Belfry of Bruges

This tower leans. Not as dramatically as Pisa's, but 87 centimetres to the east — enough that if you know to look, you can see it. The Belfry of Bruges has been looming over the Markt since around 1240, when Bruges was one of the most powerful trading cities in Northern Europe, and the cloth trade generated wealth that would make a modern hedge fund manager uncomfortable. The tower was built to house the city's charter of rights and its treasury, which tells you everything about medieval priorities: your freedoms and your money go in the tallest, most fortified building you can build.

At 83 metres, the tower is a serious climb — 366 narrow, winding steps to the top. But it used to be taller. A wooden spire once pushed it to 102 metres, until fire claimed it in 1741. The octagonal upper stage you see today was added between 1483 and 1487, originally capped with a spire bearing a gilded statue of Saint Michael. After the fire, the city opted for a Gothic Revival stone parapet instead, added in 1822. Inside, halfway up, you pass the treasury room where the city's rights were locked behind iron grilles. A bit higher, you reach the 47-bell carillon, played by a city carillonneur who performs concerts on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday — one of the last people in the world with this job title.

A devastating fire in 1280 destroyed the original upper half, and the rebuilt tower incorporated lessons learned: thicker walls, better fire breaks. The second fire in 1741 was the last. Since 1999, the Belfry has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France — a group of civic towers that symbolised the freedoms of medieval Flemish cities.

Colin Farrell's character in the film In Bruges famously refuses to climb it. Most visitors disagree with his assessment.