World's tallest structures
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For many millennia the record holder for world's tallest structure was clearly defined (see table below.) However, there has been much debate as to the ranking of the world's tallest structures since the middle of the 20th century, chiefly depending on the criteria used for selecting the structures admissible to the list.
In particular, there is debate about whether:
- guy-wire-supported structures can be counted,
- only habitable height counts,
- roof-top antennas can be counted towards height of inhabitable buildings; the debate over this originates from that fact that spires are included in the height but antennas are not (see the debate on the Sears Tower versus the Petronas Towers),
- observation galleries on communication towers make them into habitable buildings,
- structures under construction can be included in the list, and whether
- structures rising out of water should have their below-water height included.
| Contents |
Tallest structures
KVLYFromBase.jpeg
Tallest Structure by Category
| Category | Structure | Country/Region | City | Height to relevant point |
| Supported Stucture | KVLY-TV mast | USA | Blanchard, North Dakota | 629 m (2,063 ft) |
| Freestanding Structure | Petronius Platform | Gulf of Mexico | 610 m (2,001 ft) | |
| Freestanding Structure On Land | CN Tower | Canada | Toronto | 559 m (1,865 ft) |
| Freestanding Structure with Largest Functional Structure | Borj-e Milad | Iran | Teheran | 435m (1,427 ft) |
| Building - to top of antenna | Sears Tower | USA | Chicago | 529 m (1,736 ft) |
| Building - to architectural top | Taipei 101 | Taiwan | Taipeh | 508 m (1,667 ft) |
| Building - to top of the roof | Taipei 101 | Taiwan | Taipeh | 448 m (1,470 ft) |
| Building - to highest occupied floor | Taipei 101 | Taiwan | Taipeh | 438 m (1,437 ft) |
| Chimney | Chimney of GRES-2 Power Station | Kazachstan | Ekibastusz | 419.7 m (1,437 ft) |
| Lattice Tower | Kiev TV Tower | Ukraina | Kiev | 385 m (1,437 ft) |
| Partially Guyed Tower | Gerbrandy Tower | Netherlands | Lopik | 375 m (1,437 ft) |
| Bridge Pillar | Millau Viaduct | France | Millau | 341 m (1,053 ft) |
| Residential Building | Burj al-Arab | UAE | Dubai | 321 m (1,053 ft) |
| Electricity pylon | Pylons of Pearl River Crossing | China | Pearl River | 253 m (1,053 ft) |
| Minarett | Hassan II Mosque | Maroc | Casablanca | 210 m (1,053 ft) |
| Church Tower | Ulm Münster | Germany | Ulm | 161 m (1,053 ft) |
| Industrial Hall | VAB | USA | Kennedy Space Center | 160 m (1,053 ft) |
| Memorial Cross | Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos | Spain | El Escorial | 152.4 m (1,053 ft) |
| Silo | Schapfen-Mill-Tower | Germany | Ulm | 130 m (1,053 ft) |
| Air-traffic-controll tower | KUL Control Tower | Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 130 m (1,053 ft) |
| Light Advertisement | Bayer Cross Leverkusen | Germany | Leverkusen | 118 m (1,053 ft) |
| Tower built of wood | Radio Tower Gliwice | Poland | Gliwice | 118 m (1,053 ft) |
| support tower of aerial tramway | Pillar of third section of Gletscherbahn Kaprun | Austria | Kaprun | 113.6 m (1,053 ft) |
The tallest currently standing structure is the KVLY-TV mast near Mayville, North Dakota, at 629 m (2,063 ft). It is a transmission antenna, consisting of a bare metal structure supported by guy-wires. Transmission towers in excess of 600 meters (~2000 ft) exist in the USA at following places, which are almost situated in the Midwest.
The Warsaw radio mast at Gabin-Konstantynow near Warsaw, Poland at 645 m (2,115 ft) was taller, but it collapsed on August 8th, 1991.
The main reason these transmission antennas are not usually included with the world's tallest buildings is that they are not self-supported. Another example of a structure that's not self-supporting is 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 then these would be the tallest in the world.
However guyed masts are designed for permanent use and cannot be dismantled quickly e.g. in case of bad weather as rope structures carried by a balloon to the sky. So guyed masts have to be as free-standing towers designed in such way that they can stand strong winds and other natural forces.
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 553.33 m (1,815 ft) tall, making it the tallest freestanding structure above ground. Ostankino Tower in Moscow is currently being renovated following a fire. When completed it will stand 577m (1,893 ft).
The tallest tower built of lattice steel is Kiev TV Tower with a height of 386 metres. Built in 1934 and demolished in 1945, the tallest tower ever built of wood was the 190 metre high radio tower of the transmitter Mühlacker in Germany. The tallest tower built of wood is currently the transmission tower of the transmitter Gliwice in Poland at 118 meters.
Tallest buildings
Up until 1998 the tallest building status was essentially uncontested. Counting buildings as structures with floors throughout, New York City's World Trade Center was the tallest including the antennas, Sears Tower in Chicago excluding the antennas. As antennas were usually excluded, Sears Tower was counted as the tallest. When Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was built, some felt that the "spire" extending to 9 meters higher than the roof of the Sears Tower was just added to "cheat" its way into the spot as tallest building. Excluding the spire, the Petronas Towers were not taller than the Sears Tower. Therefore, before the Petronas Towers were completed, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 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 top spot. After Petronas was built, Sears Tower became second in the first category only.
On April 20, 2004, the Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan was completed. Its completion gave it the record for the first category.
Today, the Taipei 101 leads in the first category with 508 m (1,667 ft); in the second category with an occupied floor at 438 m (1,437 ft); and in the third category with 448 m (1,470 ft). The first category was formerly held by the Petronas Twin Towers with 452 m (1,483 ft), and before that by Sears Towers with 443 m (1,448 ft). The second category was held by the Sears Tower, with 435 m (1,431 ft). The third category was formerly held by the Sears Tower with 442 m (1,445 ft).
The Sears Tower still leads in the fourth category with 529 m (1,736 ft), previously held by the World Trade Center until its destruction in 2001; its antenna included, it measured 536 m (1,758 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.
The CN Tower is excluded from these categories because it is not a "habitable building", which is defined as a frame structure 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 |
| 2001 (Destruction of World Trade Center) | 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 structures before 1954
| Held record | Name and Location | Constructed | Height (m) | Height (ft) | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | ||||||
| c. 2600 BC | c. 2570 BC | Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt | c. 2600 BC | 105 | 345 | ||
| c. 2570 BC | c. AD 1300 | Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt | c. 2570 BC | 146 | 481 | By AD 1439 the Great Pyramid had eroded to a height of approximately 139 m (455 ft) | |
| c. 1300 | 1549 | Lincoln Cathedral, England | 1092–1311 | 160 | 524 | The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549 | |
| 1549 | 1625 | St. Olaf's Church, Tallinn, Estonia | 1438–1519 | 159 | 522 | The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1625 | |
| 1625 | 1847 | Notre Dame Minster, Strasbourg, Germany, now France | 1439 | 143 | 469 | Still standing | |
| 1847 | 1876 | St. Nikolaikirche, Hamburg, Germany | 1846–1847 | 147 | 483 | Designed by George Gilbert Scott | |
| 1876 | 1880 | Cathédrale Notre Dame, Rouen, France | 1202–1876 | 151 | 495 | ||
| 1880 | 1884 | Cologne Cathedral, Germany | 1248–1880 | 157 | 515 | Still the tallest Gothic spires | |
| 1884 | 1889 | Washington Monument, United States | 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, United States | 1928–1930 | 319 | 1046 | ||
| 1931 | 1954 | Empire State Building, New York, United States | 1930–1931 | 381 | 1250 | A broadcasting tower added in the 1950s brought its overall height to 443 meters; the 481 meter KWTV Mast, Oklahoma City was constructed in 1954 | |
Currently-standing tallest structures
1 Height for inhabited buildings (with stories) does not include TV towers and antennas.
Source: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Proposed record-breaking structures
A Solar Chimney that has been proposed 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, and construction is a matter of financial viability.
The 492 m (1,614 ft; roof height) Shanghai World Financial Center in Shanghai, China has proposed completion in 2007, 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 2007. 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 1,100 ft (335 m) to its roof once completed in 2008. This would make it the tallest building under categories 1 and 4 by the CTBUH. The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 2004.
Burj Dubai is a 705-metre (2,313-foot) skyscraper currently under development 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 freestanding structure.
The new Guangdong TV Tower at Guangzhou, China may also become one of the world's tallest structures.
There are some plans for a 609.6 metre high free-standing TV tower at Bayonne, New Jersey.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi announced his own "world's tallest" proposal, the 677m-tall pyramid-shaped World Centre of Vedic Learning, in 1998.
Other proposed very tall towers
Radio masts taller than 600 metres
| Tower | Pinnacle height | Country | Town | Weblinks |
| Central Missouri State University Tower Syracuse | 609.6 metres | USA | Syracuse, Missouri | [1] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=603905) |
| Liberman Broadcasting Tower Sargent | 609.6 metres | USA | Sargent, Texas | [2] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2640248) |
| Cumulus Broadcasting Tower Winnie | 609.6 metres | USA | Winnie, Texas | [3] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2641027) |
| American Media Services Tower Agate | 609.5 metres | USA | Agate, Colorado | [4] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2638987) |
| Vertical Properties Tower Busterville | 609.5 metres | USA | Busterville, Texas | [5] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2621630), [6] (http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7157) |
| Cumulus Broadcasting Tower Stowell | 609.3 metres | USA | Stowell, Texas | [7] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2610727) |
| Pegasus Broadcasting Tower | 609 metres | USA | Metcalf, Georgia | [8] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=615734) |
| SpectraSite Tower Raymond | 608.8 metres | USA | Raymond, Mississippi | [9] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2618667) |
| Beasley Tower | 608.7 metres | USA | Immokalee, Florida | [10] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2633535) |
| KKDD-FM Tower | 608.1 metres | USA | Hoyt, Colorado | [11] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2633333) |
| Liberman Broadcasting Tower Devers | 607.7 metres | USA | Devers, Texas | [12] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2647054) |
| Wiliam Smith Tower Walker | 607 metres | USA | Walker, Iowa | [13] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2620935) |
| CBC Real Estate Tower Auburn | 606.4 metres | USA | Auburn, North Carolina | [14] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=613408) |
| Gray TV Tower Grifton | 605 metres | USA | Grifton, North Carolina | [15] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=98245) |
| Pappas Telecasting Tower Plymouth County 2 | 603.5 metres | USA | Plymouth County, Iowa | [16] (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=618602) |
Towers/Skyscrapers
- TV tower of Djakarta [17] (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=208756).
See also
- Skyscrapers
- World's biggest and largest buildings
- Tallest buildings in the U.S.
- Tallest structures in Canada
- Tallest structures in the U.S.
- List of the world's tallest structures
- Tallest structures of different countries
- List of buildings
- List of skyscrapers
- List of towers
- List of masts
- List of tallest churches
External links
- Emporis (http://www.emporis.com/)
- SkyscraperPage (http://www.skyscraperpage.com/)
- SkyscraperCity (http://www.skyscrapercity.info/)
- SkyscraperCity forum (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/)
- Guinness Book of world Records (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com)
- Guinness Entry for 'Tallest Office Building' (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=50105)
- Guinness Entry for 'Tallest Building' (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=49675)
- 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.comnl:Lijst van hoogste bouwwerken ter wereld (chronologisch)