10 lavish monuments to love

Who said it's the thought that counts? Throughout history, romantics have constructed elaborate monuments to show just how much they cared—though the love-story endings weren't always so happy.

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When his wife expressed a desire for a castle of their own, early-20th-century millionaire Chester Thorne didn't need to think twice. He commissioned the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm (of Central Park fame), which designed a formal English garden for Thornewood Castle in Lakewood, Wash.

Thornewood Castle, Lakewood, Wash.: Built with three shiploads of treasures from Europe

Petit Trianon, Versailles, France: A re-gifted, hedonistic hideaway for many loves

Coral Castle, Miami, Fla.: A lovesick man's secret 28-year handiwork

Kodai-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan: A wife honors her husband and his love of tea

Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries, Scotland: A widow's heartfelt shrine

Taj Mahal, Agra, India: An iconic memorial built by a crew of thousands

Boldt Castle, Heart Island, N.Y.: A millionaire's 120-room gift to his wife

Kellie's Castle, Perak, Malaysia: An ill-fated mansion with tunnels and a rooftop courtyard

Chandor Gardens, Weatherford, Tex.: An Englishman's floral tribute to his Texas bride

Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Salzburg, Austria: An ornate mansion that inspired a couple's 15 babies Read more at www.msnbc.msn.com

 

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