Mole Antonelliana, Turin

La Mole Antonelliana is one of the highest works of masonry in Europe standing at 167.5 meters (550 feet). It was planned by Alessandro Antonelli as a synagogue in the second half of the 19th century. The square-based construction presents its facade towards Via Montebello, and the quadrangular dome is mounted by a little temple with two columns which hold up the spire. This spire was rebuilt in 1953 after its collapse during a violent storm, and it was remodeled in metal overlaid with stone. There is an old Turin legend regarding universities and the Mole; "if a student climbs the Mole during his studies, he will never graduate." The Mole Antonelliana now houses the National Museum Of Cinema , which is the tallest museum in the world.