World's Tallest Skyscrapers: A Brief History The Empire State Building, built in 1931, was the world's tallest skyscraper for 41 years until it was surpassed in 1972 by the World Trade Center (1,368 ft, 110 stories). Two years later, the Sears Tower in Chicago (1,450 ft, 110 stories) superseded it. And 24 years after that, in 1998, the record went to the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1,483 ft, 88 stories). Taipei 101 in Taiwan was the tallest from 2004 to 2010, topping out at 1,670 ft and 101 stories. Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was completed in January 2010 and became the world's tallest building at 2,716 feet (828 meters) and 160 stories.

Top Ten Tallest Completed Building Projects, 2008. This table provides information about completed buildings in 2008 that are fully clad and either "open for business" or at least partially occupied.. Building name/locationHeight (m/ft)StoriesUse 1. Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai492 m /1,614 ft101Office/Hotel 2. Minsheng Bank Building, Wuhan331 m /1,087 ft68Office 3. The Address Downtown, Burj Dubai306 m /1,004 ft63Hotel 4. One Island East, Hong Kong298 m /979 ft69Office 5. Comcast Center, Philadelphia297 m /974 ft57Office 6. Landmark Tower, Yokohama296 m /972 ft73Office/Hotel 7. The Cullinan I, Hong Kong270 m /886 ft68Residential 8. The Cullinan II, Hong Kong270 m /886 ft68Hotel/Residential 9. Al Kazim Tower 1, Dubai265 m /869 ft53Residential 10. Al Kazim Tower 2, Dubai265 m /869 ft53Residential NOTE: Height is measured from sidewalk level of the main entrance to the structural top of the building including spire, but not including communications antennas or flagpoles. Source:Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Web: www.ctbuh.org.

World's Tallest Buildings1 The following table lists the tallest buildings in the world by height. The Burj Khalifa, completed in January 2010, tops the list. NOTE: This list includes only buildings.2For towers,see World's Tallest Towers.See also Skyscraper History, Skyscraper Facts, and America's Favorite Structures. Building, cityYearStoriesHeight Rankmft 1.Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai), Dubai, The United Arab Emirates20101608282,716 2. Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan20041015081,667 3.World Financial Center, Shanghai, China20081014921,614 4. Petronas Tower1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia1998884521,483 5.Petronas Tower 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia1998884521,483 6.Greenland Financial Center, Nanjing, China2009664501,476 7. Sears Tower, Chicago19741104421,451 8.Guangzhou West Tower, Guangzhou, China20091034381,435 9.Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, China1999884211,381 10.Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong2003884151,362 11.Trump International Hotel, Chicago, U.S.2009964151,362 12.CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, China1996803911,283 13.Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, China1996693841,260 14. Empire State Building, New York19311023811,250 15.Central Plaza, Hong Kong1992783741,227 16.Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong1989703671,205 17.Bank of America Tower, New York City, U.S.2009543661,200 18.Almas Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates2009683631,191 19.Emirates Tower One, Dubai, United Arab Emirates1999543551,165 20.Tuntex Sky Tower, Kaohsiung, Taiwan1997853481,140 21.Aon Centre, Chicago1973803461,136 22.The Center, Hong Kong1998733461,135 23.John Hancock Center, Chicago19691003441,127 24.Rose Tower, Dubai2007723331,093 25.Shimao International Plaza, Shanghai2006603331,093 26.Minsheng Bank Building, Wuhan, China2007683311,087 27.Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, N. Korea19951053301,083 28.China World Trade Center, Beijing, China2009743301,083 29.The Index, Dubai, United Arab Emirates2009803281,076 30.Q1, Gold Coast, Australia2005783231,058 31.Burj al Arab Hotel, Dubai1999603211,053 32. Chrysler Building, New York1930773191,046 33.Nina Tower I, Hong Kong2006803191,046 34.New York Times Building, New York2007523191,046 35.Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta1993553171,039 36.U.S. Bank Tower, Los Angeles1990733101,018 37.Menara Telekom Headquarters, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia1999553101,017 38.Emirates Tower Two, Dubai2000563091,014 39.AT&T Corporate Center, Chicago1989603071,007 40.The Address Downtown Burj Dubai, Dubai, U.A.E.2008633061,004 41.JP Morgan Chase Tower, Houston1982753051,002 42.Baiyoke Tower II, Bangkok199785304997 43.Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago199064303995 44.Wells Fargo Plaza, Houston198371302992 45.Kingdom Centre, Riyadh200241302992 46.Aspire Tower, Doha200636300984 47.Arraya 2, Kuwait City, Kuwait200956300984 48.One Island East Centre, Hong Kong, China200869298979 49.First Bank Tower, Toronto197572298978 50.Shanghai Wheelock Square, Shanghai, China200958298978 51.Eureka Tower, Melbourne200691297975 52.Comcast Center, Philadelphia, U.S.200857297975 53.Landmark Tower, Yokohama, Japan199373296971 54.Emirates Crown, Dubai, U.A.E200863296971 55.311 South Wacker Drive, Chicago199065293961 56.SEG Plaza, Shenzhen, China200071292957 57.American International Building, New York193267290952 58.Key Tower, Cleveland199157289947 59.Plaza 66, Shanghai200166288945 60.One Liberty Place, Philadelphia198761288945 61.Columbia Center, Seattle, U.S.198576285937 62.Millennium Tower, Dubai200659285935 63.Sunjoy Tomorrow Square, Shanghai200355285934 64.Chongqing World Trade Center, Chongqing, China200560283929 65.Cheung Kong Center, Hong Kong199963283929 66.The Trump Building, New York193071283927 67.Bank of America Plaza, Dallas198572281921 68.United Overseas Bank Plaza, Singapore199266280919 69.Republic Plaza, Singapore199566280919 70.Overseas Union Bank Centre, Singapore198663280919 71.Citigroup Center, New York197759279915 72.Hong Kong New World Tower, Shanghai200261278913 73.Diwang International Commerce Center, Nanning, China200654276906 74.Scotia Plaza, Toronto198968275902 75.Williams Tower, Houston198364275901 76.Moscow, Moscow200973274900 77.Wuhan World Trade Tower, Wuhan, China199860273896 78.Cullinan North Tower, Hong Kong200768270886 79.Cullinan South Tower, Hong Kong200768270886 80.Renaissance Tower, Dallas197556270886 81.China International Center Tower B, Guangzhou, China200762270884 82.Dapeng International Plaza, Guangzhou, China200656269883 83.One Luijiazui, Shanghai, China200847269883 84.21st Century Tower, Dubai200355269883 85.Naberezhnaya Tower C, Moscow200761268881 86.Al Faisaliah Center, Riyadh200030267876 87.900 North Michigan Ave., Chicago198966265871 88.

Famous Buildings and Structures Prehistorical and Ancient (part 2 of 2): Peter(England; 1220–1472);Milan Cathedral(Italy; begun in 1386); andCologne Cathedral(Germany; 13th–19th centuries; damaged in World War II but completely restored). The Duomo(cathedral) in Florence, with its pink, white, and green marble façade, has become a symbol of the city and the Renaissance. Construction began in 1296 and was completed nearly 200 years later, with the addition of Brunelleschi's massive dome. The adjacent baptistery is famous for its gilded bronze doors by Ghiberti. The Vaticanis a group of buildings in Rome comprising the official residence of the pope. TheBasilica of St. Peter,the largest church in the Christian world, was begun in 1452, and it was rebuilt between 1506 and 1626. TheSistine Chapel,begun in 1473, is noted for frescoes by Michelangelo. Other examples of Renaissance architecture are thePalazzo Riccardi,thePalazzo Pitti,and thePalazzo Strozziin Florence; thePalazzo Farnesein Rome; thePalazzo Grimani(completed c. 1550) in Venice; theEscorial(1563–93) near Madrid; theTown Hallof Seville (1527–32); theLouvre,Paris; theChâteauat Blois, France;St. Paul's Cathedral,London (1675–1710; badly damaged in World War II); theÉcole Militaire,Paris (1752); thePazzi Chapel,Florence, designed by Brunelleschi (1429); and thePalace of Fontainebleauand theChâteau de Chambordin France. The Palace of Versaillesin France, containing the famous Hall of Mirrors, was built during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century and served as the royal palace until 1793. Built on the colossal scale typical of many works of baroque architecture, the palace is also noted for its gardens, which include some 1,400 fountains. Outstanding European buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries are theSupergaat Turin (Italy); theHôtel-Dieuin Lyons; theBelvedere Palaceat Vienna; theRoyal Palaceof Stockholm; theBank of England,theBritish Museum,theUniversity of London,and theHouses of Parliament,all in London; and thePanthéon,theChurch of the Madeleine,theBourse,thePalais de Justice, and theOpera House,all in Paris. The Eiffel Tower,in Paris, was built for the Exposition of 1889 by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. It is 984 ft high (1,056 ft including the television tower). TheGuggenheim Bilbao Museum(1993–97) in Bilbao, Spain, was designed by Frank Gehry. The undulating form of this riverfront building, clad in glass and gleaming sheets of titanium, has been compared to a fish, a boat, and water itself. See also: Architects World's Tallest Buildings Seven Wonders of the World Asian, African, and South American The Taj Mahal(1632–1650), at Agra, India, built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, is considered by some as the most perfect example of the Mogul style and by others as the most beautiful building in the world. Four slim white minarets flank the building, which is topped by a white dome; the entire structure is made of marble. Another well-known Muslim edifice is theCitadel,located on an outcrop of limestone overlooking Cairo. Begun in 810, it was fortified (1176–1183) by Saladin during the Crusades. Petra,in Jordan, is an ancient city whose buildings have been carved out of the surrounding hills. It was the capital of the Nabataeans in the 4th centuryB.C.The most famous of its buildings is Al Khazneh, a temple or treasury, with its impressive two-story facade jutting out from a pink rock. Other famed Muslim edifices are theTombs of the Mamelukes(15th century) in Cairo, theTomb of Humayunin Delhi, theBlue Mosque(1468) at Tabriz, and theTamerlane Mausoleumat Samarkand. Angkor Wat,outside the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia, is one of the most beautiful examples of Cambodian, or Khmer, architecture. The sanctuary was built during the 12th century. The 8th-century Borobudur Templeon Java is a masterpiece of Indonesian Buddhist art and architecture. Its ascending terraces feature bas-relief sculptures and 72 Buddha statues. The Great Wall of China(begun c. 214B.C.), designed specifically as a defense against nomadic tribes, has large watchtowers that could be called buildings. It was erected by Emperor Ch'in Shih Huang Ti and is 1,400 mi long. Built mainly of earth and stone, it varies in height between 18 and 30 ft. The Forbidden City(1407–1420) in Beijing served as the seat of imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911). It is the world's largest palace complex, covering about 183 acres and including 9,999 buildings. Typical of Chinese architecture are the pagodas, or temple towers. Among some of the better-known pagodas are theGreat Pagoda of the Wild Geeseat Sian (founded in 652) andNan t'a(11th century) at Fang Shan.

Famous Buildings and Structures (part 1 of 2): Prehistorical and Ancient The megalithic passage tomb atNewgrangein Ireland covers over an acre and was constructed around 3200B.C.Buried for centuries, the mound was rediscovered in 1699 and was restored starting in 1962. The tomb is extensively decorated with spiral and lozenge shapes. At the winter solstice, the rising sun shines down a long passage and lights up a cross-shaped chamber. Stonehenge,a massive circular megalithic monument on the Salisbury Plain in southern England, is the most famous of all prehistoric structures. Thought to have been built c. 2000B.C.,it may have been used as an astronomical instrument to measure solar and lunar movements. The Great Sphinxof Egypt, one of the wonders of ancient Egyptian architecture, adjoins thepyramids of Gizaand has a length of 240 ft. Built in the fourth dynasty, it is approximately 4,500 years old. A 10-year, $2.5 million restoration project was completed in 1998. Other Egyptian buildings of note include theTemples of Karnak,Edfu,andAbu Simbeland theTombs at Beni Hassan. The Parthenonof Greece, built on the Acropolisin Athens, was the chief temple to the goddess Athena. It was believed to have been completed by 438B.C.The present temple remained intact until the 5th centuryA.D.Today, though the Parthenonis in ruins, its majestic proportions are still discernible. Other great structures of the ancient Greek world were theTemples at Paestum(c. 540 and 420B.C.); the famous Erechtheum(c. 421–405B.C.), theTemple of Athena Nike(c. 426B.C.), and theOlympieum(begun in the 6th centuryB.C.) in Athens; theAthenian Treasuryat Delphi (c. 515B.C.); and theTheater at Epidaurus(c. 325B.C.). The Colosseum(Flavian Amphitheater) of Rome, the largest and most famous of the Roman amphitheaters, was opened for useA.D.80. Elliptical in shape, it consisted of three stories and an upper gallery, rebuilt in stone in its present form in the 3rd centuryA.D.It was principally used for gladiatorial combat and could seat between 40,000 and 50,000 spectators. The Pantheonat Rome, begun by Agrippa in 27B.C.as a temple, was rebuilt in its present circular form by Hadrian (A.D.118–128). Literally the Pantheonwas intended as a temple of “all the gods.” It is remarkable for its perfect preservation today, and has served continuously for 20 centuries as a place of worship. Famous Roman triumphal arches, built to commemorate major military victories, include theArch of Titus(c.A.D.80) and theArch of Constantine(c.A.D.315). Later European St. Mark's Cathedralin Venice (1063–1071), one of the great examples of Byzantine architecture, was begun in the 9th century. Partly destroyed by fire in 976, it was later rebuilt as a Byzantine edifice. Other famous examples of Byzantine architecture areSt. Sophiain Istanbul (532–537);San Vitalein Ravenna (542); andAssumption Cathedralin the Kremlin, Moscow (begun in 1475). The cathedral group at Pisa (1067–1173), one of the most celebrated groups of structures built in Romanesque style, consists of the cathedral, the cathedral's baptistery, and the campanile ( Leaning Tower). The campanile, a form of bell tower, is 180 ft high and now leans 13.5 ft out of the perpendicular. Other examples of Romanesque architecture include theVézelay Abbeyin France (1130) andDurham Cathedralin England. TheAlhambra(1248–1354), located in Granada, Spain, is universally esteemed as one of the greatest masterpieces of Muslim architecture. Designed as a palace and fortress for the Moorish monarchs of Granada, it is surrounded by a heavily fortified wall more than a mile in perimeter. The Tower of Londonis a group of buildings and towers covering 13 acres along the north bank of the Thames. The centralWhite Tower,begun in 1078 during the reign of William the Conqueror, was originally a fortress and royal residence, but was later used as a prison. TheBloody Toweris associated with Anne Boleyn and other notables. Westminster Abbey,in London, was begun in 1050 and completed in 1065. It was rebuilt and enlarged in several phases, beginning in 1245. With only two exceptions (Edward V and Edward VIII), every British monarch since William the Conqueror has been crowned in the abbey. Notre-Dame de Paris(begun in 1163), one of the great examples of Gothic architecture, is a twin-towered church with a steeple over the crossing and immense flying buttresses supporting the masonry at the rear of the church. Other famous Gothic structures are Chartres Cathedral(France; 12th century);Sainte-Chapelle(Paris, France; 1246–1248);Reims Cathedral(France; 13th–14th centuries; rebuilt after its almost complete destruction in World War I);Rouen Cathedral(France; 13th–16th centuries);Salisbury Cathedral(England; 1220–1260);York Minster, or theCathedral of St.