A list of monuments to love is only complete with a mention of the iconic Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his adored third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

When she died in 1631, Jahan enlisted a board of architects to devise the Taj Mahal. The central dome, flanked by four identical minarets on all four sides, was completed first, while the surrounding buildings and gardens were finished five years later.

No expense was spared in its construction, with more than 20,000 sculptors, calligraphers, and craftsmen being brought to the city of Agra to work on the marble-clad masterpiece.

Don't miss: Home tour: A relaxed home full of art and design in Kuala Lumpur

A Scottish-style castle may be the last thing you would think to find in tropical Batu Gajah but this is what William Kellie Smith, a plantation owner from Scotland, built for his wife, Agnes.

Smith made his fortune in Malaysia and wanted to bring a slice of home to his then-pregnant and homesick wife, who was unhappy with their wooden home, so he decided to erect a castle on a hilltop in a Scottish, Moorish and Indian architectural style.

Tragedy struck in 1926 when he died unexpectedly from pneumonia in Lisbon, and plans for further construction stopped. As a result, Kellie’s Castle (as it came to be known) was abandoned, but today is a popular local tourist attraction and an occasional location for movies. 

Don't miss: Studio tour: A creative couple’s bohemian studio in Penang

Built on the grounds of Versailles, the Petit Trianon was miniature of the Grand Trianon, one of the French palace's most refined baroque style châteaus.

It was built between 1762 and 1768 by King Louis XV for his longtime love and mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who tragically never lived there as it was only completed four years after her death.

Seven years later, Louis XV’s successor, Louis XVI, gifted the Petit Trianon to Marie Antoinette, who used the building as her principal private residence and allowed neither visitors nor servants to enter the premise. 

Don't miss: Home tour: A modern net zero energy home in Kuala Lumpur

Considered one of the finest temples in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, Kodaji Temple was established in 1606 in memory of the Sengoku period warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's most significant historical figures, by his wife, Nene, who is also enshrined at the temple.

The main buildings were constructed in the lavish style of the era of Japan's unification and showcased interiors painted with lacquer and covered with exquisite gold decorations with the financial support of Hideyoshi's successor Tokugawa Ieyasu. Unfortunately, it was destroyed after several fires and rebuilt in 1912 with less ostentation.

Its beautiful zen gardens are said to have been designed by the landscape garden designer Kobori Enshu and designated by the Japanese Government as a historical site and a place of scenic beauty.

Don't miss: 5 Exquisite Modern Asian Homes in Malaysia

Conceived as a love nest by Pier Maria II Rossi, Count of San Secondo, for his mistress and lover, Bianca Pellegrini, the magnificent Torrechiara Castle in Italy's Parma Province was built between 1448 and 1460.

The couple were both married to other people, but the undaunted Rossi built Torrechiara as a summer home for Bianca so that she could escape the heat of the plains below.

Featuring Middle Age and Renaissance architecture, one of the most famous rooms in the castle is the Camera d’Oro, or Golden Chamber, which features beautiful frescos detailing the couple's love story. Pelligrini was buried at Torrechiara when she died, and Rossi was later interred next to her when he passed on.

Don't miss: 4 Power Couples of Design

Little is known about this precariously located castle in Crimea on top of the 130 feet high Aurora Cliff overlooking the Black Sea, except a German noble built it in 1912.

Local lore has it that he visited the plot of land on his honeymoon, which was then occupied by a small wooden home. Thinking it would be better suited for a romantic castle to be used as the couple’s retreat, the neo-Gothic fortress was built and is colloquially known as Swallow’s Nest Castle.

Despite its seemingly perilous position, the structure has withstood the elements, including an earthquake in 1927 and is now open to tourists.

NOW READ

Home Tour: A house with ceramic walls and handmade details that celebrate Ukrainian design

Home Tour: A London apartment with a kitchen inspired by kebab shops, and more fun touches

Home Tour: A husband-and-wife architects’ wabi-sabi home in Kuala Lumpur