While determining the world's tallest structure has generally been straightforward, the questions of what is the world's tallest building or the world's tallest tower have often been controversial, both because of disputes over what should be counted as a building or a tower, and further disputes over how to measure the height of these. Questions of national or local prestige may cause different people to adopt different definitions which favour their own structures.
In terms of absolute height, most of the tallest structures are dozens of radio and television broadcasting towers that are around 600 meters (2,000 feet) tall[citation needed]. There is, however, some debate about:
- whether structures under construction should be included in the list
- whether structures rising out of water should have their below-water height included.
For towers, there is debate about:
- whether guy-wire-supported structures should be counted
For buildings, there is debate about[citation needed]:
- whether observation galleries on communication towers make them into habitable buildings
- whether only habitable height counts
- whether roof-top antennas should be counted towards height of buildings; the debate over this has especially focused on the fact that things that look like spires can be either classified as an antenna or an "architectural detail"
Tallest structures
Currently, the tallest standing structure is the KVLY-TV mast near Fargo, North Dakota, at 629 m (2,063 ft). It is a transmission antenna, consisting of a bare metal structure supported by guy-wires. The Warsaw radio mast at Gąbin-Konstantynów near Warsaw, Poland at 645 m (2,115 ft) was taller, but it collapsed on 8 August 1991.
The main reason these transmission antennas are not usually included with the world's tallest buildings is that they are not self-supporting. Another example of a structure that is not self-supporting is a captive balloon, a long rope tethered to the ground on one end and to a helium balloon on the other. If structures that are not self-supporting were counted, such balloons would be the tallest in the world. Guyed masts, however, are designed for permanent use and cannot be dismantled quickly. For example, in case of bad weather, a captive balloon can be released and moved to a different ___location, but a transmission antenna must be able to withstand the weather and remain standing. Therefore they are considered architectural structures, just like other non-inhabitable constructions.
The Petronius Platform stands 610 m (2,001 ft) tall, making it the tallest freestanding structure in the world. However, as this oil and natural gas platform is partially supported by buoyancy, some critics argue that the below-water height should not be counted, in the same manner as the underground 'height' of buildings is not taken into account.
The CN Tower in Toronto stands at 553.33 m (1,815 ft) tall, and it is the tallest freestanding structure above ground which it has been over 30 years even prior to opening in July 1976.
The tallest uncompleted building in the world is the Burj Dubai tower, which as of January 20, 2007 has surpassed 106 floors high during its construction. By 2008, it will break all previous records in all categories for any building or structure ever built.
Tallest structure by category
Tallest building by function
| Category | Structure | Country | City | Height to architectural top | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| m | ft | ||||
| Office | Taipei 101 |  Taiwan |
Taipei | 509 | 1,671 |
| Residential | Q1 |  Australia |
Gold Coast | 323 | 1,058 |
| Hotel | Burj al-Arab |  United Arab Emirates |
Dubai | 321 | 1,053 |
| Educational | Moscow State University |  Russia |
Moscow | 240 | 787 |
| Recreational | Stratosphere Tower |  United States |
Las Vegas, NV | 350.30 | 1,149 |
| Hospital | Guy's Hospital |  United Kingdom |
London, England | 142.6 | 468 |
Tallest buildings
Up until 1998 the tallest building status was essentially uncontested. Counting buildings as structures with floors throughout, and with antennas excluded, the Sears Tower in Chicago was considered the tallest. When the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were built, controversy arose since the spire extended nine meters higher than the roof of the Sears Tower. Excluding the spire, the Petronas Towers are not taller than the Sears Tower. At their convention in Chicago, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) reduced the Sears 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:
- Height to the structural or architectural top (including spires and pinnacles, but not antennas, masts or flagpoles)
- Height to the highest occupied floor
- Height to the top of the roof
- Height to the top of antenna
The height is measured from the sidewalk level of the main entrance. In all of these categories, Sears Tower had held the second and third category. Petronas held the first and the original World Trade Towers held the fourth. Within months, however, a new antenna was placed on the Sears Tower, giving it hold of the fourth category.
On April 20, 2004, the Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan was completed[citation needed]. Its completion gave it the world record for the first three categories.
Today, Taipei 101 leads in the first category with 509 m (1,671 ft); in the second category with an occupied floor at 439 m (1,441 ft); and in the third category with 449 m (1,474 ft). The first category was formerly held by the Petronas Twin Towers with 452 m (1,483 ft), and before that by Sears Tower with 442 m (1,451 ft). The second and third categories were held by the Sears Tower, with 412 m and 442 m (1,451 ft) respectively.
The Sears Tower still leads 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 Trade Center's destruction in 2001. Its antenna included, 1 World Trade Center measured 526 m (1,727 ft). The World Trade Center became the world's tallest buildings to be 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 WTC site.[citation needed]
The Ostankino Tower and the CN Tower are excluded from these categories because they are not "habitable buildings", which are defined as frame structures made with floors and walls throughout.
History of record holders in each CTBUH category
| Date (Event) | 1.Height to the architectural top | 2. Height to the highest occupied floor | 3. Height to the top of the roof | 4. Height to the top of antenna |
| 2003 (Completion of Taipei 101) | Taipei 101 | Taipei 101 | Taipei 101 | Sears Tower |
| 2000 (Extension of Sears Tower western antenna) | Petronas Twin Towers | Sears Tower | Sears Tower | Sears Tower |
| 1998 (Completion of Petronas Towers) | Petronas Twin Towers | Sears Tower | Sears Tower | World Trade Center |
| 1996 (CTBUH defines the four categories) | Sears Tower | Sears Tower | Sears Tower | World Trade Center |
Tallest buildings in world history
See also: Tallest free standing structure on land
In this table a "building" is any freestanding structure. It excludes guyed masts and other supported structures. (See also history of tallest skyscrapers.)
| Held record | Name and Location | Constructed | Height | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | m | ft | |||
| c. 2600 BC | c. 2570 BC | Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt | c. 2600 BC | 105 | 345 | |
| c. 2570 BC | c. AD 1300 | Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt | c. 2570 BC | 146 | 481 | By AD 1439, the Great Pyramid had eroded to a height of approximately 139 m (455 ft) |
| c. 1300 | 1549 | Lincoln Cathedral, England | 1092–1311 | 160 (?) | 525 (?) | The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549; the reputed height of 525 ft has been described as "doubtful"[1] by a single source. All other sources agree on the height. |
| 1549 | 1625 | St. Olav's Church, Tallinn, Estonia | 1438–1519 | 159 (?) | 522 (?) | The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1625, rebuilt several times, current overall height is 123 m |
| 1625 | 1847 | Strasbourg Cathedral, Germany, now France | 1439 | 142 | 469 | Still standing |
| 1847 | 1876 | St. Nikolaikirche, Hamburg, Germany | 1846–1847 | 147 | 483 | Designed by George Gilbert Scott |
| 1876 | 1880 | Cathédrale Notre Dame, Rouen, France | 1202–1876 | 151 | 495 | |
| 1880 | 1884 | Cologne Cathedral, Germany | 1248–1880 | 157 | 515 | |
| 1884 | 1889 | Washington Monument, United States | 1848–1884 | 169 | 555 | |
| 1889 | 1930 | Eiffel Tower, Paris, France | 1889 | 300 | 986 | The addition of a telecommunications tower brought the overall height to 324 meters in the 1950s |
| 1930 | 1931 | Chrysler Building, New York City, United States | 1928–1930 | 319 | 1046 | Chrysler Building is still the tallest brick building in the world. |
| 1931 | 1967 | Empire State Building, New York City, United States | 1930–1931 | 381 | 1250 | |
| 1967 | 1975 | Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia | 1963–1967 | 537 | 1762 | |
| 1975 | Current | CN Tower, Toronto, Canada | 1973–1976 | 553 | 1815 | |
Notable mentions include the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, built in the third century BC, and estimated between 115 to 135 metres (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 metres (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 tall, and was constructed in the first half of the fourteenth century, and the 97 m tall Torre degli Asinelli in Bologna, also Italy, built between 1109 and 1119.
Currently-standing tallest skyscrapers listed by height to the architectural top
Note that this list, except the comparison section, is limited to a certain type of structure, and a certain very specific type of height measurement. Most of the tallest structures in the world are guyed broadcasting towers. The structures on this list are not sorted by the absolute highest point on the building.
1 Height for inhabited buildings (with stories) does not include TV towers and antennas.
Source: Emporis.
Proposed record-breaking structures
- Sumida Tower (613.5m) has been propoused in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. If completed, it will be the tallest free standing structure in the world, overthrowing the CN Tower. It is planned to be finished by 2011.1
- Noida Tower (750m) is being built in small metro city of Delhi's NCR. It will be the highest building in the world at its completion in 2013 (depending on the final height of Burj Dubai).
- Proposed "Murjan Tower" in Manama on the tiny Island of Bahrain is going to be 1,022 meters (3,353 ft) in height. The Murjan Tower is being designed by Danish firm Henning Larsens Tegnestue A/S and comprises 200 floors. If built, it will become world's tallest building, surpassing the proposed Mubarak Tower in nearby Kuwait City.
- The proposed Mubarak al-Kabir Tower in Madinat al-Hareer (City Of Silk), (Kuwait) is going to be 1,001 m (3,284 ft) in height. Taller than the upcoming Solar Tower (in NSW, Australia) by 1 meter only. There are further plans to push the tower into even greater heights as most investments will go into making this structure the tallest tower in the world.
- The proposed Solar Tower in Buronga, New South Wales, Australia would be 1,000 m (3,281 ft) tall. Engineering feasibility has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of consulting engineers, but financial viability remains questionable.
- Near Fuento el Fresno in Spain, the construction of a 750 metre tall solar tower is planned. If it will be built as planned, it will be nearly twice as tall as today's tallest structure in the European Union, the Belmont TV Mast.
- Burj Dubai in Dubai, UAE is a 808 m (2,651 ft) skyscraper currently under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Designed to be completed around 2008, this would put it at the number one spot in all four of CTBUH's categories, as well as make it the tallest manmade structure of any kind in history.
- The proposed Center of India Tower in Katangi, India would be a 677 m (2,222 ft) skyscraper with 224 stories. It has been planned to be built in 2008. Upon completion, the building will have the largest gross floor area in the world; approx. 30 million sq. feet. [2]
- The 610 m 2000 ft Chicago Spire (formerly Fordham Spire) would surpass the Sears Tower as the tallest tower in Chicago as well as North America. The building would have 150 stories as well as a top floor height of 2000 ft.[3] The project was given new life when Garrett Kelleher, executive chairman of Shelbourne Development Ltd & the Shelbourne Group acquired the land in July 2006 with plans to fully fund the development of the project. The building is planned to break ground sometime in early 2007 with completion expected in late 2010.
- The 492 m (1,614 ft; roof height) Shanghai World Financial Center in Shanghai, People's Republic of China has proposed completion in 2008, but has been delayed by evaluation of soil stability. A competing on-going project for the world's tallest is the 474 m (1,555 ft) Union Square Phase 7 in Hong Kong, also scheduled for completion in 2009. This would make either building the tallest under categories 2 and 3 by the CTBUH.
- The Freedom Tower of the new World Trade Center in New York City will reach 1,776 ft (541.3 metres) to its spire and about 1,368 ft (417 m) to its roof. This would make it the tallest building under categories 1 and 4 by the CTBUH, if no other record-breakers have been built by its completion date (currently at 2012).[citation needed]
- Port Tower Complex Karachi Port Trust is taking on a Rs. 20 billion project, the Port Tower Complex, is said to be 593 metres (1,947ft) high 1. 1947 is the independence year of Pakistan. It should be finished within six years. It will comprise a hotel, a shopping center, and an Expo center. Integrating into Karachi’s skyline, the main feature of the venture shall be a revolving restaurant, a viewing gallery offering a panoramic view of the coastline and the city. The Tower is planned to be located at the Clifton shoreline. When completed it will be the tallest building in Pakistan and the 2nd tallest building in the world, first being Burj Dubai.
- The new Guangdong TV Tower at Guangzhou, People's Republic of China may also become one of the world's tallest structures.
- Construction was scheduled to begin in 2006 on the now cancelled Strait of Messina Bridge. The bridge would have become the largest suspension bridge as well as the tallest. The proposed height of the two towers at 382.6 metres, is taller than the current record holder, the Millau Viaduct in France (341 metres).[citation needed]
- There are some plans for a 609.6 metre high free-standing TV tower at Bayonne, New Jersey.
- During the Russian October Revolution of 1917, Vladimir Tatlin had designed a structure named The Monument to the Third International to become the international center of the Komintern. Better known as the Tatlin Tower, the stucture would have risen 400 meters into the air. For the time, it would have been by far the tallest building in the world. The Russian Civil War stopped the project from continuing, due to lack of resources and time. Later, the Stalinist doctrine of "Socialism in One Country" and the abolishment of the Komintern made the plan for an international center to communism of no use to the Stalinist bureaucracy of the USSR.
- Proposed Incheon Tower would become the tallest building in Korea at 640m.
Other proposed very tall towers
Radio masts taller than 600 metres
It has been suggested that this article be merged into List of masts. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2006. |
| Tower | Pinnacle height | Country | Town | Weblinks |
| University of Central Missouri Tower Syracuse | 609.6 metres | U.S. | Syracuse, Missouri | [4] |
| Liberman Broadcasting Tower Sargent | 609.6 metres | U.S. | Sargent, Texas | [5] |
| Cumulus Broadcasting Tower Winnie | 609.6 metres | U.S. | Winnie, Texas | [6] |
| American Media Services Tower Agate | 609.5 metres | U.S. | Agate, Colorado | [7] |
| Vertical Properties Tower Busterville | 609.5 metres | U.S. | Busterville, Texas | [8], [9] |
| Cumulus Broadcasting Tower Stowell | 609.3 metres | U.S. | Stowell, Texas | [10] |
| Pegasus Broadcasting Tower | 609 metres | U.S. | Metcalf, Georgia | [11] |
| SpectraSite Tower Raymond | 608.8 metres | U.S. | Raymond, Mississippi | [12] |
| Beasley Tower | 608.7 metres | U.S. | Immokalee, Florida | [13] |
| KKDD-FM Tower | 608.1 metres | U.S. | Hoyt, Colorado | [14] |
| Wiliam Smith Tower Walker | 607 metres | U.S. | Walker, Iowa | [15] |
| CBC Real Estate Tower Auburn | 606.4 metres | U.S. | Auburn, North Carolina | [16] |
| Pappas Telecasting Tower Plymouth County 2 | 603.5 metres | U.S. | Plymouth County, Iowa | [17] |
Towers/Skyscrapers
- TV tower of Djakarta [18].
See also
- Architectural structure
- Air traffic obstacle (for links to lists of air traffic obstacles, useful or determining the height of tall structures)
- Height restriction laws
- List of buildings
- List of buildings with 100 floors or more
- List of largest buildings in the world
- List of masts
- Tallest free standing structure on land
- List of tallest buildings in the world
- Tallest Buildings by Continent
- List of tallest buildings and structures in the world by country
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Australia
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Canada
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Ireland
- List of tallest buildings and structures in London
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Paris
- List of tallest buildings and structures in the former Soviet Union
- List of tallest structures in the Czech Republic
- List of tallest churches in the world
- List of tallest structures in the world
- List of tallest structures in the world by type of use
- List of towers
- World's largest domes
External links
- All About Skyscrapers
- Skyscraper Diagrams
- Emporis
- SkyscraperPage
- SkyscraperCity
- SkyscraperCity forum
- Guinness Book of world Records
- Guinness Entry for 'Tallest Office Building'
- Guinness Entry for 'Tallest Building'
- http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001338.html
- http://www.xs4all.nl/~hnetten/tallest.html
- http://www.civl.port.ac.uk/comp_prog/weird/tallest.html
- http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/toptens/buildings/buildings.html
- http://www.skyscrapernews.com
- Information and photos about the current world's tallest, Taipei 101