You can tell a lot about a country by its most important government buildings. Austere or opulent, grand or understated, they always tend to reflect commonly-held values and beliefs. And because everyone wants to show their best side, they are invariably beautiful too. From the flamboyant Austrian Parliament in Vienna to the more understated Japanese Diet, these gorgeous government buildings from every corner of the world were born to rule.

It may have taken the Australian government 61 years to replace the ‘temporary’ Parliament House first built in 1927, but when they did, they did it in style. The ‘new’ Parliament House is set discretely into the side of Canberra's Capital Hill and is one of the largest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere. The interior is decorated with Australian timber and a stunning forecourt mosaic by Warlpiri artist Michael Nelson Jagamara recognises the country’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This huge Neo-Gothic pile on the north bank of the Thames is defiantly and definitively the ‘Mother of all Parliaments’. It covers eight acres in total and includes 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and three miles (4.8km) of passageways. It was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the original medieval buildings in 1834 and was designed by Sir Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin to reflect the grandeur of the parliamentary system. It remains one of London’s most photographed sights.

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By any metric, this Neoclassical palace in Romania is astonishing. It’s the heaviest building on the planet; bigger than the pyramids, it’s the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. It has its own nuclear bunker, 3,000 rooms and a yearly electricity bill of over £4.9 million ($6m). What began in 1984 as the narcissistic folly of the brutal dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu is now the most extravagant seat of government in the world. Even today, 70% of it remains unused.

Australian architect Cecil Hogan called upon all manner of local influences to build Papua New Guinea’s stunning parliament building. Inaugurated in 1984, its design follows the style of local Haus Tambaran (House of Spirits). The mosaic above the entrance depicts every aspect of Papua New Guinea life and, inside, a huge wooden carving highlights the country's four distinct regions. You’ll also find several glass displays showcasing the nation’s extraordinary insect life, including the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, the world’s largest butterfly.

Opened in 1959 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, this imposing structure dominates the western end of Tiananmen Square. At its heart is the ‘Great Auditorium’, a massive meeting space with a ceiling covered in a galaxy of lights and a giant red star at its centre. There are also decorative nods to each of the provinces. Fun fact: Michael Flatley presented Riverdance here in 2003, the first Western show ever performed in the building.

Completed in 1894, the Neo-Renaissance Reichstag has been both a silent witness and an active participant in the city’s turbulent history. Kaiser Wilhelm II regarded it as ‘the pinnacle of bad taste’. Hitler used a fire there as a pretext to assume dictatorial powers and Soviet soldiers took great delight in defacing it when they conquered the city in 1945. When Germany reunified in 1990, the Reichstag rose again. British architect Sir Norman Foster restored both its iconic glass dome and its place at the centre of German art and politics.

Locally known as Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the National Parliament of Bangladesh covers a staggering 200 acres. Construction started in 1964 while the country was still a part of Pakistan, but was halted during the War of Liberation in 1971. It was finally completed in time to celebrate an independent nation in 1982. Architect Louis Khan designed the building to reflect Bengali culture and heritage – it's striking in its simplicity, with deeply recessed porticoes and large geometric openings letting in the light.

Vienna is not an understated city, so it should come as no surprise that the Austrian Parliament Building on main thoroughfare Ringstraße is an absolute show-stopper. Built in 1833 with an exterior influenced by the Zappeion in Athens, Emperor Franz Joseph was so impressed by its unrestrained Greek Revival stylings that he made its architect, Theophil Hansen, a baron. The fountain of Athena at the entrance was added in 1902 and quickly became one of Vienna’s most-visited tourist attractions.

Palacio Nacional is the seat of Mexico’s federal government and built on the site once occupied by the palace of Aztec emperor Moctezuma II. That palace was destroyed in 1521 by the conquistador Hernán Cortés, who then used the tezontle (volcanic rock) to create the current building’s striking stone facade. Inside you will find Palacio Nacional’s real treasure – a huge, awe-inspiring mural by Diego Rivera detailing the nation’s colourful history in art. Extra points if you can spot Frida Kahlo and Karl Marx.

Located next to the Alisher Navoiy Park and completed in 2005, the Oliy Majlis is one of the most important buildings in post-independence Uzbekistan. Freed from the control of Moscow, its architect, Valerij Akopjanyan, incorporated distinctly Uzbek elements like the blue Timurid-style dome, white luminous columns and a decorative avian portico along the full exterior of the building. The gold-tinted glass is also designed to reflect the trees, flowers and lakes of the parkland that surrounds it.

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Originally the residence of the counts of Holland in the 13th century, the Binnenhof is a Gothic castle that became the political centre of the Dutch Republic in 1584. Situated beside Hofvijver lake in the historic centre of The Hague, it is the meeting place of both houses of the Netherlands legislature and one of the oldest parliament buildings in the world still in use. Its centrepiece is the atmospheric Ridderzaal (Knights’ Hall), built for hunting parties but now used as a courtroom. 

The United States Capitol Building has been a beacon of American democracy since Congress first met here in 1800. It anchors one end of the city’s famous National Mall and remains one of the nation’s most iconic buildings. It was designed in 1792 by William Thornton, a physician with – surprisingly – no formal architectural training. The cornerstone was laid by George Washington in 1793 and the building’s dome is regarded as a masterpiece of American ingenuity.

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Built in 1960, the Palácio do Congresso Nacional is the meeting place of the Brazilian national legislature. It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer to project the aspirations of the Brazilian people as a great nation with a prosperous future. With its austere towers and smooth cupolas – one for the Senate, the other for the Chamber of Deputies – it’s what architects thought the future would look like in the Sixties. The interior is equally futuristic, with huge open spaces and epic artworks from Brazilian artists Athos Bulcão, Burle Marx and Marianne Peretti.

Canada’s stunning parliament building sits on an escarpment above the Ottawa River, looking across to the Gatineau Hills. The spot was personally chosen by Queen Victoria in 1857 and its Gothic Revival design deliberately mimics Westminster. The chambers inside reflect the ‘moral uprightness’ of Gothic design too, but with some distinctly Canadian touches. It was officially opened on June 6 1866, about a year before Canada’s Confederation, which is commemorated by a perpetual flame in a fountain near the front entrance gate.

From the land that measures its wealth in terms of Gross National Happiness comes a parliament building set in a Buddhist monastery. Tucked away on the northern edge of Thimpu, Tashichho Dzong houses the throne room of the king and the offices of various government departments. The whitewashed fortified compound is topped by triple-tiered golden roofs, with a large central tower, and the paintings and frescos in the parliament hall depict Bhutan’s traditions and value system, deeply rooted in the tenets of Buddhism.

Scotland's stunning Parliament Building sits at the foot of Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile, overlooked by the imposing Salisbury Crags, looking as if it is ‘growing out of the land’ as its architect Enric Miralles intended. It is constructed from steel, oak and granite and draws inspiration from the paintings of Scottish artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh, upturned boats on the seashore and the surrounding landscape. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.

The dazzling Capitol building was commissioned by Cuban president Gerardo Machado in 1926 and built at the exact geographical centre of Havana. Modelled on the Panthéon in Paris, it housed the Cuban Congress until the Revolution of 1959 and the stone-clad cupola was the highest point in Havana until 1956. Today, the 56 steps leading to the main entrance are a popular meeting place; the perfect spot to watch the city’s old American cars trundle past.

Nigeria’s impressive new National Assembly building in Abuja houses both the Legislative Chamber and the Senatorial Chamber of the National Assembly. Its opening was an important step in establishing the city as Nigeria’s administrative capital and was designed by Julius Berger in the country’s national colours. In Nigeria, green symbolises wealth, and white symbolises peace. The imposing statue of an outstretched hand holding a golden mace aloft at the entrance exemplifies authority.

There can’t be too many government buildings in the world that inspired an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and we’ve been humming the tune to Don't Cry For Me Argentina since it debuted in the 1970s. Eva Perón famously addressed her supporters from the balcony of Casa Rosada, which was built on the site of an old Spanish fort and is famous for its striking colour. Some say it was painted pink to diffuse political tensions in the 1800s, mixing the white motif of Argentina's Unitarians with the red of the Federalists. Others say the pigment is from cow’s blood, a common additive at the time.

Home to the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament, The Beehive is certainly one of the most whimsical government buildings in the world. Its shape is reminiscent of woven beehives known in local dialect as ‘skeps’, conjuring up the image of the Kiwi legislature working busily within. Construction began in 1969, with the prime minister moving into their office in 1979. There is one problem, though. The Beehive's circular design is distinctive and elegant, but has ultimately proved impractical. All the rooms are wedge-shaped.

Stately Baghramyan Avenue is home to some of the most impressive buildings in Yerevan and the National Assembly Building more than holds its own. Designed by Mark Grigorian and completed in 1950, it initially housed the legislature of Soviet Armenia. Since Independence, the imposing stone building has been used by the National Assembly and is equally famous for its beautiful mature garden. Each year at Christmas it is decorated with twinkling lights, making an already beguiling building even more so.

When the new Georgian Parliament Building was constructed in 2011, President Mikheil Saakashvili hoped his futuristic new structure in Kutaisi would become a symbol of the country's democratic future. Its hypermodern design by Alberto Domingo Cabo certainly looked the part. Its giant glass dome definitely exudes space age chic. But when politicians decided to stay in Tbilisi and Saakashvili was defeated, so too was his Parliament Building. Today it remains an eye-catching (and slightly pointless) oddity on the outskirts of Kutaisi.

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It took a couple of attempts to get Finland’s imposing Parliament House built. The first design by Eliel Saarinen was rejected by the Russian Tsar (who ruled Finland at the time) in 1908. By the time Johan Sigfrid Sirén’s design was chosen, Finland had gained independence and construction began in 1926. His mix of early 20th-century Modernism and pared-back Neoclassicism spoke to directly to the Finnish soul, particularly the 14 smooth columns and the fact that it was built using local red granite from Kavola. The sleek, understated interior is classily Finnish too.

Designed and built by Herbert Baker in 1913, the magnificent Union Buildings atop Meintjieskop in Pretoria are regarded as a masterpiece of South African architecture. They are hewn from a light-coloured sandstone, particular to South Africa, and stretch over 902 feet (275m) long. The gardens are magnificent too, featuring a 9,000-seat amphitheatre and dotted with statues commemorating the country’s great and good, including Nelson Mandela. The buildings remain the official seat of government and home to the South African President.

The European Parliament's Louise Weiss Building was opened in 1999. It is completely plated in glass to symbolise an open and transparent democracy and the unfinished nature of its roof deliberately references the ongoing nature of the European project. The building was designed by Paris-based Architecture Studio Europe and, at 197 feet (60m) high, is one of the most visible buildings in Strasbourg. As beautiful as it is, the building’s complex interior design has been criticised. It's transparent but almost impossible to navigate, apparently.

In a city famous for its extraordinary modern skyscrapers, Government House in Baku harks back to a different time. It was built between 1936 and 1952, when Azerbaijan was a Soviet Republic and government buildings were grand and imposing. It became known as the Baku Soviet Palace and its imposing facade and two large towers left no doubt who was in charge. The interior was equally imposing with a grand staircase, marble columns and ornate chandeliers, as well as several grand halls. 

Set in Kasbah Square, within walking distance of the old Medina, Tunis’s beautiful City Hall is a beguiling mix of old and new. Architects Ismail Ben Fredj and Wassim Ben Mahmoud leaned heavily into traditional Arab motifs to reflect local customs in a building that follows distinctly modernist forms. The result is breathtaking intersection of tradition and modernity in the heart of Tunis. Since it was inaugurated in 1998, it has become the centrepiece of Kasbah Square, the beating heart of the city.

If you’re a fan of Godzilla, you probably recognise Japan’s national parliament building. He first destroyed it in the 1954 movie Godzilla. Currently, the Diet – an elegant, Germanic-influenced structure with a distinctive pyramid-shaped roof – sits on Kasumigaseki Hill. It took 17 years to build, with over 2.5 million people involved in its construction. The breathtaking Central Hall features bronze statues of Japan’s founders, elegant stained-glass windows and glorious murals depicting each of the four seasons.

Not to be confused with its namesake in Washington DC, the White House in Bishkek is built in a brutally Stalinist style. It housed the country’s Communist Central Committee until the Tulip Revolution in 2005 and was damaged during riots in 2010. Based on the Gosplan Duma in Moscow, Bishkek’s seven-storey White House is obviously made of stern stuff. Today it serves as the Presidential Palace, exuding a stately charm on Chuy Avenue, between the Philharmonia building and the Monument to the Martyrs of the Revolution.

Sitting on the banks of the Danube, the Hungarian Parliament Building forms a glamorous couple with Buda Castle on the opposite hill. The exterior is a forest of 365 Gothic towers, while the 193,750-square-foot (18,000sqm) interior is pure Baroque opulence. Architect Imre Steindl insisted the Parliament was built by local craftsmen, using Hungarian materials and decorated with motifs of flora from the Carpathian Basin. Sadly, Steindl didn’t get to see his masterpiece finished. He died just five weeks before it was opened in 1902.

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