List of tallest buildings and structures#Tallest buildings
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
File:Burj Khalifa.jpg, in Dubai, is currently the world's tallest building.]]
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Current records by category
{{Main|List of tallest structures}}
This category does not require the structure to be "officially" open, but does require it to be "topped out".
The Petronius Platform stands {{convert|610|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the sea floor, leading some, including Guinness World Records 2007, to claim it as the tallest freestanding structure in the world, until surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in 2010. However, it is debated whether underwater height should be counted, in the same manner as height below ground is ignored on buildings. The Troll A platform is {{convert|472|m|ft|abbr=on}}, 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 {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}} 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 {{convert|1306|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Shell's floating production, storage, and offloading oil platform Turritella in the Gulf of Mexico is a moored platform approximately {{convert|2900|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall.{{Cite web |date=2016-09-06 |title=Shell starts up Stones in the ultra-deepwater Gulf of Mexico |url=https://www.offshore-mag.com/production/article/16769284/shell-starts-up-stones-in-the-ultra-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Offshore |language=en}}
=Among existing structures=
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2007}}
Note: The following table is a list of the tallest completed structure in each of the structural categories below.
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! Category ! Structure ! Country ! Location ! Height (meters) ! Height (feet) ! Year built ! Coordinates | |||||||
Tallest Structure overall, also tallest freestanding structure, and tallest building | Burj Khalifa | {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} | Dubai | 829.8 | 2,722 | 2010 | {{coord|25|11|50.0|N|55|16|26.6|E|type:landmark|name=Burj Dubai}} |
Oil platform | Petronius | {{flag|United States}} | Gulf of Mexico | 640 | 2,100 | 2000 | {{coord|29|06|30|N|87|56|30|W|type:landmark|name=Petronius oil platform}} |
Self-supporting tower | Tokyo Skytree | {{flag|Japan}} | Tokyo | 634 | 2,080 | 2011 | {{Coord|35|42|36.5|N|139|48|39|E|type:landmark|name=Tokyo Skytree}} |
Guyed mast | KRDK-TV mast | {{flag|United States}} | Traill County, North Dakota | 628 | 2,060 | 1966 | {{coord|display=inline|47|16|45|N|97|20|26|W|type:landmark_region:US|name=KRDK-TV mast}} |
Hyperboloid structure | Canton Tower | {{flag|China}} | Guangzhou | 604 | 1,982 | 2010 | {{coord|23|6|32|N|113|19|8|E|type:landmark|name=Canton Tower}} |
Clock tower (multi-functional structure) | Abraj Al Bait | {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} | Mecca | 601 | 1,972 | 2019 | {{coord|21|25|08|N|39|49|35|E|type:landmark|name=Abraj Al Bait}} |
Fixed steel structure | Bullwinkle | {{flag|United States}} | Gulf of Mexico | 529 | 1,736 | 1988 | {{Coord|27|53|01|N|90|54|04|W|type:landmark|name=Bullwinkle oil platform}} |
Moveable object | Troll A platform | {{flag|Norway}} | North Sea | 472 | 1,549 | 1996 | {{coord|60|40|N|3|40|E|type:landmark|name=Troll A platform}} |
Mast radiator | INS Kattabomman umbrella antenna{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} | {{flag|India}} | Vijayanarayanam, Tamil Nadu | 471 | 1,545 | 1990 | {{coord|8|23|14|N|77|45|06|E|type:landmark|name=INS Kattabomman}} |
Twin buildings | Petronas Twin Towers | {{flag|Malaysia}} | Kuala Lumpur | 452 | 1,483 | 1998 | {{coord|3|09|27.45|N|101|42|40.7|E|type:landmark|name=Petronas Tower 1}}; {{coord|3|09|29.45|N|101|42|43.4|E|type:landmark|name=Petronas Tower 2}} |
Steel building{{cite web|url=https://www.archdaily.com/73442/worlds-tallest-steel-buildings|title = World's Tallest Steel Buildings|date = August 18, 2010}} | Willis Tower | {{flag|United States}} | Chicago, Illinois | 442 | 1,450 | 1974 | {{coord|41.8789 |
87.6358|type:landmark|name=Willis Tower}} | |||||||
Telecommunication, commercial | Milad Tower | {{flag|Iran}} | Tehran | 435 | 1,427 | 2007 | {{coord|35|44|41|N|51|22|31|E|type:landmark|name=Milad Tower}} |
Chimney | Chimney of GRES-2 Power Station | {{flag|Kazakhstan}} | Ekibastuz | 419.7 | 1,377 | 1987 | {{coord|52|1|26.3|N|75|28|34.5|E|type:landmark|name=Chimney of GRES-2 Power Station}} |
Steel / Concrete building | One World Trade Center | {{flag|United States}} | New York, New York | 417 | 1,368 | 2014 | {{coord|40.7127|N|74.0134|W|type:landmark|name=One World Trade Center}} |
Radar | Dimona Radar Facility | {{flag|Israel}} | Dimona | 400 | 1,312 | 2008 | {{coord|30|58|6.93|N|35|05|49.64|E|type:landmark|name=Dimona Radar Facility}} ; {{coord|30|58|32.46|N|35|05|55.25|E|type:landmark|name=Dimona Radar Facility}} |
Partially guyed tower | Indosiar TV Tower | {{flag|Indonesia}} | Jakarta | 395 | 1,296 | 2006 | {{coord|6|11|37.95|S|106|46|5.59|E|type:landmark|name=Indosiar TV Tower}} |
Electricity pylon | Jintang-Cezi Overhead Powerline Link | {{flag|China}} | Jintang Island | 380 | 1,247 | 2019 | {{coord|30|05|0.88|N|121|53|10.5|E|type:landmark|name=Jintang-Cezi Overhead Powerline Link, 380 metres tower}} ; {{coord|30|05|47.16|N|121|54|34.3|E|type:landmark|name=Jintang-Cezi Overhead Powerline Link, 380 metres tower}} |
Building designed by women | St. Regis | {{flag|United States}} | Chicago | 363 | 1,191 | 2020 | {{coord|41|53|14|N|87|37|02|W|type:landmark|name=St. Regis}} |
Bridge | Millau Viaduct | {{flag|France}} | Millau | 342 | 1,122 | 2004 | {{Coord|44|05|09.97|N|03|01|17.94|E|type:landmark|name=Viaduc de Millau}} |
Blaw-Knox tower (diamond cantilever tower) | Lakihegy Tower | {{flag|Hungary}} | Szigetszentmiklós | 314 | 1,031 | 1946 | {{Coord|47|22|23|N|19|00|16|E|type:landmark|name=Lakihegy Tower}} |
Dam | Jinping-I Dam | {{flag|China}} | Yalong River | 305 | 1,001 | 2013 | {{coord|28|10|58|N|101|37|51|E|type:landmark|name=Jinping-I Dam}} |
Landmark Tower design | Star Tower | {{flag|United States}} | Cincinnati | 291 | 954 | 1991 | {{coord|39|12|01|N|84|31|22|W|type:landmark|name=Star Tower}} |
Wind turbine | DEW-18 MW-260 | {{flag|China}} | Shantou | 274{{Cite web |title=Full Power Achieved! The World's Largest 18 MW Offshore Wind Turbine Reaches Maximum Operation!-Dongfang Electric Wind Power Co., Ltd. |url=https://dew.dongfang.com/en/info/1017/1108.htm |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=dew.dongfang.com}} | 899 | 2024 | {{coord|23.248833|116.748876 |
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|Elevator test tower || H1 Tower || {{flag|China}}|| Guangzhou || 273.8 || 898 || 2020 || {{coord|23|01|03|N|113|17|30|E|type:landmark|name=H1 Tower}}
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|Minaret || Djamaa el Djazaïr || {{flag|Algeria}} || Algiers || 265 || 870 || 2019 || {{coord|36|44|09|N|3|08|17|E|type:landmark|name=Djamaa el Djazaïr}}
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|Solar power tower || Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park || {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} || Saih Al-Dahal || 262 || 860 || 2020 || {{coord|24.7547|55.365|type:landmark|name=Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park}}
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|Ferris wheel || Ain Dubai || {{Nowrap|{{Flag|UAE}}}} || Bluewater Island Dubai || 250 || 820 ||2021|| {{coord|25|04|48.4|N|55|07|26.6|E|type:landmark|name=Ain Dubai}}
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|Crane|| LR 13000{{cite web|url=https://cranemag.com/crane-news/general-news/liebherr-lr13000-with-max-lattice-boom-the-worlds-tallest-crawler-crane/|title=Liebherr LR13000 with lattice boom: The world's tallest crawler crane|work=CraneMag |date=August 2013}} || {{flag|Germany}} || || 248 || 814 || 2013 || (movable)
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|Aerial tramway support tower || Cat Hai – Phu Long cable car towers{{cite web |date=2020-06-06 |title=Doppelmayr – Garaventa And Sun Group Build Another High-capacity Island Link |url=https://www.snowindustrynews.com/articles/2020/june/doppelmayr-garaventa-and-sun-group-build-another-high-capacity-island-link/ |accessdate=2022-02-27 |publisher=Snowindustrynews.com}}|| {{flag|Vietnam}} || Hạ Long || 214.8 || 704 || 2020 ||
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|Jackup rig||Noble Lloyd Noble{{cite web |title=Ten oil industry world records you maybe haven't heard of – equinor.com |url=https://www.equinor.com/en/magazine/industry-world-records.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815054550/https://www.equinor.com/en/magazine/industry-world-records.html |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |access-date=August 2, 2020}}|| {{flag|Liberia}} || || 214 || 702 || 2016 || (movable)
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|Cooling tower || Pingshan Power Station || {{flag|China}} || Huaibei || 210 || 689 || 2020 || {{coord|33|49|53.7|N|116|49|39.7|E|type:landmark|name=Pingshan II Power Station cooling tower}}
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|Flagpole || Cairo Flagpole || {{flag|Egypt}} || New Administrative Capital || 201.952{{cite web|title=Tallest flagpole|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-unsupported-flagpole|access-date=2021-12-31|website=Guinness World Records|date=December 26, 2021 |language=en-gb}} || 662.572 || 2021 ||{{Coord|30|00|48.7|N|31|45|17.5|E|type:landmark|name=Cairo Flagpole}}
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|Monument||Gateway Arch|| {{flag|United States}} || St. Louis, Missouri || 192 || 630 || 1965 || {{Coord|38|37|28.62|N|90|11|5.87|W|type:landmark|name=Gateway Arch}}
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| Water tower || Main tower of Kuwait Towers || {{flag|Kuwait}} || Kuwait City || 187 || 614 || 1979 || {{Coord|29|23|22.75|N|48|00|11.57|E|type:landmark|name=Kuwait Towers}}
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|Statue || Statue of Unity|| {{flag|India}} || Narmada district, Gujarat || 182 || 597 || 2018 || {{coord|21.8380|N|73.7191|E|region:IN_type:landmark||name=Statue of Unity}}
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|Masonry tower||Anaconda Smelter Stack|| {{flag|United States}} || Anaconda, Montana || 178.3 || 585 || 1919 || {{Coord|46|06|36.53|N|112|54|48.8|W|type:landmark|name=Anaconda Smelter Stack}}
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|Inclined structure || Montreal Tower || {{flag|Canada}} || Montreal || 175 || 574 || 1976 || {{Coord|45|33|33.53|N|73|33|7.61|W|type:landmark|name=Montreal Tower}}
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|Obelisk || San Jacinto Monument || {{flag|United States}} || La Porte, Texas || 173.7 || 570 || 1939 || {{Coord|29|44|59.46|N|95|04|50.52|W|type:landmark|name=San Jacinto Monument}}
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|Power station building || Niederaussem Power Station || {{flag|Germany}} || Bergheim || 172 || 564 || 2002 || {{coord|50|59|44|N|06|40|09|E|type:landmark|name=Niederaussem Power Station}}
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|Masonry building||Mole Antonelliana || {{flag|Italy}} || Torino || 167.5 || 550 || 1889 || {{Coord|45|04|8.45|N|7|41|35.62|E|type:landmark|name=Mole Antonelliana}}
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|Church tower|| Ulm Minster || {{flag|Germany}} || Ulm || 162 || 530 || 1890 || {{Coord|48|23|55|N|9|59|30.78|E|type:landmark|name=Ulmer Münster}}
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|Industrial hall ||Vehicle Assembly Building|| {{flag|United States}} || Kennedy Space Center, Florida || 160 || 525 || 1966 || {{Coord|28|35|9.64|N|80|39|2.11|W|type:landmark|name=Vehicle Assembly Building}}
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|Memorial cross ||{{lang|es|italic=no|Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos}}|| {{flag|Spain}} || El Escorial || 152.4 || 500 || 1957 || {{Coord|40|38|31.46|N|4|9|19.6|W|type:landmark|name=Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos}}
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|Air traffic control tower || Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 Control Tower || {{flag|Malaysia}} || Sepang || 141.3 || 463.6 || 2013{{cite web|url=http://www.klia2.info/about-klia2/facilities/tower-west|title=Tower West|access-date=May 5, 2015}} ||
{{Coord|2.740486|N|101.679069|E|type:landmark|name=Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 Control Tower}}
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|Tallest swing ride ||Bollywood Skyflyer{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/bollywood-skyflyer-dubai-tallest-swing-ride-hnk-spc-intl/index.html |title=Bollywood Skyflyer: World's tallest swing ride now open in Dubai's Bollywood Parks {{pipe}} CNN Travel |publisher=Cnn.com |date= February 3, 2021|accessdate=2022-02-27}} || {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} || Dubai || 140 || 460 || 2021 || {{coord|25|5|0.0|N|55|18|0|E|type:landmark|name=Dubailand}}
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|Roller coaster ||Kingda Ka|| {{flag|United States}} || Jackson, New Jersey || 138.98 || 456 || 2005 || {{Coord|40|08|26.54|N|74|25|59.83|W|type:landmark|name=Kingda Ka}}
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|Tomb ||Great Pyramid of Giza|| {{flag|Egypt}} || Giza || 138.8 || 455.2 || 2560 BCE || {{Coord|29|58|44.93|N|31|08|3.09|E|type:landmark|name=Great Pyramid of Giza}}
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|Drop tower||Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom|| {{flag|United States}} || Jackson Township, NJ || 139 || 456 || 2014 || {{Coord|40.140623|-74.433543}}
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|Gantry crane||Kockums Crane|| {{flag|South Korea}} || Ulsan || 138 || 453 || 1974 || (movable)
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|Stupa||Jetavanaramaya|| {{flag|Sri Lanka}} || Anuradhapura || 122 || 400 || 273–301 CE||{{Coord|8|21|06|N|80|24|13|E|type:landmark|name=Jetavanaramaya}}
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|Wooden structure || Gliwice Radio Tower || {{flag|Poland}} || Gliwice || 118 || 387 || 1935 || {{Coord|50|18|48.12|N|18|41|20.26|E|type:landmark|name=Gliwice Radio Tower}}
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|Storage silo || Swissmill Tower || {{flag|Switzerland}} || Zürich|| 118 || 387 || 2016 || {{coord| 47.389628|8.527086|type:landmark|name=Swissmill Tower}}
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|Gasometer|| Gasometer Oberhausen || {{flag|Germany}} || Oberhausen || 117.5 || 386 || 1929 || {{coord|51|29|39|N|6|52|14|E|type:landmark|name=Gasometer Oberhausen}} Currently used as an exhibition and event hall
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|Dome || Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro || {{flag|Ivory Coast}} || Yamoussoukro || 111 || 364 || 1990 || {{coord|6.811126|N|5.296918|W|type:landmark|name=Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro}}
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|Vertical axis wind turbine || Éole{{cite web|url=https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1849 |title=Éole, Cap-Chat |publisher=SkyscraperPage.com |date= |accessdate=2022-02-27}} || {{flag|Canada}} || Gaspésie || 110 || 361 || 1987 || {{Coord|49|04|35|N|66|44|06|W|type:landmark|name=Éole}}
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|Clock tower (single function structure) || Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower || {{flag|United Kingdom}} || Birmingham || 100 || 328 || 1908 || {{coord|52.4499|-1.9307|type:landmark|name=Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower}}
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|Wooden building || Ascent MKE|| {{flag|United States}}|| Milwaukee|| 87 || 284 || 2022 || {{coord|43|2|36|N|87|54|11|W|type:landmark|name=Ascent MKE}}
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|Sphere || Sphere at the Venetian Resort|| {{flag|United States}}|| Las Vegas|| 112 || 366 || 2023 || {{coord|36|07|14|N|115|09|41|W|type:landmark|name=Sphere at the Venetian Resort}}
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|Lighthouse || Île Vierge Lighthouse || {{flag|France}} || Finistère || 82.5 || 271 || 1902 || {{coord|48|38|20|N|4|34|09|W|type:landmark|name=Île Vierge Lighthouse}}
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|Gopuram || Murudeshwara Temple || {{flag|India}} || Murudeshwara || 76 || 249 || 2008 || {{Coord|14|05|39.11|N|74|29|6.59|E|type:landmark|name=Murudeshwara Temple}}
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|Loam building || Weilburg Pisé House || {{flag|Germany}} || Weilburg || 23.2 || 76 || 1828 || {{Coord|50|29|13.28|N|8|15|34.11|E|type:landmark|name=Weilburg Pisé House}}
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=Unsurpassed destroyed structures=
Image:Maszt radiowy w Konstantynowie.jpg, the height record holder from 1974 to 1991]]
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! Category ! Structure ! Country ! Location ! Height (metres) ! Height (feet) ! Coordinates ! Remarks | |||||||
Guyed mast | Warsaw Radio Mast | {{flag|Poland}} | Gąbin | 646.38 | 2,121 | {{Coord|52|22|3.74|N|19|48|8.73|E|type:landmark|name=Konstantynow Radio Mast (destroyed)}} | Completed in 1974, collapsed on August 8, 1991 |
Scientific research tower | BREN Tower | {{flag|United States}} | Nevada Test Site | 462 | 1,516 | {{coord|36|46|50.23|N|116|14|36.9|W|type:landmark|name=BREN-Tower}} | Completed in 1962, demolished May 23, 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=20529906#ooid=IxM2NzNDq-3scQFzvksIo4PNHBh50cXG |title=Tallest structure in West demolished|last=McCord|first=Keith|date=May 23, 2012|work=KSL-TV|access-date=September 29, 2012|location=Salt Lake City, UT}} |
Guyed tubular steel mast | Shushi-Wan Omega Transmitter | {{flag|Japan}} | Tsushima | 389 | 1,276 | {{Coord|34|36|53|N|129|27|13|E|type:landmark|name=Shushi-Wan Omega Transmitter (dismantled)}} | Completed in 1973, dismantled in 1998 |
Solar updraft tower | Manzanares Solar Chimney | {{flag|Spain}} | Manzanares | 195 | 640 | {{Coord|39|02|34.45|N|3|15|12.21|W|type:landmark|name=Manzanares Solar Chimney}} | Completed in 1982, the tower's guy-wires were not protected against corrosion and failed due to rust and storm winds causing the tower to collapse in 1989. Small-scale experimental model of a solar draft tower, newer proposals if built could become the tallest structure on earth. |
Wooden structure | Mühlacker Wood Radio Tower | {{flag|Germany}} | Mühlacker | 190 | 623 | {{Coord|48|56|27.67|N|8|51|8.24|E|type:landmark|name=Mühlacker Wood Radio Tower (replaced by guyed mast)}} | 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 | {{flag|Italy}} | Turin | 167.5 | 549.5 | {{Coord|45|04|8.45|N|7|41|35.62|E|type:landmark|name=Mole Antonelliana}} | Spire destroyed by a tornado in 1953 (rebuilt since then) |
Pre-Industrial era building | Lincoln Cathedral | {{flag|United Kingdom}} | Lincoln | 160 | 524 | {{Coord|53|14|3.26|N|0|32|10.54|W|type:landmark|name=Lincoln Cathedral}} | Completed in 1311, spire blown off in 1549 |
Telescope | Arecibo Telescope | {{flag|Puerto Rico}} | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | 150 | 492 | {{Coord|18|20|39|N|66|45|10|W|type:landmark|name=Arecibo Telescope}} | Completed in 1963, collapsed on December 1, 2020 |
Gasometer | Gasometer Zeche Nordstern | {{flag|Germany}} | Gelsenkirchen | 147 | 482 | Completed in 1938, damaged at an air raid on May 13, 1940, in such a manner that it was not usable any more and had to be demolished. | |
Storage silo | Henninger Turm | {{flag|Germany}} | Frankfurt | 120 | 394 | {{Coord|50|05|50.18|N|8|41|36.81|E|type:landmark|name=Henninger Turm}} | Constructed in 1961, demolished in 2013 |
=By function=
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! rowspan=2|Structure ! rowspan=2|Country ! rowspan=2|Location ! colspan=2|Architectural top ! rowspan=2|Year built ! rowspan=2|Coordinates | |||||||
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(metres)
!(feet) | |||||||
Mixed-use* | Burj Khalifa | {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} | Dubai | 830 | 2,722 | 2010 | {{coord|25|11|50.0|N|55|16|26.6|E|type:landmark|name=Burj Dubai}} |
Industrial | Petronius (oil platform) | {{flag|United States}} | Gulf of Mexico | 640 | 2,100 | 2000 | {{coord|29|06|30|N|87|56|30|W|type:landmark|name=Petronius oil platform}} |
Office | Ping An Finance Center | {{flag|China}} | Shenzhen | 555 | 1,821 | 2017 | {{coord|22|32|12|N|114|3|1|E|type:landmark|name=Ping An Finance Center}} |
Residential | Central Park Tower | {{flag|United States}} | New York City | 472.4 | 1,550 | 2020 | {{coord|40|45|59|N|73|58|52|W|type:landmark|name=Central Park Tower}} |
Military | Large masts of INS Kattabomman | {{flag|India}} | Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu | 471 | 1,545 | 1990 | {{coord|8.3870|N|77.7529|E|type:landmark|name=Large masts of INS Kattabomman}} |
Hotel | Gevora Hotel{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-hotel|title = Tallest hotel| date=February 9, 2018 }} | {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} | Dubai | 356.3 | 1,169 | 2018 | {{coord|25|12|44.6|N|55|16|37.5|E|type:landmark|name=Gevora Hotel}} |
Scientific research tower | Amazon Tall Tower Observatory | {{flag|Brazil}} | São Sebastião do Uatumã | 325{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29199728|title=Brazil builds giant Amazon observation tower|work=BBC News|date=September 14, 2014}} | 1,066 | 2015 | {{coord|2.1430|S|59.0010|W|type:landmark|name=Amazon Tall Tower Observatory}} |
Educational | Moscow State University | {{flag|Russia}} | Moscow | 240 | 787 | 1953 | {{coord|55.7039|N|37.5286|E|type:landmark|name=Moscow State University}} |
Tallest religious building overall, also tallest mosque | Djamaa el Djazaïr | {{flag|Algeria}} | Algiers | 265 | 870 | 2019 | {{coord|36|44|09|N|3|08|17|E|type:landmark|name=Djamaa el Djazaïr}} |
Tallest church overall, also tallest Protestant church | Ulm Minster | {{flag|Germany}} | Ulm | 161.5 | 530 | 1890 | {{coord|48.398497|N|9.991797|E|type:landmark|name=Ulm Minster}} |
Catholic church | Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro | {{flag|Ivory Coast}} | Yamoussoukro | 158 | 518 | 1989 | {{coord|6.811126|N|5.296918|W|type:landmark|name=Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro}} |
Hospital | Outpatient Center, Houston Methodist Hospital | {{flag|United States}} | Houston | 156.05 | 511.8 | ? | ? |
Eastern Orthodox Church | Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral | {{flag|Russia}} | St. Petersburg | 122.5 | 402 | 1733 | {{coord|59.950128|N|30.316035|E|type:landmark|name=Peter and Paul Cathedral, Saint Petersburg}} |
Hindu temple | Ranganathaswamy Temple | {{flag|India}} | Srirangam | 73 | 239.501 | 1987 | {{coord|10|51|45|N|78|41|23|E|type:landmark|name=Ranganathaswamy Temple}} |
Air cleaning | Xi'an air purification tower (HSALSCS){{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/skyscraper-sized-air-purifier-world-s-tallest-ncna858436 | title=This skyscraper-sized air purifier is the world's tallest| website=NBC News| date=March 21, 2018}}{{cite web | url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/china-has-built-the-world-s-largest-air-purifier-to-battle-smog/ | title=China has built the 'world's largest air purifier' to battle smog| date=February 19, 2018}} | {{flag|China}} | Xi'an | 2016 | ? |
=By continent=
Among existing structures
The following table is a list of the current tallest structures by each continent (listed by geographic size):
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!Continent !! Structure !! Height !! YearYear completed !! Country | ||||
Asia | Burj Khalifa | {{convert|829.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2009 | United Arab Emirates |
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|Africa | Benguela-Belize Lobito-Tomboco Platform | {{convert|512|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2008 | Angola |
North America | Petronius Platform | {{convert|640|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2000 | United States |
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|South America | Amazon Tall Tower Observatory | {{convert|325|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2015 | Brazil |
Europe | Ostankino Tower | {{convert|540.1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1967 | Russia |
style="background-color:"efefef"
|Australia | Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt | {{convert|387|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1967 | Australia |
Oceania | VLF transmitter Lualualei | {{convert|458|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1972 | United States (Hawaii) |
Including destroyed structures
The following table is a list of the all time tallest structures by each continent (listed by geographic size):
{{Sticky header}}
class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" font=90%" | ||||
style="background-color:#cccccc | ||||
Asia | Burj Khalifa | {{convert|829.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2009 | United Arab Emirates |
Africa | Benguela-Belize Lobito-Tomboco Platform | {{convert|512|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2008 | Angola |
North America | Petronius Platform | {{convert|640|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 2000 | United States |
"
|South America | Omega Tower Trelew | {{convert|366|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1971 | Argentina |
Europe | Warsaw radio mast | {{convert|646|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1974 | Poland |
Oceania | VLF Transmitter Woodside | {{convert|432|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | 1981 | Australia |
History of records
=Overall=
width=20%| {{Color box|#CEF2E0|border=darkgray}} Taller than all past structures (including destroyed structures) |
class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center;" cellpadding="2" |
style="background: #ececec;"
!Record from !Record held (years) !Name and location !Constructed !Height (metres) !Height (feet) ! class="unsortable" | Coordinates ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1,500 |style="text-align:left" | Göbekli Tepe, Turkey |data-sort-value="-9500" |c. 9500 BC |5-6 |18 |{{Coord|37|13|23|N|38|55|21|E|type:landmark|name=Göbekli Tepe}} |style="text-align:left;"| Possibly one of the earliest known temples. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-8000" |c. 8000 BC |4,000 |style="text-align:left" | Tower of Jericho, West Bank, Palestine |data-sort-value="-8000" |c. 8000 BC |8.5 |27.9 |{{coord|31.872041|35.443981|type:landmark|name=Tower of Jericho}} |style="text-align:left;"| One of the earliest ever stone monuments. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-4000" |c. 4000 BC |1,350 |style="text-align:left" | Anu Ziggurat, Uruk, Iraq |data-sort-value="-4000" |c. 4000 BC |13 |40 |{{coord|31|19|28|N|45|38|24.6|E|type:landmark|name=Anu Ziggurat}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-2650" |c. 2650 BC |40 |style="text-align:left" | Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt |data-sort-value="-2650" |c. 2650 BC |62.5 |205 |{{Coord|29|52|16.53|N|31|12|59.59|E|type:landmark|name=Pyramid of Djoser}} |style="text-align:left;"| First Egyptian pyramid, formed of six stacked mastabas. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-2610" |c. 2610 BC |5 | style="text-align:left;"| Meidum Pyramid, Egypt |data-sort-value="-2610" |c. 2610 BC |91.65 |301 |{{Coord|29|23|17|N|31|09|25|E|type:landmark|name=Meidum Pyramid}} |style="text-align:left;"| Shortly after completion Meidum Pyramid collapsed due to bad design/instability and is now {{convert|65|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-2605" |c. 2605 BC |5 | style="text-align:left;"| Bent Pyramid, Dashur, Egypt |data-sort-value="-2605" |c. 2605 BC |104.71 |343.5 |{{Coord|29|47|25|N|31|12|33|E|type:landmark|name=Bent Pyramid}} |style="text-align:left;"| Angle of slope decreased during construction to avoid collapse. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-2600" |c. 2600 BC |30 |style="text-align:left" | Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt |data-sort-value="-2600" |c. 2600 BC |105 |344.5 |{{Coord|29|48|31.39|N|31|12|22.49|E|type:landmark|name=Red Pyramid}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|data-sort-value="-2570" |c. 2570 BC |3,810 |style="text-align:left;"| Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt |data-sort-value="-2570" |c. 2570 BC |146.6 |481 |{{Coord|29|58|44.93|N|31|08|3.09|E|type:landmark|name=Great Pyramid of Giza}} |style="text-align:left;"| By 1647, the Great Pyramid's height had decreased to {{convert|139|m|ft|abbr=on}} after its top was removed. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1240 |71 |style="text-align:left;"| Old St Paul's Cathedral in London, England |data-sort-value="1666" |1087–1666 |149 |489 |{{Coord|51|30|49|N|0|5|54|W|type:landmark|name=Old St Paul's Cathedral}} |style="text-align:left;"| The spire was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1561. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1311 |237 |style="text-align:left;"| Lincoln Cathedral in England |data-sort-value="1311" |1092–1311 |160 |525 |{{Coord|53|14|3.26|N|0|32|10.54|W|type:landmark|name=Lincoln Cathedral}} |style="text-align:left;"| The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549. While the reputed height of {{convert|525|ft|m|abbr=on}} is accepted by most sources,Haughton, Brian (2007), Hidden History: Lost Civilizations, Secret Knowledge, and Ancient Mysteries, p. 167Michael Woods, Mary B. Woods (2009), Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, p. 41{{cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=384|title=Lincoln Cathedral|access-date=May 5, 2015}}Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince (2010), Frommer's England 2010, p. 588Mary Jane Taber (1905), The cathedrals of England: an account of some of their distinguishing characteristics, p. 100{{Cite web |date=2010-01-07 |title=A Brief History of the World's Tallest Buildings – Photo Essays |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1950812_2018362,00.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107044454/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1950812_2018362,00.html |archive-date=January 7, 2010 }} others consider it doubtful{{cite book |last=Kendrick |first=A. F. |url=https://archive.org/details/cathedralchurcho00kend |title=The Cathedral Church of Lincoln: A History and Description of its Fabric and a List of the Bishops |publisher=George Bell & Sons |year=1902 |isbn=978-1-178-03666-4 |location=London |page=[https://archive.org/details/cathedralchurcho00kend/page/60 60] |chapter=2: The Central Tower |quote=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 1547–1548.}} |
1549
|20 (first run) |style="text-align:left;"| St. Mary's Church in Stralsund, Germany |data-sort-value="1478" |1384–1478 |151 |495 |{{Coord|54|18|36.01|N|13|5|14.81|E|type:landmark|name=St. Mary's church, Stralsund}} |style="text-align:left;"| (See also resumption 1573–1647). Today its church tower has a dome and stands at {{convert|104|m|ft|abbr=on|1}} tall. |
1569
|4 |style="text-align:left;"| Beauvais Cathedral in France |data-sort-value="1569" |1272–1569 |153 |502 |{{Coord|49.4326|N|2.0814|E|type:landmark|name=Beauvais Cathedral}} |style="text-align:left;"| Spire collapsed in 1573; today, the church stands at a height of 67.2 metres (220.5 ft). |
1573
|94 (prior 20 + new 74) |style="text-align:left;"| St. Mary's Church in Stralsund, Germany |data-sort-value="1478" |1384–1478 |151 |495 |{{Coord|54|18|36.01|N|13|5|14.81|E|type:landmark|name=St. Mary's church, Stralsund}} |style="text-align:left;"| See also 1549–1569. The church tower's spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1647. Today the tower has a dome and stands at a height of {{convert|104|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
1647
|227 |style="text-align:left;"| Strasbourg Cathedral in France |1439 |142 |466 |{{Coord|48|34|54.22|N|7|45|1.48|E|type:landmark|name=Strasbourg Cathedral}} |style="text-align:left;"| By 1647, the Pyramid of Khafre's height had decreased from {{convert|143.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} to {{convert|136.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} after its top was removed. |
1874
|2 |style="text-align:left;"| St. Nikolai in Hamburg, Germany |data-sort-value="1874" |1846–1874 |147 |483 |{{Coord|53|32|50.94|N|9|59|26.12|E|type:landmark|name=St. Nikolai, Hamburg}} |style="text-align:left;"| The nave was demolished by aerial bombing during World War II; only the spire remains. |
1876
|4 |style="text-align:left;"| Cathédrale Notre Dame in Rouen, France |data-sort-value="1876" |1202–1876 |151 |495 |{{Coord|49|26|24.54|N|1|5|41.85|E|type:landmark|name=Rouen Cathedral}} | |
1880
|4 |style="text-align:left;"| Cologne Cathedral in Germany |data-sort-value="1880" |1248–1880 |157.38 |516 |{{Coord|50|56|28.08|N|6|57|25.73|E|type:landmark|name=Cologne Cathedral, Tower South}} ;{{Coord|50|56|29.11|N|6|57|25.85|E|type:landmark|name=Cologne Cathedral, Tower North}} |style="text-align:left;"| |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1884 |5 |style="text-align:left;"| Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., United States |data-sort-value="1888" |1848–1888 |169.29 |555 |{{Coord|38|53|22.08|N|77|2|6.89|W|type:landmark|name=Washington Monument}} |style="text-align:left;"| The world's tallest all-stone structure, as well as the tallest obelisk-form structure. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1889 |42 |style="text-align:left;"| Eiffel Tower in Paris, France |data-sort-value="1889" |1887–1889 |312 |1,024 |{{Coord|48|51|29.77|N|2|17|40.09|E|type:landmark|name=Eiffel Tower}} |style="text-align:left;"| The addition of a telecommunications tower in the 1950s brought the overall height to {{convert|330|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1930 |1 |style="text-align:left;"| Chrysler Building in New York City, United States |data-sort-value="1930" |1928–1930 |319 |1,046 |{{Coord|40|45|5.78|N|73|58|31.52|W|type:landmark|name=Chrysler Building}} | style="text-align:left;"| |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1931 |23 |style="text-align:left;"| Empire State Building in New York City, United States |data-sort-value="1931" |1930–1931 |381 |1,250 |{{Coord|40|44|54.95|N|73|59|8.71|W|type:landmark|name=Empire State Building}} |style="text-align:left;"| First building with 100+ stories. The addition of a pinnacle and antennas later increased its overall height to {{convert|448.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This was subsequently lowered to {{convert|443.1|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1954 |2 |style="text-align:left" | Griffin Television Tower Oklahoma (AKA KWTV Transmission Tower), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States |1954 |480.5 |1,576 | {{coord|35|32|58.59|N|97|29|50.27|W|type:landmark|name=Griffin Television Tower Oklahoma}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1956 |3 |style="text-align:left" | KOBR-TV Tower, Caprock, New Mexico, United States |1956 |490.7 |1,610 | {{coord|33|22|31.31|N|103|46|14.3|W|type:landmark|name=KOBR-TV Tower}} |style="text-align:left;"| Collapsed in 1960; rebuilt |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1959 |1 |style="text-align:left" | WGME TV Tower, Raymond, Maine, United States |1959 |495 |1,624 | {{coord|43|55|28.43|N|70|29|26.72|W|type:landmark|name=WGME TV Tower}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1960 |2 |style="text-align:left" | KFVS TV Mast, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States |1960 |511.1 |1,677 | {{coord|37|25|44.5|N|89|30|13.84|W|type:landmark|name=KFVS TV Mast}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1962 |1 |style="text-align:left" | WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower, Cusseta, Georgia, United States |1962 |533 |1,749 | {{coord|32|19|25.09|N|84|46|45.07|W|type:landmark|name=WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1963 |0 |style="text-align:left" | WIMZ-FM-Tower, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States |1963 |534.01 |1,752 | {{coord|36|08|05.49|N|83|43|28.01|W|type:landmark|name=WIMZ-FM-Tower}} | |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1963 |11 (first run) |style="text-align:left" | KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, United States |1963 |628.8 |2,063 | {{coord|47|20|31.85|N|97|17|21.13|W|type:landmark|name=KVLY-TV mast}} |style="text-align:left;"| (See also resumption 1991–2000). 75-foot analog antenna was removed from the top of the structure in 2018 in digital repack construction{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|1974 |17 |style="text-align:left" | Warsaw Radio Mast, Gąbin, Poland |1974 |646.4 |2,121 | {{Coord|52|22|3.74|N|19|48|8.73|E|type:landmark|name=Konstantynow Radio Mast (destroyed)}} |style="text-align:left;"| Mast radiator insulated against ground, collapsed in 1991 |
1991
|20 (prior 11 + new 9) |style="text-align:left" | KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, U.S. |1963 |628.8 |2,063 | {{coord|47|20|31.85|N|97|17|21.13|W|type:landmark|name=KVLY-TV mast}} |style="text-align:left;"| See also 1963–1974. 75-foot analog antenna was removed from the top of the structure in 2018 in digital repack construction{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} |
2000
|7 |style="text-align:left" | Petronius oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico |data-sort-value="2000" |1997–2000 |640 |2,100 | {{coord|29|06|30|N|87|56|30|W|type:landmark|name=Petronius oil platform}} |style="text-align:left;"| Sits on the sea floor with only 75 metres above water, supported by buoyancy. |
style="background-color:#CEF2E0
|2007 |TBD |style="text-align:left;"| Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates |data-sort-value="2009" |2004–2009 |829.8 |2,722 |{{coord|25|11|50.0|N|55|16|26.6|E|type:landmark|name=Burj Dubai}} | |
=Structures on dry land=
The overall recordholders (above) are all on dry land, except for the Petronius oil platform, which was the overall recordholder from 2000-2007. During that period the KVLY-TV mast held the record for tallest structure on dry land (after previously being the overall record holder from 1963-1974 and 1991-2000).
=Guyed structures=
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.
class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center;" cellpadding="2" |
style="background: #ececec;"
! rowspan="2" | Record from ! rowspan="2" | Record held (years) ! rowspan="2" | Name and location ! rowspan="2" | Constructed ! colspan="2" | Height ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Coordinates ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes |
style="background: #ececec;"
! m ! ft |
1913
|7 |style="text-align:left" | Central mast of Eilvese transmitter, Eilvese, Germany |1913 |250 |820 | {{Coord|52|31|40|N|9|24|24|E|type:landmark|name=Eilvese transmitter (demolished)}} |Mast was divided in 145 m by an insulator, demolished in 1931 |
1920
|3 |style="text-align:left" | Central masts of Nauen Transmitter Station, Nauen, Germany |1920 |260 |853 | {{Coord|52|38|56|N|12|54|30|E|type:landmark|name=Nauen transmitter}} |2 masts, demolished in 1946 |
1923
|10 |style="text-align:left" | Masts of Ruiselede transmitter, Ruiselede, Belgium |1923 |287 |942 | {{Coord|51|4|44|N|3|20|6.9|E|type:landmark|name=Zendmast Ruiselede (destroyed) (location unclear)}}? |8 masts, destroyed in 1940 |
1933
|6 |style="text-align:left" |Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary |1933 |314 |1,031 | {{coord|47|22|23.45|N|19|0|17.21|E|type:landmark|name=Lakihegy Radio Tower}} |Blaw-Knox Tower, insulated against ground, destroyed in 1945; rebuilt |
1939
|7 |style="text-align:left" |Deutschlandsender Herzberg/Elster, Herzberg (Elster), Germany |1939 |335 |1,099 | {{Coord|51|42|59.76|N|13|15|51.5|E|type:landmark|name=Deutschlandsender III (dismantled)}} |Insulated against ground, dismantled 1946/1947 |
1946
|2 |style="text-align:left" |Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary |1946 |314 |1,031 | {{coord|47|22|23.45|N|19|0|17.21|E|type:landmark|name=Lakihegy Radio Tower}} |Blaw-Knox Tower, Insulated against ground, rebuilt after destruction in 1945 |
1948
|1 |style="text-align:left" |WIVB-TV Tower, Colden, New York, United States |1948 |321.9 |1,056 | {{coord|42|39|33.19|N|78|37|33.91|W|type:landmark|name=WIVB-TV Tower}} | |
1949
|1 |style="text-align:left" |Longwave transmitter Raszyn, Raszyn, Poland |1949 |335 |1,099 | {{Coord|52|4|21.72|N|20|53|2.15|E|type:landmark|name=Raszyn Radio Mast}} |Insulated against ground |
1950
|4 |style="text-align:left" |Forestport Tower, Forestport, New York, United States |1950 |371.25 |1,218 | {{coord|43|26|41.9|N|75|5|9.55|W|type:landmark|name=Forestport Tower (demolished)}} |Insulated against ground, demolished |
1954
| colspan="7" | From 1954-2000 guyed masts held the record for tallest structure overall, as seen in the table above. |
1963
|11 (first run) |style="text-align:left" | KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, United States |1963 |628.8 |2,063 | {{coord|47|20|31.85|N|97|17|21.13|W|type:landmark|name=KVLY-TV mast}} |style="text-align:left;"| (See also resumption 1991–2018). 75-foot analog antenna was removed from the top of the structure in 2018 in digital repack construction{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} |
1974
|17 |style="text-align:left" | Warsaw Radio Mast, Gąbin, Poland |1974 |646.4 |2,121 | {{Coord|52|22|3.74|N|19|48|8.73|E|type:landmark|name=Konstantynow Radio Mast (destroyed)}} |style="text-align:left;"| Mast radiator insulated against ground, collapsed in 1991 |
1991
|38 (prior 11 + new 27) |style="text-align:left" | KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, U.S. |1963 |628.8 |2,063 | {{coord|47|20|31.85|N|97|17|21.13|W|type:landmark|name=KVLY-TV mast}} |style="text-align:left;"| See also 1963–1974. 75-foot analog antenna was removed from the top of the structure in 2018 in digital repack construction{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} |
2018
|TBD |style="text-align:left" | KRDK-TV mast, Galesburg, North Dakota, United States |1997 |628.0 |2,060 | {{coord|47|16|45.06|N|97|20|25.68|W|type:landmark|name=KRDK-TV mast}} | |
=Freestanding structures=
{{See also|Skyscraper#History of the tallest skyscrapers}}
Freestanding structures must not be supported by guy wires (like guyed masts or partially guyed towers), or built underground or on the seabed and supported by the sea (such as the Petronius Platform). They include towers, chimneys, and skyscrapers (listed based on their pinnacle height). Until 1954, freestanding structures held the record for tallest structures overall, as seen in the Overall table above. Here are the records for freestanding structures after that point:
class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center;" cellpadding="2" |
style="background: #ececec;"
!Record from !Record held (years) !Name and location !Constructed !Height (metres) !Height (feet) ! class="unsortable" | Coordinates ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
1931
|36 |style="text-align:left;"| Empire State Building in New York City, United States |data-sort-value="1931" |1930–1931 |381 |1,250 |{{Coord|40|44|54.95|N|73|59|8.71|W|type:landmark|name=Empire State Building}} |style="text-align:left;"| First building with 100+ stories. The addition of a pinnacle and antennas later increased its overall height to {{convert|448.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}. This was subsequently lowered to {{convert|443.1|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
1967
|8 |style="text-align:left;"| Ostankino Tower in Moscow, Soviet Union |data-sort-value="1967" |1963–1967 |540 |1,762 |{{Coord|55|49|10.94|N|37|36|41.79|E|type:landmark|name=Ostankino Tower}} |style="text-align:left;"| Remains the tallest in Europe. Fire in 2000 led to extensive renovation. |
1975
|32 |style="text-align:left;"| CN Tower in Toronto, Canada |data-sort-value="1976" |1973–1976 |553.33 |1,815.39 |{{coord|43|38|33.22|N|79|23|13.41|W|type:landmark|name=CN Tower}} |style="text-align:left;"| The tallest in the Western Hemisphere. |
2007
|TBD |style="text-align:left;"| Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates |data-sort-value="2009" |2004–2009 |829.8 |2,722 |{{coord|25|11|50.0|N|55|16|26.6|E|type:landmark|name=Burj Dubai}} |style="text-align:left" | Holder of world's tallest freestanding structure. Topped out at {{convert|829.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in 2009. |
Image:Worlds tallest buildings, 1884.jpg
Notable mentions include the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, built in the third century BC and estimated between {{convert|115|–|135|m|ft|abbr=on}}. It was the world's tallest non-pyramidal structure 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 {{convert|122|m|ft|abbr=on}}. These were both the world's tallest or second-tallest non-pyramidal structure 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, Italy, which is {{convert|102|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall, and was constructed in the first half of the fourteenth century; and the {{convert|97|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} Torre degli Asinelli in Bologna, Italy, built between 1109 and 1119.
=Freestanding towers=
File:TaroTokyo20110213-TokyoTower-01.jpg held the record of being the tallest tower in the world from 1958 to 1967. In addition, it held the record of being the tallest structure in Japan from 1958 to 2011, when the Tokyo Skytree (the current tallest tower in the world) surpassed it.]]
Towers include observation towers, monuments and other structures not generally considered to be "habitable buildings", they are meant for "regular access by humans, but not for living in or office work", meaning it excludes from this list of continuously habitable buildings and skyscrapers. Radio and TV masts with guy-wires for support are also excluded, since they aren't freestanding.
Bridge towers or pylons, chimneys, transmission towers, and most large statues allow human access for maintenance, but not as part of their normal operation, and are therefore not considered to be towers.
File:Toronto's CN Tower.jpg in Toronto was the world's tallest freestanding structure from 1975 to 2007.]]
The following is a list of structures that have historically held the title as the tallest towers in the world.
class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center;" cellpadding="2" | |||
style="background: #ececec;"
! Record from ! Tower ! Location ! Pinnacle height | |||
280 BC | Pharos Lighthouse | Alexandria, Egypt | 122 m |
1180 | Malmesbury Abbey Tower | Malmesbury, UK | 131.3 m |
1240
| colspan="3" | From 1240-1930 towers held the record for tallest structure overall, as seen in the Overall table above. | |||
1889 | Eiffel Tower | Paris, France | 312.3 m |
1956 | KCTV Broadcast Tower | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | 317.6 m |
1957 | Eiffel Tower (with addition) | Paris, France | 320.75 m |
1958 | Tokyo Tower | Tokyo, Japan | 332.6 m |
1967 | Ostankino Tower | Moscow, Russia | 540.1 m |
1975 | CN Tower | Toronto, Canada | 553.33 m |
2010 | Canton Tower | Guangzhou, China | 600 m |
2011 | Tokyo Skytree | Tokyo, Japan | 634 m |
= Buildings =
{{Main|List of tallest buildings}}
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 50% of its height is made up of floor plates containing habitable floor area.{{cite web |title=CTBUH Height Criteria for Measuring & Defining Tall Buildings |url=https://cloud.ctbuh.org/CTBUH_HeightCriteria.pdf |page=5 |publisher=Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat |access-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109162341/https://cloud.ctbuh.org/CTBUH_HeightCriteria.pdf |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |url-status=live}} Structures that do not meet this criterion, such as the CN Tower, are defined as "towers".
Up until the late 1990s, the definition of "tallest building" was not altogether clear. It was generally understood to be the height of the building to the top of its architectural elements including spires, but not including "temporary" structures (such as antennas or flagpoles), which could be added or changed relatively easily without requiring major changes to the building's design. Varying standards have been used by different organizations, so the accepted height of these structures or buildings depends on which standards are accepted. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has changed its definitions over time. Some of the controversy regarding the definitions and assessment of tall structures and buildings has included the following:
- the definition of a structure, a building and a tower
- whether a structure, building or tower under construction should be included in any assessment
- whether a structure, building or tower has to be officially opened before it is assessed
- whether structures built in and rising above water should have their below-water height included in any assessment.
- whether a structure, building or tower that is guyed is assessed in the same category as self-supporting structures.
Within an accepted definition of a building further controversy has included the following factors:
- whether only habitable height of the building is considered
- whether communication towers with observation galleries should be considered "habitable" in this sense
- whether rooftop antennas, viewing platforms or any other architecture that does not form a habitable floor should be included in the assessment
- whether a floor built at a high level of a telecommunications or viewing tower should change the tower's definition to that of a "building"
One historic case involved the building now famous for the Times Square Ball. Known as One Times Square (at 1475 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan), it was the headquarters for The New York Times, which gave Times Square its name. Completed in 1905, it reached a height of {{convert|364|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} to its roof, or {{convert|420|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} including its rooftop flagpole, which the Times hoped would give it a record high status but because a flagpole is not an integral architectural part of a building, One Times Square was not generally considered to be taller than the {{convert|390|ft|m|adj=mid|-high|sp=us}} Park Row Building in Lower Manhattan, which was therefore still New York's tallest.{{cite web|url=http://ctbuh.org/AboutCTBUH/History/MeasuringTall/tabid/1320/language/en-US/Default.aspx|title=History of Measuring Tall Buildings|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410072709/http://www.ctbuh.org/AboutCTBUH/History/MeasuringTall/tabid/1320/language/en-US/Default.aspx|archive-date=April 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}
A bigger controversy was the rivalry between two New York City skyscrapers built in the Roaring Twenties—the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street. The latter was {{convert|927|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} tall, had a shorter pinnacle, and had a much higher top occupied floor (the second category in the 1996 criteria for tallest building). In contrast, the Chrysler Building employed a very long {{convert|125|ft|m|adj=on}} spire secretly assembled inside the building to claim the title of world's tallest building with a total height of {{convert|1048|ft|m}}, despite having a lower top occupied floor and a shorter height when both buildings' spires are not counted in their heights.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1929/10/20/archives/denies-altering-plans-for-tallest-building-starrett-says-height-of.html|title=Denies Altering Plans for Tallest Building; Starrett Says Height of Bank of Manhattan Structure Was Not Increased to Beat Chrysler.|date=October 20, 1929|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 26, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Although the architects of record for 40 Wall were H. Craig Severance and Yasuo Matsui, the firm of Shreve & Lamb (who also designed the Empire State Building) served as consulting architects. They wrote a newspaper article claiming that 40 Wall was actually the tallest, since it contained the world's highest usable floor. They pointed out that the observation deck of 40 Wall was nearly {{convert|100|ft|m}} higher than the top floor of the Chrysler, whose surpassing spire was strictly ornamental and essentially inaccessible.Binders, George (August 2006). 101 of the World's Tallest Buildings. p. 102. Despite the protest, the Chrysler Building was generally accepted as the tallest building in the world for almost a year, until it was surpassed by the Empire State Building's {{convert|1250|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} in 1931.
That was in turn surpassed by the {{convert|1368|ft|m|adj=mid|-high|sp=us}} Twin Towers of New York's original World Trade Center in 1972, which were in turn surpassed by the Sears Tower in Chicago in 1974. Now called the Willis Tower since 2009, it was {{convert|1451|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} to its flat rooftop, or {{convert|1518|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} including its original antennas.{{cite web |title=Willis Tower, Chicago – SkyscraperPage.com |url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=5/ |access-date=May 5, 2015 |website=SkyscraperPage.com}} But in 1978 One World Trade Center (commonly known as the North Tower) attained a taller absolute height when it added its {{convert|360|ft|m|adj=on}} new broadcasting antenna, for a total height of {{convert|1728|ft|m|1|abbr=off|sp=us}}. The WTC North Tower maintained this height record (including its antenna) from 1978 until 2000, when the owners of the Willis Tower extended its broadcasting antennae for a total height of {{convert|1729|ft|m|1|abbr=off|sp=us}}. Thus the status of the Willis Tower as the "totally" tallest was restored in the face of a new threat looming in the Far East—the "Siamese Twins".
File:Petronas Twin Towers 2010 April.jpg
A major controversy erupted upon completion of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998. These Twin Towers, at {{convert|1483|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, had a higher architectural height (spires, not antennas), but a lower absolute pinnacle height and a lower top occupied floor than the Willis Tower in Chicago. Counting buildings as structures with floors throughout, and with antenna masts excluded, the Willis was still considered the tallest at that time. Excluding their spires, which are {{convert|9|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} higher than the flat roof of Willis, the Petronas Towers are not taller than Willis. At their convention in Chicago, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) found the Willis Tower (without its antennas) to be the third-tallest building, and the Petronas Towers (with their spires) to be the world's two tallest buildings.
Responding to the ensuing controversy, the CTBUH then revised their criteria and defined four categories in which the world's tallest building can be measured, retaining the old criterion of height to architectural top, and adding three new categories:
- Highest occupied floor
- Height to top of roof (omitted from criteria from November 2009 onwards){{cite news|url=http://www.ctbuh.org/NewsMedia/PR_091117_ChangeHeightCriteria/tabid/1273/language/en-US/Default.aspx|title=CTBUH changes height criteria, Burj Khalifa height increases|date=November 17, 2009|publisher=Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat|access-date=November 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105123138/http://www.ctbuh.org/NewsMedia/PR_091117_ChangeHeightCriteria/tabid/1273/language/en-US/Default.aspx|archive-date=January 5, 2018|url-status=dead}}
- 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.
- Height to tip
The height-to-roof criterion was discontinued because relatively few modern tall buildings possess flat rooftops, making this criterion difficult to determine and measure. The CTBUH has further clarified their definitions of building height, including specific criteria concerning subbasements and ground level entrances (height measured from lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance rather than from a previously undefined "main entrance"), building completion (must be topped out both structurally and architecturally, fully clad, and able to be occupied), condition of the highest occupied floor (must be continuously used by people living or working and be conditioned, thus including observation decks, but not mechanical floors) and other aspects of tall buildings.{{cite web |title=CTBUH Height Criteria for Measuring & Defining Tall Buildings |url=https://cloud.ctbuh.org/CTBUH_HeightCriteria.pdf |pages=3–4 |publisher=Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat |access-date=November 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109162341/https://cloud.ctbuh.org/CTBUH_HeightCriteria.pdf |archive-date=November 9, 2024 |url-status=live}} The height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance.
A different superlative for skyscrapers is their number of floors. The original World Trade Center set that record at 110 in the early 1970s, and this was not surpassed until the Burj Khalifa opened in 2010.
Tall freestanding 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.
Here are the world records by category since the CTBUH defined them in 1996:
width=10%| {{Color box|#CEF2E0|border=darkgray}} World record at the time
|width=10%| {{Color box|#D3D3D3|border=darkgray}} Category omitted by CTBUH in 2009 |
class="sortable wikitable" | ||||
Building | Highest occupied floor | Roof | Architectural top | Tip |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 World Trade Center (with its antenna added in 1979) | 386 m (1,268 ft) | 417 m (1,368 ft) | 417 m (1,368 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 526.7 m (1,728 ft) |
Willis Tower (with its antennas added in 1982) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 413 m (1,354 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 442 m (1,450 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 442 m (1,451 ft) | 520 m (1,707 ft) |
Petronas Towers (completed 1998) | 375 m (1,230 ft) | 405 m (1,329 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 452 m (1,483 ft) | 452 m (1,483 ft) |
Willis Tower (with its antenna extension in 2000) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 413 m (1,354 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 442 m (1,450 ft) | 442 m (1,451 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 527.0 m (1,729 ft) |
Taipei 101 (completed 2003) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 438 m (1,437 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 449 m (1,474 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 508 m (1,667 ft) | 509 m (1,671 ft) |
Shanghai World Financial Center (completed 2008) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 474 m (1,555 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 487 m (1,599 ft) | 492 m (1,614 ft) | 494 m (1,622 ft) |
Burj Khalifa (completed 2010) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 585 m (1,921 ft) | style="background-color:#D3D3D3 | 739 m (2,426 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 828 m (2,717 ft) | style="background-color:#CEF2E0 | 830 m (2,722 ft) |
=Observation decks=
{{Main|Observation deck}}
Timeline of development of world's highest observation deck since opening of the Washington Monument in 1888.
class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
rowspan="2" | Record from
! rowspan="2" | Record held (years) ! rowspan="2" | Name and location ! rowspan="2" | Building constructed ! colspan="2" | Height above ground ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes |
---|
m
! ft |
1888
|1 |style="text-align:left" | Washington Monument, Washington, D.C., United States |1884 |152 |500 |style="text-align:left" | Was the world's tallest structure when completed. |
1889
|42 |style="text-align:left" | Eiffel Tower, Paris, France |1889 |275 |902 |style="text-align:left" | Two lower observation decks at {{convert|57|and|115|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
1931
|42 |style="text-align:left" | Empire State Building, New York City, United States |1931 |1,211 |style="text-align:left" | On the 102nd floor – a second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at {{convert|320|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
1973
|1 |style="text-align:left" | 2 World Trade Center, New York City, United States |1973 |399.4 |1,310 |style="text-align:left" | Measured from sea level, street level was 10 feet above sea level. Indoor observation deck on the 107th floor of South Tower opened on April 4, 1973. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. |
1974
|1 |style="text-align:left" | Willis Tower, Chicago, United States |1974 |412.4 |1,353 |style="text-align:left" | Measured from the Franklin Street entrance, 103rd floor observation deck opened on June 22, 1974 |
1975
|1 |style="text-align:left" | 2 World Trade Center, New York City, United States |1973 |419.7 |1,377 |style="text-align:left" | Measured from sea level, street level was 10 feet above sea level. Outdoor observation deck on rooftop of the South Tower opened on December 15, 1975. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. |
1976
|28 |style="text-align:left" | CN Tower, Toronto, Canada |1976 |446.5 |1,464.9 |style="text-align:left" | Two further observation decks at {{convert|342|and|346|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
2004
|4 |style="text-align:left" | Taipei 101, Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan) |2004 |449 |1,474 |style="text-align:left" | Two other observation decks are at {{Convert|392|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (91st-floor outdoor observation deck) and {{Convert|383|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (89th-floor indoor observation deck). |
2008
|3 |style="text-align:left" | Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China |2008 |474 |1,555 |style="text-align:left" | Two further observation decks at {{convert|423|and|439|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
2011
|3 |style="text-align:left" | Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China |2011 |488 |1,601 |style="text-align:left" | The rooftop outdoor observation deck opened in December 2011. There are also several other indoor observation decks in the tower, the highest at {{convert|433.2|m|ft|abbr=on}}. |
2014
|2 |style="text-align:left" | Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |2010 |555 |1,821 |style="text-align:left" | Opened on October 15, 2014, on the 148th floor. There is another observation deck at {{convert|452.1|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the 124th floor, which has been open since the building was opened to the public. |
2016
|{{Age|2016|07|01}} (incumbent) |style="text-align:left" | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China |2015 |562 |1,841 |style="text-align:left" | Opened on July 1, 2016. there are also 2 more observation decks on the 118th and 119th floor, at 546 and 552 meters respectively. |
Higher observation decks have existed on mountain tops or cliffs, rather than on tall structures. The Grand Canyon Skywalk, constructed in 2007, protrudes {{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} over the west rim of the Grand Canyon and is approximately {{convert|1100|m|ft|abbr=on}} above the Colorado River, making it the highest of these types of structures.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}
See also
{{cols|colwidth=15em}}
- List of elevator test towers
- List of hyperboloid structures
- List of tallest bridges
- List of tallest church buildings
- List of tallest chimneys
- List of tallest clock towers
- List of tallest cooling towers
- List of tallest dams
- List of tallest educational buildings
- List of tallest freestanding steel structures
- List of tallest hospitals
- List of tallest hotels
- List of tallest minarets
- List of tallest oil platforms
- List of tallest residential buildings
- List of tallest statues
- List of tallest structures built before the 20th century
- List of tallest wooden buildings
- Tallest industrial buildings
{{colend}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://materiaislamica.com/index.php/Tallest_Buildings_in_the_Islamic_World_(2017) Tallest Buildings in the Islamic World (2017)]
- [http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7787,46244,471,23522,21,5,18,576,57183,1297,56833,1541,121691,871,35051,19525,65501,113108,51951,80782,1656,103791,93,40728,116831,47,959,281,12795,178,1815,242,1027,116377,1006,62763,54345,24546,10609,765,26123,27136,46049,40682,80783,3424,1924,10436,71997,128172 Collection] of many record holders on [http://www.skyscraperpage.com Skyscraperpage]
- [http://tallestbuildingintheworld.net/ tallestbuildingintheworld.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516055735/http://tallestbuildingintheworld.net/ |date=May 16, 2017 }}
- [http://aroundtheworld80maps.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/worlds-tallest-buildings_22.html A map visualization of each country's tallest building]
- [http://your-photography.com/thailand/bangkok-unique/ The highest abandoned skyscraper in the world]
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