smoked Room named among world's most beautiful restaurants
Two Dubai venues have made it to the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants list for 2025. Omakase eatery Smoked Room and Emirati-inspired Gerbou are among 16 restaurants named in the annual list by Prix Versailles, which recognises outstanding achievements in architectural and interior design. The Prix Versailles publishes the list in a number of categories, from airports to museums and hotels. A world title in each category will be announced in December at the Unesco headquarters in Paris. Opened in 2023, Smoked Room at St Regis Gardens on Palm Jumeirah is helmed by Spanish chef Dani Garcia, and earned a Michelin star just six months after opening. An intimate omakase restaurant, it has a crescent-shaped dining area, filled with a single 14-seater table facing the live kitchen with an open-fire cooking station. A separate dessert room is located next door, featuring spacious bench seating and Japanesque walls. Smoked Room was designed by Astet Studio, and has a material palette of black brick alternated with metals, mirrors and brass mesh. 'The main dining area's semicircular layout allows guests to enjoy a theatrical experience as they watch their dishes being prepared over an open flame,' Prix Versailles said, adding that the restaurant's interior evoke 'a sensory journey enhanced by remarkable smoky staging'. Gerbou, meanwhile, has been praised for highlighting Emirati architecture. The Nad Al Sheba restaurant's name roughly translates to 'welcome to our humble abode' in Arabic. Designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants in collaboration with Tasmeem Tashkeel, the stand-alone restaurant's layout 'is a perfect blend of traditional elements and sophisticated modernity', Prix Versailles said, adding that its designers 'have created an homage to the region's flora and fauna, featuring fish-scale lighting, camel leather sofas and chairs made from ghaf trees'. 'The design is a wonderful reflection of the restaurant's cuisine, made from 70 per cent locally sourced ingredients. Chef Ionel Catau carefully couples ancestral flavours with innovative techniques, a pairing that is echoed in the establishment's decor. The whole is a wonderful illustration of Emirati hospitality.' Another regional restaurant also made it to the global list – Riyadh eatery Kimyona. Designed by Azaz Architects, the restaurant's interior design is inspired by analogue black-and-white photography. The Prix Versailles 'world's most beautiful' awards have been presented since 2015. Last year, it named Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport as the most beautiful airport in the world.
The National
5 days ago
- The National
Dubai hotspots Gerbou and Smoked Room named world's most beautiful restaurants
Two Dubai venues have made it to the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants list for 2025. Omakase eatery Smoked Room and Emirati-inspired Gerbou are among 16 restaurants named in the annual list by Prix Versailles, which recognises outstanding achievements in architectural and interior design. The Prix Versailles publishes the list in a number of categories, from airports to museums and hotels. A world title in each category will be announced in December at the Unesco headquarters in Paris. Opened in 2023, Smoked Room at St Regis Gardens on Palm Jumeirah is helmed by Spanish chef Dani Garcia, and earned a Michelin star just six months after opening. An intimate omakase restaurant, it has a crescent-shaped dining area, filled with a single 14-seater table facing the live kitchen with an open-fire cooking station. A separate dessert room is located next door, featuring spacious bench seating and Japanesque walls. Smoked Room was designed by Astet Studio, and has a material palette of black brick alternated with metals, mirrors and brass mesh. 'The main dining area's semicircular layout allows guests to enjoy a theatrical experience as they watch their dishes being prepared over an open flame,' Prix Versailles said, adding that the restaurant's interior evoke 'a sensory journey enhanced by remarkable smoky staging'. Gerbou, meanwhile, has been praised for highlighting Emirati architecture. The Nad Al Sheba restaurant's name roughly translates to 'welcome to our humble abode' in Arabic. Designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants in collaboration with Tasmeem Tashkeel, the stand-alone restaurant's layout 'is a perfect blend of traditional elements and sophisticated modernity', Prix Versailles said, adding that its designers 'have created an homage to the region's flora and fauna, featuring fish-scale lighting, camel leather sofas and chairs made from ghaf trees'. 'The design is a wonderful reflection of the restaurant's cuisine, made from 70 per cent locally sourced ingredients. Chef Ionel Catau carefully couples ancestral flavours with innovative techniques, a pairing that is echoed in the establishment's decor. The whole is a wonderful illustration of Emirati hospitality.' Another regional restaurant also made it to the global list – Riyadh eatery Kimyona. Designed by Azaz Architects, the restaurant's interior design is inspired by analogue black-and-white photography. The Prix Versailles 'world's most beautiful' awards have been presented since 2015. Last year, it named Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport as the most beautiful airport in the world.
Time Out
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This New York steakhouse was named one of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants
Of course, we want our dinner to taste good—but it doesn't hurt when it looks good, too. And the lovely venues featured on Prix Versailles' 2025 list of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants, including a certain stunning New York steakhouse, are definitely a feast for the eyes. As it recently had done with picturesque hotel properties, the Prix Versailles —a series of international awards given annually in the field of architecture—released its list of the world's most visually stunning dining rooms on June 16, recently opened spots that "are evidence of the dominant aesthetic and cultural dynamics around the world," per organizers. And while much of the list is devoted to gorgeous eateries in far-flung locales (like Blackswan in Beijing, China; Bouchon Carême in Helsinki, Finland; Gerbou in Dubai, UAE; and Coro in Orvieto, Italy), one of this year's picks is delightfully closer to home: New York's own Beefbar. Founded by Riccardo Giraudi, with locations in Cannes, Mykonos, London and Hong Kong, the Monte Carlo-born meat concept took over the former Nobu space in spring 2024, bringing its prime cuts and plush setting to Tribeca. "The new location's décor, designed by the Monaco-based firm Humbert & Poyet, is a perfect reflection of New York: a melting pot of influences from which novel expressions emanate, that are as original as they are disconcerting," praises the Prix Versailles. The opulent dining room features tall arched windows, antique mirrors, velvet bench seats and bronze-alabaster sconces. Framed with fluted red and white marble, both the grand kitchen and the meat display cabinet are in view from the seating area, giving you a peek at all of the glorious meat sweats to come. Calling Beefbar's good looks as "oh-so-American yet rooted in Europe," the design-loving list pointed to the interior's "lovely variety of textiles and materials, an abundance that was inspired by a kaleidoscopic vision of history: from a refined version of the historic motif in the Versailles parquet floor to a recollection of the industrial heritage of this part of Manhattan, and from garnet marble cladding to terrazzo flooring." Beefbar was joined on the list by only one other American dining room: Japón at The Setai in Miami Beach, Florida. You can check out the rest of the global list below. The World's Most Beautiful Restaurants of 2025, per the Prix Versailles Gerbou - Dubai, United Arab Emirates Smoked Room - Dubai, United Arab Emirates Blackswan - Beijing, China Ōrtensia - Shanghai, China Lobster Club - Palma de Mallorca, Spain Bouchon Carême - Helsinki, Finland Ladurée Rue Royale - Paris, France Ducasse Baccarat - Paris, France Julie's - London, United Kingdom Shell - Nusa Penida, Indonesia Coro - Orvieto, Italy Seven Island - Busan, Republic of Korea Kimyona - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Another Smith - Tha Sai Luat, Thailand Beefbar - New York, United States Japón - Miami Beach, United States
