List of tallest buildings and structures in the world

The world's tallest structure is the 829.84 m (2,723 ft) tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building gained the official title of "Tallest Building in the World" at its opening on January 4, 2010. It is taller than any other man-made structure ever built.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, an organization that certifies buildings as the "World’s Tallest", recognizes a building only if at least fifty percent of its height is made up of floor plates containing habitable floor area.[1] Structures that do not meet this criterion, such as the CN Tower, are defined as "towers".

There are dozens of radio and television broadcasting towers which measure over 600 metres (about 2,000 ft) in height, and only the tallest are recorded in publicly available information sources.

Contents

Debate over definitions

When assessing the placings of structures, there is some debate about:

For buildings, there is debate over:

Tallest structures

Main article: List of tallest structures in the world
This category does not require the structure be "officially" opened.

The tallest man-made structure is Burj Khalifa, a skyscraper in Dubai that reached 829.84 m (2,723 ft) in height on January 17, 2009.[2] By April 7, 2008 it had been built higher than the KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota, USA.[3] That September it officially surpassed Poland's 646.38 m (2,120.7 ft) Warsaw radio mast, which stood from 1974 to 1991, to become the tallest structure ever built. Guyed lattice towers such as these masts had held the world height record since 1954.

The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, standing at 553.3 m (1,815 ft), was formerly the world's tallest completed freestanding structure on land. Opened in 1976, it was surpassed in height by the rising Burj Khalifa on September 12, 2007.[4][5][6] It has the world's second highest public observation deck at 446.5 m (1,465 ft).

The Petronius Platform stands 610 m (2,000 ft) off the sea floor leading some, including Guinness World Records 2007, to claim it as the tallest freestanding structure in the world. However, it is debated whether underwater height should be discounted in the same manner as height below ground is ignored on buildings. The Troll A platform is 472 m (1,549 ft), without any part of that height being supported by wires. The tension-leg type of oil platform has even greater below-water heights with several examples more than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) deep. However, these platforms are not considered constant structures as the vast majority of their height is made up of the length of the tendons attaching the floating platforms to the sea floor. Despite this, Guinness World Records 2009 listed the Ursa tension leg platform as the tallest structure in the world with a total height of 1,306 m (4,285 ft). The Magnolia Tension-leg Platform in the Gulf of Mexico is even taller with a total height of 1,432 m (4,698 ft).

Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan, set records in three of the four skyscraper categories at the time it opened in 2004; at the time the Burj Khalifa opened in 2010 it remained the world's tallest inhabited building 509.2 m (1,671 ft) as measured to its architectural height (spire). The height of its roof 449.2 m (1,474 ft) and highest occupied floor 439.2 m (1,441 ft) had been surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center with corresponding heights of 487 m (1,598 ft) and 474 m (1,555 ft) respectively. Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) was highest in the final category: the greatest height to top of antenna of any building in the world at 527.3 m (1,730 ft).

Burj Khalifa broke the height record in all four categories for completed buildings by a wide margin. The Shanghai World Financial Center had the world's highest roof, highest occupied floor, and the world's highest public observation deck at 474.2 m (1,556 ft). It retains the last record, as Burj Khalifa's official observation deck will be at 442 m (1,450 ft).

Tallest structure by category

Due to the disagreements over how to measure height and classify structures, engineers have created various definitions for categories of buildings and other structures. One measure includes the absolute height of a building, another includes only spires and other permanent architectural features, but not antennas. The tradition of including the spire on top of a building and not including the antenna dates back to the rivalry between the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street. A modern-day example is that the antenna on top of Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) is not considered part of its architectural height, while the spires on top of the Petronas Twin Towers are counted.

Note: The following table is a list of the tallest structure in each of the categories below. There can only be one structure in each category, unless the title for the tallest is a draw.


Category Structure Country City Height (metres) Height (feet) Year Built Coordinates
Skyscraper – all categories Burj Khalifa United Arab Emirates Dubai 829.84 2,722.57 2010
Self supporting tower Tokyo Sky Tree Japan Tokyo 634 2080 2011
Guyed Mast KVLY-TV mast United States Blanchard 628.8 2,063 1963
Clock tower Abraj Al Bait Towers Saudi Arabia Mecca 601 1,972 2011
Tower for scientific research BREN Tower United States Nevada Test Site 462 1,516 1962
Mast radiator Lualualei VLF transmitter United States Lualualei 458 1,503 1962  ;
Twin towers Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 452 1,482 1998  ;
Chimney Ekibastuz GRES-2 Power Station Kazakhstan Ekibastusz 419.7 1,377 1987
Radar Dimona Radar Facility Israel Dimona 400 1,312 2008  ?
Lattice tower Kiev TV Tower Ukraine Kiev 385 1,263 1973
Partially guyed tower Gerbrandy Tower Netherlands IJsselstein 366.8 1,203 1961
Guyed tubular steel mast TV Tower Vinnytsia Ukraine Vinnytsia 354 1,161 1961
Electricity pylon Yangtze River Crossing, Jiangyin China Jiangyin 346.5 1,137 2004  ;
Bridge pillar Millau Viaduct France Millau 342 1,122 2004
Dam Nurek Dam Tajikistan Nurek 300 984[7] 1980
Concrete dam Grande Dixence Dam Switzerland Val d'Hérens 285 935[8] 1965
Electricity pylon built of concrete Nanjing Yangtze River Crossing China Nanjing 257 843 1992  ;
Electricity pylon for DC Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing China Wuhan 229 751 2003  ;
Minaret Hassan II Mosque Morocco Casablanca 210 689 1993
Wind turbine Fuhrländer Wind Turbine Laasow Germany Laasow 205 673 2006
Cooling tower Niederaussem Power Station Germany Niederaussem 200 656 2003
Monument Gateway Arch United States St. Louis 192 630 1965
Water tower Main tower of Kuwait Towers Kuwait Kuwait City 187 614 1979
Wooden structure ATLAS-I at Kirtland Air Force Base United States Albuquerque 180 600 1980
Masonry tower Anaconda Smelter Stack United States Anaconda 178.3 585 1919
Inclined structure,
Stadium		 Olympic Stadium Canada Montreal 175 574 1976
Obelisk San Jacinto Monument United States La Porte 173.7 570 1939
Church building Chicago Temple Building United States Chicago 173 568 1924
Masonry building Mole Antonelliana Italy Torino 167 548 1889
Masonry building Philadelphia City Hall United States Philadelphia 167 548 1901
Ferris wheel Singapore Flyer Singapore Singapore 165 541.3 2008
Church tower Ulm Minster Germany Ulm 162 530 1890
Flagpole, free-standing Dushanbe Flagpole Tajikistan Dushanbe 165[9] 541 2011  ?
Industrial hall Vehicle Assembly Building United States Kennedy Space Center 160 525 1966
Dome Dome of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro Côte d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro 158 518 1990
Memorial cross Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos Spain El Escorial 152.4 500 1957
Roller coaster Kingda Ka United States Jackson 138.98 456 2005
Tomb Great Pyramid of Giza Egypt Giza 138.8 455.2 2560 BC
Lighthouse Jeddah Light Saudi Arabia Jeddah 133 436  ?
Air traffic control tower Suvarnabhumi Airport control tower Thailand Bangkok 132.2 433.7 2006
Statue (including pedestal) Spring Temple Buddha China Lushan County 128 420 2002
Storage silo Henninger Turm Germany Frankfurt 120 394 1961
Sculpture Spire of Dublin Ireland Dublin 120 393 2003
Aerial tramway support tower Pillar of third section of Gletscherbahn Kaprun Austria Kaprun 113.6 373 1966
Electricity pylon for single phase AC Bremen-Industriehafen Traction Current Powerline Crossing Germany Bremen 111 364 1972-1974[10]  ;
Sphere Ericsson Globe Sweden Stockholm 85 279 1989
Brick lighthouse Lighthouse of Genoa Italy Genoa 77 253 1128
Windmill De Noord Netherlands Schiedam 33.3 109.3 1803

Tallest destroyed structures by category, not surpassed by existing structures

There are some destroyed architectural structures which were taller than the tallest existing structure of their type. There are also destroyed structures omitted from this list that had been surpassed in height prior to being destroyed.

Category Structure Country City Height (metres) Height (feet) Coordinates Remarks
Guyed mast Warsaw Radio Mast Poland Gąbin 646.38 2,121 completed in 1974, collapsed on August 8, 1991
Guyed tubular steel mast Shushi-Wan Omega Transmitter Japan Tsushima 389 1,276 completed in 1973, dismantled in 1998
Structure for scientific experiment Smoky Shot Tower United States Nevada Test Site 213 700 Guyed mast, which carried 44 kt yield nuclear bomb "Smoky" ( part of operation Plumbbob) on top until its explosion on August 31, 1957
Wooden structure Mühlacker Wood Radio Tower Germany Mühlacker 190 623 completed in 1934, destroyed on April 6, 1945, by the Germans to prevent usage by the Allies, replaced by mast radiator
Masonry building Mole Antonelliana Italy Torino 167.5 549.5 spire destroyed by a tornado in 1953 (Rebuilt since then).
Pre-Industrial Era building Lincoln Cathedral England Lincoln 160 524 completed in 1311, spire blown off in 1549
Lighthouse Lighthouse of Alexandria Egypt Alexandria 115–135 377–443 completed in 279 BC, destroyed by an earthquake in 1323

Tallest building by function

Category Structure Country City Architectural top (metres) Architectural top (feet)
Mixed-Use* Burj Khalifa United Arab Emirates Dubai 829.84 2,717
Office Taipei 101 Taiwan Taipei 509 1,671
Hotel Rose Tower United Arab Emirates Dubai 333 1,093
Residential 23 Marina United Arab Emirates Dubai 395 1,296
Educational Moscow State University Russia Moscow 240 787
Church Ulm Minster Germany Ulm 143 469
Hospital Guy's Hospital United Kingdom London 143 468
Library Shanghai Library China Shanghai 106 348

* Mixed-Use is defined as having three or more real estate uses (such as retail, office, hotel, etc.) that are physically and functionally integrated in a single property and are mutually supporting.[11]

Tallest buildings

Main article: List of tallest buildings in the world

Up until 1998 the tallest building status was essentially uncontested. Counting buildings as structures with floors throughout, and with antenna masts excluded, Willis Tower (previously Sears Tower) in Chicago was considered the tallest. When the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were built, controversy arose because the spire extended nine metres higher than the roof of Willis Tower. Excluding the spire, the Petronas Towers are not taller than Willis Tower. At their convention in Chicago, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) reduced Willis Tower from world's tallest and pronounced it not second tallest, but third, and pronounced Petronas as world's tallest. This action caused a considerable amount of controversy, so CTBUH defined four categories in which the world's tallest building can be measured:[12]

  1. Height to Architectural Top (including spires and pinnacles, but not antennas, masts or flagpoles). This measurement is the most widely used and is used to define the rankings of the 100 Tallest Buildings in the World.
  2. Highest Occupied Floor
  3. Height to Top of Roof (omitted from criteria from November 2009 onwards)[13]
  4. Height to Tip

The height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance. At the time, the Willis Tower held first place in the second and third categories, the Petronas Towers held the first category and the original World Trade Towers held the fourth. Within months, however, a new antenna mast was placed on the Willis Tower, giving it hold of the fourth category. On April 20, 2004, Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan, was completed. Its completion gave it the world record for the first three categories. On July 21, 2007 it was announced that Burj Khalifa had surpassed Taipei 101 in height, reaching 512 m (1,680 ft).

Since being completed in early 2010, Burj Khalifa leads in all categories (the first building to do so). With a spire height of 829.84 m (2,723 ft), Burj Khalifa surpassed Taipei 101 as the tallest building to architectural detail and the Willis Tower as the tallest building to tip. It also leads in the category of highest occupied floor.

Before Burj Khalifa was completed, Willis Tower led in the fourth category with 527 m (1,729 ft), previously held by the World Trade Center until the extension of the Chicago tower's western broadcast antenna in 2000, over a year prior to the World Trade Center's destruction in 2001. Its antenna mast included, One World Trade Center measured 526 m (1,726 ft). The World Trade Center became the world's tallest buildings to be destroyed or demolished; indeed, its site entered the record books twice on September 11, 2001, in that category, replacing the Singer Building, which once stood a block from the World Trade Center site. A different superlative for skyscrapers is their number of floors. The World Trade Center set that at 110, and this was not surpassed for nearly four decades until the Burj Khalifa, which opened in 2010.

Structures such as the CN Tower, the Ostankino Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower are excluded from these categories because they are not "habitable buildings", which are defined as frame structures made with floors and walls throughout.[1]

History of record holders in each CTBUH category

Date (Event) Architectural top Highest occupied floor Roof Tip
2010: Burj Khalifa completed Burj Khalifa Burj Khalifa Burj Khalifa
2009: CTBUH omits Height to Roof category Taipei 101 Shanghai World Financial Center Willis Tower
2008: Shanghai World Financial Center completed Taipei 101 Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai World Financial Center Willis Tower
2003: Taipei 101 completed Taipei 101 Taipei 101 Taipei 101 Willis Tower
2000: Willis Tower antenna extension Petronas Towers Willis Tower Willis Tower Willis Tower
1998: Petronas Towers completed Petronas Towers Willis Tower Willis Tower World Trade Center
1996: CTBUH defines categories Willis Tower Willis Tower Willis Tower World Trade Center

World's tallest freestanding structure on land

Main article: List of tallest freestanding structures in the world

Freestanding structures include observation towers, monuments and other structures not generally considered to be "Habitable buildings", but excludes supported structures such as guyed masts and ocean drilling platforms. (See also history of tallest skyscrapers.)

The world's tallest freestanding structure on land is defined as the tallest self-supporting man-made structure that stands above ground. This definition is different from that of world's tallest building or world's tallest structure based on the percentage of the structure that is occupied and whether or not it is self-supporting or supported by exterior cables. Likewise, this definition does not count structures that are built underground or on the seabed, such as the Petronius Platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Visit world's tallest structure by category for a list of various other definitions.

As of May 12, 2008, the tallest freestanding structure on land is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building, which now stands at 829.84 m (2,723 ft), surpassed the height of the previous record holder, the 553.3 m (1,815 ft) CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, on September 12, 2007. It was completed in 2010, and was topped out at 829.84 m (2,723 ft) in January 2009.[2]

History

The following is a list of structures that have held the title as the tallest freestanding structure on land. (See also Timeline of three tallest structures in the world until Empire State Building).

Tallest Historical Structures
Record from Record to Name and Location Constructed Height (metres) Height (feet) Coordinates Notes
c. 10000 BC c. 8000 BC Tell Qaramel, Syria c. 10000 BC 4.1 14 Tallest permanent settlement in late Neolithic
c. 8000 BC c. 2700 BC Tower of Jericho, West Bank c. 8000 BC 8.5 28 Oldest Tower Structure in the World
c. 2700 BC c. 2600 BC Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt c. 2700 BC 62 203  
c. 2600 BC c. 2570 BC Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt c. 2600 BC 105 345  
c. 2570 BC c. 1311 AD Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt c. 2570 BC 146 481 By 1439, the Great Pyramid had eroded to a height of approximately 139 m (456 ft).
 1311 1549 Lincoln Cathedral in England 1092–1311 160 525 The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549. While the reputed height of 525 ft (160 m) is accepted by most sources,[14][15][16][17][18][19] others consider it doubtful[20]
1549 1625 St. Olaf's Church in Tallinn, Estonia 1438–1519 159 522 The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1625 and was rebuilt several times. The height is 123 m (404 ft) .
1625 1647 St. Mary's Church in Stralsund, Germany 1384–1478 151 495 The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1647. The height is 104 m (341 ft) .
1647 1874 Strasbourg Cathedral in France 1439 142 469
1874 1876 St. Nikolai in Hamburg, Germany 1846–1874 147 483
1876 1880 Cathédrale Notre Dame in Rouen, France 1202–1876 151 495  
1880 1884 Cologne Cathedral in Germany 1248–1880 157 515  ;
1884 1889 Washington Monument in Washington D.C., United States 1884 169 555  
1889 1930 Eiffel Tower in Paris, France 1889 300 986 First structure to exceed 300 metres in height. The addition of a telecommunications tower in the 1950s brought the overall height to 324 m (1,063 ft).
1930 1931 Chrysler Building in New York, United States 1928–1930 319 1,046
1931 1967 Empire State Building in New York, United States 1930–1931 381 1,250 First building with 100+ storeys. The addition of a pinnacle and antennas later increased its overall height to 448.7 m (1,472 ft). This was subsequently lowered to 443.1 m (1,454 ft).
1967 1975 Ostankino Tower in Moscow, Russia 1963–1967 537 1,762 Remains the tallest in Europe. Fire in 2000 led to extensive renovation.
1975 2007 CN Tower in Toronto, Canada 1973–1976 553 1,815 Remains the tallest in the Western Hemisphere
2007 present Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2004–2009 829.84 2,717 Holder of world's tallest freestanding structure. Topped out at 829.84 m (2,723 ft) in 2009.

Notable mentions include the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, built in the third century BC and estimated between 115–135 m (383–440 ft). It was the world's tallest non-pyramidal building for many centuries. Another notable mention includes the Jetavanaramaya stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, which was built in the third century, and was similarly tall at 122 m (400 ft). These were both the world's tallest or second tallest non-pyramidal buildings for over a thousand years.

The tallest secular building between the collapse of the Pharos and the erection of the Washington Monument may have been the Torre del Mangia in Siena, which is 102 m (335 ft) tall, and was constructed in the first half of the fourteenth century, and the 97 m (318 ft) tall Torre degli Asinelli in Bologna, also Italy, built between 1109 and 1119.

World's highest observation deck

Main article: Observation deck

Timeline of development of world's highest observation deck since inauguration of Eiffel Tower.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height above ground Notes
From To m ft
1889 1931 Eiffel Tower, Paris 1889 275 902 Two lower observation decks at 57 m (187 ft) and 115 m (377 ft).
1931 1973 Empire State Building, New York City 1931 369[21] 1,211 A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 m (1,050 ft).
1973 1974 World Trade Center, New York City 1973 399.4 1,310 Indoor observatory on the 107th floor of South Tower opened on April 4, 1973. Destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks
1974 1975 Sears Tower (since renamed Willis Tower), Chicago 1974 412.4 1353 103rd floor Skydeck opened on June 22, 1974
1975 1976 World Trade Center, New York City 1973 420 1378 Outdoor observatory on the South Tower rooftop opened on December 15, 1975. Destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks
1976 2008 CN Tower, Toronto 1976 446.5 1464.9 Two further observation decks at 342 m (1,122 ft) and 346 m (1,135 ft).
2008 present Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai 2008 474 1555 Two further observation decks at 423 m (1,388 ft) and 439 m (1,440 ft).
Note: Burj Khalifa, opened on January 4, 2010, has the world's highest outdoor observation deck at 452 m (1,483 ft).

Higher observation decks have existed on mountain tops or cliffs, rather than on tall structures. For example, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Cañon City, Colorado, USA, was constructed in 1929 spanning the Royal Gorge at a height of 321 m (1,053 ft) above the Arkansas River. The Grand Canyon Skywalk, constructed in 2007, protrudes 21 m (70 ft) over the west rim of the Grand Canyon and is approximately 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above the Colorado River, making it the highest of these types of structures.

Timeline of guyed structures on land

As most of the tallest structures are guyed masts, here is a timeline of world's tallest guyed masts, since the beginning of radio technology.

As many large guyed masts were destroyed at the end of World War II, the dates for the years between 1945 and 1950 may be incorrect. If Wusung Radio Tower survived World War II, it was the tallest guyed structure shortly after World War II.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height (m) Height (ft) Coordinates Notes
From To
 1913  1920 Central mast of Eilvese transmitter, Eilvese, Germany  1913 250 820 Mast was divided in 145 m by an insulator, demolished in 1931
 1920  1923 Central masts of Nauen Transmitter Station, Nauen, Germany  1920 260 853 2 masts, demolished in 1946
 1923  1933 Masts of Ruiselede transmitter, Ruiselede, Belgium  1923 287 942  ? 8 masts, destroyed in 1940
 1933  1939 Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary  1933 314 1,031 Blaw-Knox Tower, insulated against ground, destroyed in 1945, afterwards rebuilt
 1939  1946 Deutschlandsender Herzberg/Elster, Herzberg (Elster), Germany  1939 335 1,099 Insulated against ground, dismantled 1946/1947
 1946  1948 Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary  1946 314 1,031 Blaw-Knox Tower, Insulated against ground, rebuilt after destruction in 1945
 1948  1949 WIVB-TV Tower, Colden, New York, USA  1948 321.9 1,056
 1949  1950 Longwave transmitter Raszyn, Raszyn, Poland  1949 335 1,099 Insulated against ground
 1950  1954 Forestport Tower, Forestport, New York, USA  1950 371.25 1,218 Insulated against ground, demolished
 1954  1956 Griffin Television Tower Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA  1954 480.5 1,576  
 1956  1959 KOBR-TV Tower, Caprock, New Mexico, USA  1956 490.7 1,610 Collapsed in 1960, afterwards rebuilt
 1959  1960 WGME TV Tower, Raymond, Maine, USA  1959 495 1,624
 1960  1962 KFVS TV Mast, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA  1960 511.1 1,677
 1962  1963 WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower, Cusseta, Georgia, USA  1962 533 1,749
 1963  1963 WIMZ-FM-Tower, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA  1963 534.01 1,752
 1963  1974 KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, USA  1963 628.8 2,063
 1974  1991 Warsaw Radio Mast, Gąbin, Poland  1974 646.4 2,121 Mast radiator insulated against ground, collapsed in 1991
 1991   KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, USA  1963 628.8 2,063

Tallest structures, freestanding structures, and buildings

See also: Timeline of three tallest structures in the world

The list categories are:

Notes:

Rank Name and location Year
completed		 Architectural top[22]
(metres)		 Architectural top
(feet)		 Floors
Structures (supported)
Main article: List of tallest structures in the world
1 KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, United States 1963 629 2,064 –
2 KXJB-TV mast, Galesburg, North Dakota, United States 1998 628 2,060 –
3 KXTV/KOVR Tower, Walnut Grove, California, United States 2000 625 2,051 –
Structures (media supported)
1 Petronius Platform, Gulf of Mexico 2000 610 2,000 –
2 Baldpate Platform, Gulf of Mexico 1998 580 1,900 –
3 Bullwinkle Platform, Gulf of Mexico 1989 529 1,736 –
Freestanding structures
Main article: List of tallest freestanding structures in the world
1 Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2010 829.84 2,723 160
2 Abraj Al Bait, Mecca, Saudi Arabia 2011 601 1,972 120
3 Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China 2010 600 2,000 –
4 CN Tower, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1976 553 1,814 –
5 Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia 1967 540 1,770 –
6 Willis Tower, Chicago, United States 1974 527 1,729 108
7 Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan 2004 509 1,670 101
8 Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China 2008 492 1,614 101
9 International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong 2010 484 1,588 118
10 Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, China 1994 468 1,535 –
11 John Hancock Center, Chicago, United States 1969 457 1,499 100
12 Petronas Tower I, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 452 1,483 88
Petronas Tower II, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 452 1,483 88
13 Nanjing Greenland Financial Center, Nanjing, China 2009 450 1,480 89
14 Empire State Building, New York City, United States 1931 443 1,453 102
15 Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran 2007 435 1,427 –
16 Kuala Lumpur Tower, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1995 421 1,381 –
17 Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, China 1998 421 1,381 88
18 Chimney of GRES-2 Power Station, Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan 1987 420 1,380 –
19 Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong 2003 415 1,362 88
20 Tianjin Radio and Television Tower, Tianjin, China 1991 415 1,362 –
21 Central TV Tower, Beijing, China 1992 405 1,329 –
Buildings
Main article: List of tallest buildings in the world
1 Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2010 829.84 2,723 160
2 Abraj Al Bait, Mecca, Saudi Arabia 2011 601 1,972 120
3 Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan 2004 509 1,670 101
4 Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China 2008 492 1,614 101
5 International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong 2010 484 1,588 118
6 Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 452 1,483 88
7 Nanjing Greenland Financial Center, Nanjing, China 2009 450 1,480 89
8 Willis Tower, Chicago, United States 1974 442 1,450 108
9 Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, China 1998 421 1,381 88
10 Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong 2003 415 1,362 88
11 CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, China 1997 391 1,283 80
12 Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, China 1996 384 1,260 69
13 Empire State Building, New York City, United States 1931 381 1,250 102
14 Central Plaza, Hong Kong 1992 374 1,227 78
15 Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong 1990 367 1,204 70
16 Bank of America Tower, New York City, United States 2008 366 1,201 54
17 Almas Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2008 360 1,180 74
18 Emirates Office Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2000 355 1,165 54
19 Tuntex Sky Tower, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1997 348 1,142 85
20 Aon Center, Chicago, United States 1973 346 1,135 83
21 The Center, Hong Kong 1998 346 1,135 73
22 John Hancock Center, Chicago, United States 1969 344 1,129 100
23 Rose Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2007 333 1,093 72
Shimao International Plaza, Shanghai, China 2006 333 1,093 60
24 Minsheng Bank Building, Wuhan, China 2007 331 1,086 68
25 Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea (topped out) 1992 330 1,080 105
China World Trade Center Tower 3, Beijing, China 2008 330 1,080 74
27 Q1, Gold Coast, Australia 2005 323 1,060 78
28 Burj Al Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 1999 321 1,053 60
29 Chrysler Building, New York City, United States 1930 319 1,047 77
Nina Tower I, Hong Kong 2007 319 1,047 80
New York Times Building, New York City, United States 2007 319 1,047 52
32 Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta, United States 1992 312 1,024 55
33 U.S. Bank Tower, Los Angeles, United States 1989 310 1,020 73
34 Menara Telekom, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2001 310 1,020 55
35 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2000 309 1,014 56
36 One Island East, Hong Kong 2008 308 1,010 70
37 AT&T Corporate Center, Chicago, United States 1989 307 1,007 60
38 The Address Downtown Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2008 306 1,004 63
39 JPMorgan Chase Tower, Houston, United States 1982 305 1,001 75

Source: Emporis

Under construction and on-hold

Numerous supertall skyscrapers are in various stages of proposal, planning, or construction. Each of the following are under construction and, depending on the order of completion, could become the world's tallest building or structure in at least one category:

Proposed

Many proposed structures have not yet been built, and many probably never will be built. See proposed tall buildings and structures for structures that have been or are being proposed.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "CTBUH Criteria for Defining and Measuring Tall Buildings". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. http://www.ctbuh.org/HighRiseInfo/TallestDatabase/Criteria/tabid/446/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-08-19. 
  2. ^ a b "Burj Dubai all set for 09/09/09 soft opening". Emirates Business24/7. http://www.business24-7.ae/articles/2009/1/pages/01182009_63dc3a90c9a848219058be301f3f7ded.aspx. Retrieved 2009-01-17. 
  3. ^ "Burj Dubai surpasses KVLY-TV mast to become the world’s tallest man-made structure" (Press release). Emaar. http://www.emaar.ae/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2008April07.asp. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  4. ^ "CN Tower dethroned by Dubai building". Canada: CBC News. 2007-09-12. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/12/cntower-surpassed.html?ref=rss. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
  5. ^ "Burj Dubai scales 150 storeys and is the world’s tallest free-standing structure" (Press release). Emaar Properties PJSC. 2007-09-13. http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2008September01.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
  6. ^ "Dubai building surpasses CN Tower in height". CTV.ca (CTVglobemedia). 2007-09-13. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070913/cn_tower_070913/20070913?hub=TorontoHome. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
  7. ^ "Highest Dams (World and U.S.)" (chart). 1998 ICOLD World Register of Dams. http://npdp.stanford.edu/damhigh.html. Retrieved 2007-08-11. 
  8. ^ Guinness World Records – Science & Technology – Structures – World's Highest Concrete Dam [1]. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  9. ^ "Dushanbe's flagpole enters Guinness Book of Records". September 1, 2011. http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/tajikistan/1924985.html. Retrieved 14 December, 2010. 
  10. ^ http://www.enotes.com/topic/Transmission_tower#Notable_pylons
  11. ^ Schwanke D. et al. (2003). Mixed-use Development Handbook, 2nd edition. Washington: Urban Land Institute ISBN 978-0-87420-888-7
  12. ^ – CTBUH Criteria for Defining and Measuring Tall Buildings
  13. ^ "CTBUH changes height criteria, Burj Khalifa height increases". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. November 17, 2009. http://www.ctbuh.org/NewsMedia/PR_091117_ChangeHeightCriteria/tabid/1273/language/en-US/Default.aspx. Retrieved November 18, 2009. 
  14. ^ Haughton, Brian(2007),Hidden History: Lost Civilizations, Secret Knowledge, and Ancient Mysteries,p.167
  15. ^ Michael Woods, Mary B. Woods(2009), Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,p.41
  16. ^ Skyscraper News
  17. ^ Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince(2010), Frommer's England 2010,p.588
  18. ^ Mary Jane Taber(1905), The cathedrals of England: an account of some of their distinguishing characteristics,p.100
  19. ^ A Brief History of the World's Tallest Buildings Time magazine
  20. ^ Kendrick, A. F. (1902). "2: The Central Tower". The Cathedral Church of Lincoln: A History and Description of its Fabric and a List of the Bishops. London: George Bell & Sons. p. 60. ISBN 978-1178036664. "The tall spire of timber, covered with lead, which originally crowned this tower reached an altitude, it is said, of 525 feet; but this is doubtful. This spire was blown down during a tempest in January 1547-8." 
  21. ^ "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/esb/. Retrieved 2007-12-23. 
  22. ^ height for inhabited buildings with floors; does not include TV towers and antennas
  23. ^ "Economic downturn barely dents appetite for super-tall". The National. 2011-01-04. http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/property/economic-downturn-barely-dents-appetite-for-super-tall. Retrieved 2011-03-27. 
  24. ^ "India Tower: CTBUH Tall Buildings Database". CTBUH. http://buildingdb.ctbuh.org/?do=building&building_id=9199. Retrieved 2011-03-27. 
  25. ^ http://www.pozzocrete.co.in/index.php?id=69&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=148&tx_ttnews[backPid]=4&cHash=95ebc8b5da
  26. ^ "JAKARTA | Jakarta Tower | 558m | 1831ft | On Hold – Page 19". SkyscraperCity. 2009-12-30. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=208756&page=19. Retrieved 2011-03-27. 

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