World's tallest freestanding structure on land
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The world's tallest freestanding structure on land is defined as the tallest self-supporting man-made structure that stands above ground. This definition does not count structures that are built underground or on the seabed, such as the Petronius Platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The self-supporting condition also excludes structures that are held up by external supports or guy-wires, such as transmission antennas.
Since 1976, the tallest freestanding structure on land has been the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, with a height of 553.3 metres (1,815 ft). The tallest freestanding structure need not be a building, but since the CN Tower is a habitable structure, with floors, elevators, services, etc., it has also been the world's tallest building since that time. The Burj Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates will take both titles upon completion in 2008, with a planned height of over 800 metres.
[edit] History
The following is a list of structures that have held the title as the tallest freestanding structure on land.
| Held record | Name and Location | Constructed | Height (m) | Height (ft) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | |||||
| c. 2600 BC | c. 2570 BC | Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt | c. 2600 BC | 105 | 345 | |
| c. 2570 BC | c. AD 1300 | Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt | c. 2570 BC | 146 | 481 | By AD 1439, the Great Pyramid had eroded to a height of approximately 139 m (455 ft). |
| c. 1300 | 1549 | Lincoln Cathedral, England | 1092–1311 | 160 (?) | 525 (?) | The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549. While the reputed height of 525 ft is doubted by A.F. Kendrick,[1] other sources agree on this height. |
| 1549 | 1625 | St. Olav's Church, Tallinn, Estonia | 1438–1519 | 159 (?) | 522 (?) | The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1625 and was rebuilt several times. The current height is 123 m |
| 1625 | 1847 | Strasbourg Cathedral, Germany then France | 1439 | 143 | 469 | Still standing |
| 1847 | 1876 | St. Nikolaikirche, Hamburg, Germany | 1846–1847 | 147 | 483 | Designed by George Gilbert Scott |
| 1876 | 1880 | Cathédrale Notre Dame, Rouen, France | 1202–1876 | 151 | 495 | |
| 1880 | 1884 | Cologne Cathedral, Germany | 1248–1880 | 157 | 515 | |
| 1884 | 1889 | Washington Monument, United States | 1884 | 169 | 555 | |
| 1889 | 1930 | Eiffel Tower, Paris, France | 1889 | 300 | 986 | The addition of a telecommunications tower in the 1950s brought the overall height to 324 m. |
| 1930 | 1931 | Chrysler Building, New York, United States | 1928–1930 | 319 | 1,046 | The Chrysler Building is still the tallest brick building in the world. |
| 1931 | 1967 | Empire State Building, New York, United States | 1930–1931 | 381 | 1,250 | |
| 1967 | 1975 | Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia | 1963–1967 | 537 | 1,762 | |
| 1975 | Present | CN Tower, Toronto, Canada | 1973–1976 | 553 | 1,815 | The CN Tower also features the highest public observation deck in the world. |
