The Mole Antonelliana houses the National Museum of Cinema. Construction began in 1863 and was completed in 1889. The building was designed by the Italian architect Alessandro Antonelli (1798-1888) as a synagogue, but cost overruns and construction delays resulted in the Jewish community abandoning the project. The Mole Antonelliana is featured on the obverse of the Italian 2 euro cent coin and was believed to be the tallest museum in the world at the time of its construction (167.5 metres or 550 ft).