Top 10 Tallest Skyscrapers in the World

Cities won’t be cities if not for the buzzing noise, busy streets, head-breaking traffic, suffocating pollution, beautiful malls and parks, and the trademark of all cities – spectacular skyscrapers.

Cities are known for tall buildings with ostentatious architecture that eventually become signature landmarks of the place and sometimes, tourist attractions. Here are the top 10 tallest skyscrapers in the world.

10. Zifeng Tower (China)

Starting off with the tenth placer is Zifeng Tower of Nanjing, China. Currently known as the Greenland Square Zifeng Tower or Greenland Center-Zifeng Tower and formerly known as the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center, the Zifeng Tower was erected in 2012; comprising of 89 stories and standing at an eye-popping height of 1,476 feet!

Designed by an architecture firm known as Skidmore, Owings and Merill, this tower is built to include different office spaces around the lower portion, and a hotel, restaurants and an open-for-all observatory at the top.

8. Petronas Towers (Malaysia)

Sitting in a tie at the eighth place (yes, skipping the ninth considering that these 2 towers are in a tie) are none other than the Petronas Towers of Kulala Lumpur, Malaysia. Known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Menara Petronas and Menara Berkembar Petronas) the two towers had been and are currently holding the title of the tallest twin buildings on the globe.

Considered as the landmark of Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, the Petronas Towers stand at the towering height of 1,483 feet, with a total of 88 floors. Built in 1998 by architect César Pelli, the towers symbolize the rich Islamic culture and mirror the country’s aspiration.

7. International Commerce Center (Hong Kong)

A 118-storey building with a towering height of 1,588 feet takes the seventh spot of the list. Fully commissioned in 2010 in West Kowloon of Hong Kong, the International Commerce Center not only earns the seventh place, but is also awarded as the tallest building in the country, as well as the tallest building by number of floors! Now, that’s a record breaker!

Designed by an American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), the ICC has many facilities; including the Sky100 observatory and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Did you know that the ICC was originally designed to be 1,883 feet tall? However, due to Hong Kong’s regulations that disallow structures to be taller than the nearby mountains, the height was reduced to 1,588 feet.

6. Shanghai World Financial Center (China)

A second structure from China holds the sixth place on the list, as it towers above the skyline with a height of 1,614 feet! Located in Shanghai, China, in Pudong district and creatively designed by a Japanese architecture firm called the Mori Building Company. Among the many that is housed by SWFC are various offices, conference rooms, observation decks, hotels and shopping malls.

SWFC is also acclaimed for its architecture, as it captured the title of the best skyscraper in 2008.

5. Taipei 101 (Taiwan)

Hailed as the tallest building in the world back in 2004, the Taipei 101, also known as Taipei World Financial Center, rightfully bags the fifth spot. Standing at a height of 1,670 feet, the Taipei 101 also snatches the title of being the largest and tallest green building in the world and was awarded with the LEED platinum award – the highest honor in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

The tower is considered as an icon of modern-day Taiwan.

4. One World Trade Center (New York)

Formerly and more commonly known as the Freedom Tower, One World Trade Center takes the fourth spot, as it towers over New York with its awesome height of 1,776 feet standing with a total of 104 floors. It is considered as the key building of the latest World Trade Center complex and occupies the previous location of the first World Trade Center.

Commissioned in 2013, One World Trade Center is also dubbed as the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. The building was designed by the genius mind of David Childs, an architect in the firm Skidmore, Ownings and Merill.

3. Abraj Al Bait (Saudi Arabia)

Famously known as the Mecca royal Hotel Clock Tower, the Abraj Al Bait Tower conquers the third place. Not just a third placer, the tower also is celebrated for being the tallest clock tower all over the globe. The Abraj Al Bait was commissioned in 2012 towering at a majestic height of 1,971 feet and standing at 120 floors all in all!

It is a building complex located near the mosque Kaaba. To fully accommodate worshipers of the mosque, the Abraj Al Bait tower has a vast prayer room able to house more than 10,000 people. Among the many facilities include a parking garage, a 20-story mall, conference centers, 2 heliports and permanent residences.

2. Shanghai Tower (China)

Another tall skyscraper from China takes the second spot. Designed by Gensler and completed in 2014, the Shanghai Tower is one of the tallest among the 3 skyscrapers in Pudong, Shanghai. The tower rises at a majestic height of 2,073 feet with 121 floors (1 more floor compared to the Abraj Al Bait).

Several issues arose within the initial months of opening. It was revealed that noticeable cracks were observed in the ground adjacent to the construction site. The cracks were traced from the ground subsidence probably caused by too much groundwater extraction in the area.

1. Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE)

Standing at mighty height of 2,717 feet, with a total of 163 floors, is the first placer of our list – the Burj Khalifa – also known as the Khalifa Tower. It is, by far, the tallest man-made building all over the world!

Publicly commissioned in January 4, 2010, the Burj Khalifa was originally designed by Adrian Smith, engineered by Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings and Merill, and built by Samsung C&T of South Korea. Among the many stunning features of the tower are The Dubai Fountain, an observatory deck and a park.

With all the majesty and grandiosity of skyscrapers in the cities, they deserve to become famous landmarks all over the world.