The Top 10 Tallest Buildings: History and Facts
Humankind has always strived for something higher. Since time immemorial, people have been building toward the heavens. Over the millennia, building tall has become a kind of competition. What began in Ancient Egypt, continued in Catholic church architecture, and ultimately culminated in the American skyscraper race is now being taken to the extreme in the Middle East. Today, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands as the world’s tallest building. We’ll see how long that lasts: In the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, the Jeddah Tower is under construction, which is expected to measure 1,007 meters upon completion.
So it's time to take stock: Which buildings remained at the top the longest before another structure surpassed them? Here are the top ten:
3,880 YEARS ×
3,880 YEARS
Pyramid of Cheops
Location: Giza, Egypt
Duration: ~3,880 years (approx. 2570 BCE – 1311)
Height: 146.70 meters (today: 138.75 meters)
Builder: Cheops
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes. And one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
By the way: The Pyramid of Khufu has a volume of more than 2.5 million cubic meters—and has not yet been fully explored. A previously unknown chamber was discovered as recently as March 2023.
238 YEARS ×
238 YEARS
Lincoln Cathedral
Location: Lincoln, England
Duration: 238 years (1311–1549)
Height: 159.70 meters
Architect: Hugo of Lincoln
UNESCO World Heritage Site: No
By the way: This religious building has served as a “stand-in” for Westminster Abbey in two films: in 2005 for “The Da Vinci Code” and in 2008 for “Young Victoria.”
227 YEARS ×
20+74 YEARS ×
20+74 YEARS
St. Mary's Church
Location: Stralsund, Germany
Duration: 20+74 years (1549–1569 / 1573–1647)
Height: 151 meters
Builder (of the spire): Johannes Rose
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes.
By the way: St. Mary’s Church is one of the few churches in Germany to have a three-nave transept. For a time, it lost its top spot to Beauvais Cathedral—until that cathedral’s central tower collapsed in 1573.
90 YEARS ×
90 YEARS
Djoser Pyramid
Location: Saqqara, Egypt
Duration: ~90 years (~2690 BCE – ~2600 BCE)
Height: 62.5 meters (Today: 60 meters)
Builder: Djoser
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes.
By the way: The Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest and ninth-tallest Egyptian pyramid overall—and one of the few with a non-square base.
41 YEARS ×
41 YEARS
Eiffel Tower
Location: Paris, France
Duration: 41 years (1889–1930)
Height: 312 meters (Today: 324 meters)
Architect: Gustave Eiffel
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes.
By the way: Well over 300 million people have climbed the Eiffel Tower to date. The first entry in the guest book, dated June 10, 1889, was made by the British Crown Prince (and later King) Edward VII.
36 YEARS ×
36 YEARS
Empire State Building
Location: New York City, USA
Duration: 36 years (1931–1967)
Height: 443 meters
Developer: John J. Raskob
UNESCO World Heritage Site: No. However, it is one of the “Modern 7 Wonders of the World” as designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
By the way: One of the ESP’s observation decks was originally planned for handling air travelers—airships were supposed to dock directly at one of the skyscraper’s masts. However, it never progressed beyond a single test.
32 YEARS ×
32 YEARS
CN Tower
Location: Toronto, Canada
Duration: 32 years (1975–2007)
Height: 553 meters
Developer: Canadian National Railway
UNESCO World Heritage Site: No. However, it is one of the “Modern 7 Wonders of the World” as designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
By the way: Although it has long since become a landmark, the CN Tower was not originally intended to be open to the public. It was the world’s tallest television tower until 2009. It is now the third-tallest.
30 YEARS ×
30 YEARS
Red Pyramid
Location: Dahshur, Egypt
Duration: ~30 years (~2600 BCE – ~2570 BCE)
Height: 105 meters (today: 100 meters)
Builder: Sneferu
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes.
By the way: The Red Pyramid was the first true geometric pyramid ever built. It is the third-largest of the ancient Egyptian pyramids—and the only one without underground passages.
15 YEARS ×
15 YEARS
Burj Khalifa
Location: Dubai, UAE
Duration: 15 years (2008–2023)
Height: 829.80 meters
Developer: The Royal Family of Dubai and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
UNESCO World Heritage Site: No.
By the way: Well-heeled souvenir collectors can buy gold bars engraved with the Burj Khalifa logo here—via “Gold-to-Go” vending machines installed in 2011 by a company based in Reutlingen.
