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Harrods - At the center of Knightsbridge, London towers this great department store. It was built in 1849 and was originally a tea merchant shop. Nowadays, apart from selling luxury goods, it has a wonderful food hall.

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Galeries Lafayette -

Galeries Lafayette is so much more than a department store–it is a national monument in its own right. This Paris building is in the Art Nouveau style and is crowned by an incredible stained-glass dome.

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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - In the heart of Milan, Italy a street corner has been transformed into a large shopping mall. Built in the 19th century, its glass roof is a feat of engineering. It is also adorned with paintings on the facades of the shops.

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Quartier 206 - The Art Deco style store opened in 1997 in Berlin. With funky ‘20s patterns on the walls and cascading staircases, it makes for a real touristic treat.

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Detsky Mir - There are not many of them around anymore, but Russia's Detsy Mir is one of the only department stores just for children. They can dive into their imaginations on a visit to this Soviet-era toy extravaganza. The direct translation is “Children’s World.”

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Bergdorf Goodman - If you find yourself in New York, there is little negotiation about which shop you should visit first. Although you may not buy anything because of its high prices, walking through Bergdorf Goodman is enough to satisfy any shopper’s material yearning.

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Grieder Zurich - Also called Bongénie Greider, so that the name applies in Swiss German and French, this chain is all over Switzerland. However, the store in Zurich is particularly eye-catching with its classical architecture and uber-luxury brands.

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De Bijenkorf - You can find “the beehive” right in the center of Amsterdam. It is in Dam Square, where you can also visit the Royal Palace. Pay special attention to the window details and classically Dutch architecture.

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Waverly Mall - Waverly Mall is a beautiful shopping center that lies right next to Edinburgh's main station. Located in the center of the Scottish capital, its roof is level with the street in order to preserve the view of Edinburgh Castle.

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Mitsukoshi - Mitsukoshi is almost as old as the unification of Japan in 1590. The shop was founded in 1673 as a kimono business. The founder went from house to house to sell them, but realized he could do better if he set up a shop where people could come. Now it is the oldest and largest shop in Japan.

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Illum - On the more modern side of architecture, you will find the Danish department store Illum. It is pure Scandinavian style with lots of light, white walls, and satisfyingly placed elevators. Pop up to the fourth-floor restaurant to get some incredible views of Copenhagen.

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Clerys - The Irish department store dates way back to 1853. However, it was completely destroyed in 1916 with the Easter Uprising, where the Irish rebelled against British rule. It was entirely rebuilt in 1922, and they are still working to completely restore it.

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Palladium - In Prague, Czech Republic, they have renovated an old army barracks building to become a lovely-looking department store. While it has a classical facade, the inside is modern and well designed.

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Shinsegae -

If you get overwhelmed in large stores, this is not the place for you. Guinness World Records has ordained this Busan, South Korea department store as the largest shop in the whole world. It contains 60 designer boutiques and 10 restaurants.

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Fortnum & Mason - Fortnum & Mason is a historic shop in London. It has been mentioned by Charles Dickens in his writings, brought baked beans to the nation, and invented the Scotch egg in 1738. It couldn’t get more iconic than this!

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Le Bon Marché - Of course Paris has the most beautiful malls–it was the city of fashion for centuries, after all. Le Bon Marché was designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the same architect behind the Eiffel Tower), and contains all things French and luxurious.

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La Rinascente - In Milan's Piazza del Duomo, you will find La Rinascente. It is home to all things fashionable in Italy. It was opened in 1889 by the Bocconi brothers, one of whom also founded Bocconi University.

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Kaufhaus des Westens - The “department store of the West” is also known as KaDeWe. It is the largest in all of continental Europe, and is a must-see if you are in Berlin.

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DLT - In Saint Petersburg, you will find this beautifully-designed department store. It was originally built for officers of the garrison guard, but has now morphed into a place for the Russian rich and famous to do their shopping.

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Saks Fifth Avenue - This New York department store has so many shoes on its eighth floor that it had its own zip code: 10022-SHOE. Here you can see the finest footwear, and probably spot a few celebrities while you’re at it.

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Takashimaya Kyoto -

This ancient Japanese shop can be traced all the way back to 1831. It was originally a kimono shop and still sells lots of traditional goods. However, you can also buy Western clothes if you want to.

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Selfridges - During Christmas time in London, you will see hoards of people crowding to see the opulent Selfridges' window displays. The name Selfridges is synonymous with luxury. Founded by Harry Selfridge in 1908, it is now the second-largest store in London.

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Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville - With the slogan “Style as lifestyle,” you cannot deny the stylish nature of this Parisian department store. It is situated on the rue de Rivoli and has a marvelous rotunda on its facade.

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TsUM - All the oligarchs hang out here. The playground for billionaires is situated in Moscow, and can be translated to "Central Department Store." It was actually founded by two Scotsmen and is the largest department store in Eastern Europe.

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Macy’s Herald Square - The flagship store of the Macy’s chain is the largest department store in the US. It was originally a dry goods store founded by Rowland Hussey Macy (1822-1877), and grew to be one of the most culturally important stores in New York.

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Liberty London - Liberty London is not your average department store. Filled with large stone fireplaces and cozy lighting, it is reminiscent of a shop in Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. It is high-end but filled with rarities that you cannot find in normal shops.

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Val d'Europe - In the east of France in Marne-la-Vallée, you will come across a town that was built as a shopping village. It was originally created because The Walt Disney Company wanted a town near the Disneyland Paris resort. The fantastical architecture makes this quite clear.

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Jarrold Department Store - The Jarrold Group, based in Norwich, England, was founded in 1770. Despite the lessening sales and the fact that it is not located in a main city, Jarrolds still has many loyal customers because of its aesthetic charm.

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Solpol -

It's definitely a wacky design, but architecture always needs to evolve. You will find this building in Wrocław, Poland. It has been abandoned in recent years because of the shift to online shopping, but it remains a brightly colored souvenir from Poland’s transition from the USSR to Western values.

Sources: (Ranker) (Reader's Digest)

See also: Creepy abandoned malls around the world

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