One thing I have learned from my many travels is that every destination claims to have a plethora of masterpieces for the visitor to visit and savor. Some are artistic, some architectural. Others are of a more religious nature, and still others are just plain quirky and definitely in the eye of the beholder.
As a child growing up in mid-century New York City, I was exposed to several pieces which were said to be "masterpieces" of one kind or another. These were mostly European masterpieces sent on loan for special showings in museums or other exhibition sites. I remember seeing Michelangelo's "Pieta" at the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. This statue was displayed in almost total darkness, boxed in a bullet-proof case with a single spotlight illuminating the sorrowful face of the mother holding her dead son. We stood on a moving electronic walkway similar to those found in airports, but much slower that took us past the sculpture.
Years later, I was able to see it "in situ" at St Peter's Basilica. I was able to get up closer to actually see the carefully carved folds in the clothing and the fine carving of the arms and limbs of the dead Christos as he is held by his sorrowful mother.
I was also able to see his "Mona Liza" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when I was in high school. So when I finally saw it at the Louvre, I was not surprised by its diminutive size. The Met also exhibited "The Book of Kells" when I was at Hunter College...a hop skip and a jump away. I later saw this in Dublin at Trinity College...before they began charging people to take a look. All three of these masterpieces certainly look better in the context of their surroundings. 
On a recent Christmas markets trip, I got to see lots of castles and churches that local folks claimed were national masterpieces. I think the most impressive was the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany. It was quite large with scaffolding surrounding it...It seems it takes several years to clean it, and once it's done, it has to be re-cleaned from the beginning again...so it is a never-ending process. Its outer layer is dark and towering, but you have to get inside to see the things that make it a wonderful space. Its stain glass windows construct a multi-colored glass screen on all sides. The craftsmanship of the stonework is superb; the wood working is amazing. It is a place of solace in a bustling city.
And grand it was, even in the dead of winter. It also helps that the Christmas Markets are next door and they sell hot Gluwein.
But quirky is also good when it comes to masterpieces. And art is truly in the eye of the beholder. I know some folks who eschew modern and post modern art. And still others who think Warhol is "old hat", but his work is considered to be masterpieces of post modern society. His work has influenced several generations of graphic artists as varied as local graffiti practitioners to ad men of Madison Avenue who adopted his clean lines and interesting use of primary colors in packaging of all things from bubble gum to cigarettes.
His most famous protégé, Jean-Michel Basquait, started life as a graffiti artist. He led a short heroin addicted life, and is buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood cemetery where his grave marker is regaled with notes of love, packs of cigarettes, red lip-stick kisses, and flowers. His art is quirky and still highly sought after.
Well, I guess "masterpieces" are rather fluid things whose value depends on how important their admirers feel they are. And what I think is a "masterpiece" may not make your list. Vive la difference.
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