There are thousands of towering buildings scattered across the globe, from historic buildings such as the Eiffel Tower to modern skyscrapers like the Burj Khalifa. Over the past few decades alone, the list of tallest buildings in the world has been rapidly changing.
As our cities grow denser and denser, it gives rise to towering skyscrapers in order to maximize floor space. Some of these buildings are truly towering, and we will not be able to cover every skyscraper in one article, like the building used to host this event.
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world since 2010 when the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat officially certified the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building.
Impressively, construction only took 5 years, having begun in 2004. The exterior was completed in 2009, and opened to the public in 2010. The skyscraper helped Dubai gain international recognition as well as help them take a step toward diversifying their economy from being mainly oil-based.
Burj Khalifa was named after the former president of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The building was designed by a team led by Adrian Smith, from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – the same firm that designed the Sears Tower.
Merdeka 118
Only about 500 feet short of being the tallest building in the world, the Merdeka 118 is seriously underlooked when it comes to the tallest buildings in the world. This skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur is a staggering 2,227 feet tall, compared to Burj Khalifa’s 2717.
Perhaps one of the reasons this tower hasn’t been talked about as much is because it was only just completed in 2023, and has yet to be opened to the public. Construction began in 2017, and it is estimated to have cost $1.1 billion USD.
Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower dominates the Shanghai skyline, standing tall at 2,073 feet. Construction began in 2008, and the building was completed in 2014 and opened in 2015.
You can stay in the Shanghai Tower, as the J Hotel Shanghai Tower opened in 2021. Here’s more information about booking at this hotel.
Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower
The tallest clock tower in the world is the 4th tallest building in the world, located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This 1,972 feet high clock tower is truly a sight to behold, and it overlooks the Kaaba, the most important mosque and holiest site in the Islamic world.
Construction started in 2002, and the building was completed in 2011, making its opening in 2012. Check out more information about the clock tower here.
Ping An International Finance Centre
Closing out the top 5 tallest buildings in the world, and also the top 5 tallest buildings in Asia, is the Ping An International Finance Centre. This 1966 feet tall building in Shenzhen, China was completed in 2017 and construction first began in 2009.
Thanks for checking out this article, and we hope you found the top 5 tallest buildings in the world fascinating.