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The 10 tallest buildings around the world

U.S. News & World Report

March 4, 2019, 9:30 AM

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10. Shanghai World Financial Center Location: Shanghai, China Height: 1,614 feet The Shanghai World Financial Center, the second-tallest building pictured, may seem dwarfed by its neighbor, Shanghai Tower, but it ranks as the 10th-tallest building in the world, according to World Atlas. It took more than a decade to complete, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s Global Tall Building Database, and its trapezoidal portal at the top was designed to enable the building to withstand high wind pressures. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)
iStock/Getty Images Plus
9. Taipei 101 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Height: 1,667 feet Taipei 101 held the title of the world’s tallest building for six years, until the Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010. The number in its name, 101, represents the first day of the year, and the building has become central to the city’s New Years celebrations, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Notably, Taipei 101 stands out not only for its domination of the city’s skyline but also for its green-blue hue, World Atlas reports. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
AP Photo/Wally Santana
8. China Zun Location: Beijing, China Height: 1,731 feet China Zun, officially known at the CITIC Tower, is the youngest of the buildings included in this list, having been completed in 2018. It gets its name from the tower’s resemblance to an ancient Chinese ceremonial vessel called the “zun,” according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
AP Photo/Andy Wong, File
(Courtesy Brian Sterling)
7. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre Location: Guangzhou, China Height: 1,739 feet The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre is the seventh-tallest building worldwide and third-tallest in China. But this building will soon be in competition for its spot with the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, which is still under construction but has been planned for the same height, according to The Telegraph. (Courtesy Brian Sterling) (Courtesy Brian Sterling)
Courtesy Brian Sterling
The Statue of Liberty with One World Trade Center background, Landmarks of New York City, USA
6. One World Trade Center Location: New York City, United States Height: 1,776 feet With its height mirroring the year the United States officially became a nation, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere, as well as the sixth-tallest building worldwide. The tower was created in commemoration of the two original World Trade Centers, which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/spyarm)
Getty Images/iStockphoto/spyarm
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
5. Lotte World Tower Location: Seoul, South Korea Height: 1,819 feet Thirteen years went into planning Lotte World Tower, which opened on April 3, 2017, according to the building’s website. Notably, the roof of the fifth-tallest building was designed to withstand earthquakes up to 9 on the Richter scale, according to World Atlas. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)
iStock/Getty Images Plus
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
4. Ping An Finance Center Location: Shenzhen, China Height: 1,965 feet The Pin An Finance Center, at nearly 2,000 feet, is the fourth-tallest building in the world. The tower also has the largest stainless steel facade worldwide, which was chosen to protect the building’s appearance from corrosion caused by the city’s coastal atmosphere, according to the Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat’s database. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)
iStock/Getty Images Plus
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia Height: 1,972 feet Also referred to as the Abraj Al-Bait of Mecca, the government-owned Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia was constructed over 10 years and finished in 2012. It also claims the title of largest clock face in the world, according to World Atlas. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)
iStock/Getty Images Plus
2. Shanghai Tower Location: Shanghai, China Height: 2,073 feet Located in China’s financial district, the Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest building worldwide. With construction starting in 2006, it took eight years to complete the tower, which is estimated to have cost more than $2 billion, Fast Company reports. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)
iStock/Getty Images Plus
1. Burj Khalifa Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Height: 2,716.5 feet The Burj Khalifa, with more than 160 stories, is the world’s tallest building and has remained so since its completion in 2010. Its construction was part of a government-led initiative to switch from an oil-based economy to one driven by tourism and services, according to World Atlas. The building was designed by the same architects behind Willis Tower in Chicago and One World Trade Center in New York City. (Dean Fosdick via AP)
Dean Fosdick via AP
(1/10)
(Courtesy Brian Sterling)
The Statue of Liberty with One World Trade Center background, Landmarks of New York City, USA
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
(iStock/Getty Images Plus)

 

The World’s Tallest Buildings

The start of the 21st century has proven to be a vertically innovative race for cities around the world, with more than 120 buildings over 1,000 feet tall.

In fact, the 10 tallest structures worldwide have been completed in the last 15 years, starting with Taiwan’s Taipei 101 in 2004, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. China alone has built half of the top 10 highest towers, and One World Trade Center is the only U.S. building to make the list.

Architects continue to plan and construct buildings projected to reach even higher heights, like Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower, currently under construction, and Kuwait’s proposed Burj Mubarak Al Kabir. But as of 2018, these are the world’s tallest buildings, according to the council. All heights are based on architectural height, rather than the height at the tip of the building.

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The 10 Tallest Buildings Around the World originally appeared on usnews.com

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