The Tallest Structures in Human History

Ever since humans could build, they have been building higher. For 3,800 years, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the world. Then came European cathedrals, then an iron tower in Paris, then skyscrapers in New York, then radio towers in Moscow and Toronto. Today, the record sits in Dubai at 828 meters. Here is the full history of who held the world record and when.

2560 BC to 1311: Great Pyramid of Giza (146 meters)

The Great Pyramid of Giza was originally 146.6 meters tall and held the world record for the tallest structure for over 3,800 years. During that time, humanity invented the wheel, writing, parchment, and the printing press. No other building ever came close to the record.

1311 to 1549: Lincoln Cathedral (160 meters)

The tower of Lincoln Cathedral in England broke the pyramid's record at 160 meters. It held for 238 years, until the tower collapsed in a storm in 1549. That briefly made the Great Pyramid the tallest standing structure again, but not for long.

1549 to 1874: Strasbourg Cathedral (142 meters)

After the collapse in Lincoln, Strasbourg Cathedral at 142 meters was the tallest structure in the world for 325 years. Worth noting: it was shorter than Lincoln Cathedral, but after Lincoln's collapse it became the next tallest surviving building. So the record lived because the previous record holder fell, not because the new one grew.

1874 to 1889: The cathedral race in Europe

In just 15 years, the record changed hands five times between European churches: St. Nikolai in Hamburg (1874, 147 meters), then Rouen Cathedral (1876, 151 meters), then Cologne Cathedral (1880, 157 meters), then the Washington Monument (1884, 169 meters, the first US record). The era of Gothic church towers ended in 1889, when the Eiffel Tower became the first structure over 300 meters.

1889 to 1930: Eiffel Tower (300 meters)

The Eiffel Tower was built for the World Fair in 1889 and was originally planned as temporary. After 20 years, it was meant to be torn down. It stayed because it was too valuable as a radio antenna. At 300 meters (today 330 with the antenna), it was the world's tallest structure for 41 years.

1930 to 1931: Chrysler Building (319 meters, only 11 months)

The Chrysler Building in New York overtook the Eiffel Tower and only held the title for 11 months. Architect William Van Alen had the 56-meter steel spire built secretly inside the building and only raised it shortly before completion, to beat a rival skyscraper. A year later, it was no longer number one.

1931 to 1967: Empire State Building (381 meters)

The Empire State Building was built in just 410 days, a pace that no modern project of this size has matched since. At 381 meters (443 meters with antenna), it was the tallest building in the world for 36 years. That is the longest record of any modern building.

1967 to 1974: Ostankino Tower Moscow (540 meters)

The Ostankino TV Tower in Moscow was the first structure over 500 meters. It was built as a symbol of the Cold War, to break Western dominance in high-rise construction. For the first time in the modern era, the tallest structure was once again not a building but a tower.

1974 to 2007: CN Tower Toronto (553 meters)

The CN Tower in Toronto held the record for 33 years. It was the tallest free-standing structure in the world until the still-unfinished Burj Khalifa overtook it during construction in 2007.

2010 to today: Burj Khalifa (828 meters)

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands 828 meters tall and has been the tallest structure in the world since 2010. From its top, you can see the sunset up to three minutes later than at ground level, because you are literally looking into the future of the Earth's rotation.

What comes next: Jeddah Tower

The Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is set to be the first kilometer-tall tower, meaning over 1,000 meters. Construction started in 2013, but the project has been stopped several times. Most recently, new construction activity was reported in 2023. If it is finished, it will beat the Burj Khalifa by about 20 percent, just as the Burj Khalifa beat the CN Tower by 50 percent.

Why do humans build so tall?

The height of a building rarely has a purely practical reason. One third of the Burj Khalifa is not technically usable, it is just pure spire. The same was true for the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building. Buildings go up because height means status, ties up capital, and attracts tourists. The actual rentable space per invested dollar drops with every floor above the 60th.

Frequently asked questions