Apple opened its first physical retail store in 2001.

Almost 20 years later, the company now has more than 500 stores in 24 countries around the world.

In many ways, Apple stores have come to represent Apple's other devices, like iPhones and Mac computers: They are beautiful, forward-thinking, and meticulously crafted around the customer.

Many Apple stores reside in malls around the world, but some of the most beautiful stores are architectural marvels themselves. That's why we wanted to round up and rank the most beautiful Apple stores in the world.

We only had a couple of criteria for this ranking: to what extent the store's design catches your eye, and how well the store either complements or improves upon, the surrounding local environment.

Take a look at our ranking of the most beautiful Apple stores in the world.

Apple Parc 66 Jinan, Lixia District, Shandong, China.

Apple Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut.

Apple Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida.

Apple Pasadena, Pasadena, California.

Apple Irvine Spectrum Center, Irvine, California.

Apple Upper West Side, New York.

Apple Royal Hawaiian, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Apple Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.

Apple Regent Street, London, England.

Apple Pioneer Place (closed for renovation), Portland, Oregon.

Apple Brisbane, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia.

Apple Sainte-Catherine, Bordeaux, France.

Apple Jungfernstieg, Hamburg, Germany.

Apple Kunming, Wuhua District, Yunnan, China.

Apple Jiefangbei, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.

Apple Park Visitor Center, Cupertino, California.

Apple Zorlu Center, Istanbul, Turkey.

Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

Apple Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York.

Apple Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.

Apple Piazza Liberty, Milan, Italy.

Source: BusinessInsider