Why are high-rise buildings built? Due to a shortage of free space, out of technical necessity, or simply “to get everyone talking about it.” Due to a shortage of space, the first skyscrapers began to be built. Technical necessity forced the construction of tall television towers, and considerations of prestige and advertising led to the construction of giant multi-purpose buildings. What is the tallest tower in the world and what is the list of its closest competitors? Here is a list of the ten tallest towers that have existed and exist on our planet.
| Name | Height, m | Year of construction | Type | A country | City |
| Burj Khalifa | 828 | 2010 | Skyscraper | UAE | Dubai |
| Warsaw radio tower | 646,38 | 1974 | Radio mast | Poland | Warsaw |
| tree of heaven | 634 | 2012 | Radio mast | Japan | Tokyo |
| Shanghai Tower | 632 | 2013 | Skyscraper | China | Shanghai |
| TV tower KVLY-NV | 629 | 1963 | Radio mast | USA | Blanchard |
| Abraj al-Bait Towers | 601 | 2011 | Skyscraper | Saudi Arabia | Mecca |
| Guangzhou TV Tower | 600 | 2009 | Hyperboloid tower | China | Guangzhou |
| CN Tower | 553 | 1976 | concrete tower | Canada | Toronto |
| World Trade Center | 541,3 | 2013 | Skyscraper | USA | NY |
| Ostankino Tower | 540,1 | 1967 | concrete tower | Russia | Moscow |
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa Tower is currently the tallest structure in the world. It was built quite recently: the opening took place in 2010. It received the status of the tallest building on July 21, 2007, when the builders surpassed in height the largest building at that time - the television tower in the American city of Blanchard. And ten months later, on May 19, 2008, Burj Khalifa became the tallest tower that has ever existed on Earth. The building under construction exceeded the mark of 647 meters, thus surpassing the height of the Warsaw radio mast that collapsed in 1991.
Initially, according to the project, the tower was called Burj Dubai, or the Dubai Tower. The renaming took place in the best traditions of Eastern veneration. At the opening ceremony of the tower, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, and concurrently the vice-president, as well as the Prime Minister of the Emirates, Mohammed al-Maktoum, said that from now on the tower will be called Burj Khalifa. The new name is given in honor of the current President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
The cost of the “new building” turned out to be truly astronomical - one and a half billion dollars! The tower was conceived as a futuristic “city within a city” project: it has its own “green zone”: boulevards, lawns and even parks! The tower project was created in an American architectural bureau, which planned many famous buildings, including the World Shopping mall, built on the site of the “twin towers” destroyed in 2001. Different floors are designed for a variety of functions. The total area of the premises inside the Burj Khalifa tower was 344 thousand square meters, and the mass of the building was half a million tons!
There is a spacious parking lot in the basement, up to the 42nd floor there is an Armani hotel and technical levels. On the 43rd there is an observation deck, up to the 110th floor there are apartments and technical levels. Further on there is a restaurant, several observation platforms, 11 floors are given over to offices. At the very top are technical floors, and just below are rooms for communications and television. In total, the building has 163 floors. Interesting feature The Burj Khalifa Tower is an astronomical observatory located on the 124th floor.
Construction was accompanied by a large number of scandals. Many workers from underdeveloped countries of Southeast Asia were brought to work in the UAE. At the beginning of 2006, information was leaked to the press that skilled carpenters received 4.34 euros per day, while unskilled workers received only 2.84 euros. The workers handed over their passports to their employers, but lived and worked in very poor conditions: there were many accidents during construction, including deaths, but they were poorly documented. Only one death was officially recorded.
On March 21, two and a half thousand workers dissatisfied with working conditions staged a pogrom at the end of their shift, destroying offices, computers, construction equipment and cars parked near the building. According to official figures, the damage amounted to about half a million euros. The next day, most of the builders still went to work, but staged a “sit-in strike.” With great difficulty, the company management managed to calm the workers and resume construction.
Unlucky record holder
The construction of the towers, which at one time were the tallest buildings in the world, has always aroused great interest among contemporaries and a reason to be proud of the achievements of their country. This is not surprising, because such construction required the involvement of significant financial and technical resources and turned out to be a significant event even for large and wealthy countries. Sometimes the building even became an object of local folklore. Interesting in this regard is the fate of the Warsaw radio mast, which held the title of “the tallest tower in the world” for seventeen years.
Built in 1974, it, being the tallest in the world, has become a source of national pride for the Poles. The tower was equipped with equipment for long-wave radio broadcasting throughout Europe. The elevator, rising at a low speed (35 centimeters per second), reached the top in half an hour! The tower was held in place by fifteen guy wires located on five levels. The guy wires caused the collapse of the unique structure.
On August 8, 1991, due to violations committed when replacing one of them, the tower first bent in half and then “folded,” fortunately, without hitting anyone. After that, it became a character in local jokes; ironic Poles began jokingly calling it “the longest tower in the world.” The height record achieved by the Warsaw radio mast stood for almost seventeen years. Intentions to restore the unique structure were dashed by protests from the local population, who believe that the radiation generated during the operation of the radio tower has a detrimental effect on health.
What's next?
It is clear that the high-rise construction race will not stop there. What will be the next altitude record? During the construction of the Burj Khalifa tower, the final height of the building was kept secret, so that when a rival appeared, the project could be slightly adjusted upward and “beat the competitor on the bend.” But there were no people willing to compete then.
Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed recently announced plans to finance a new high-rise project. The tower will bear the proud name “Kingdom”, and the height will be as much as 1600 meters! The Kingdom will be used in the same way as the current record holder - the Burj Khalifa tower, that is, its floors will house a hotel, offices and housing. The estimated cost of the project is about 30 billion dollars, but time will tell how much the gigantic internal areas of the super-skyscraper will be in demand.
The tallest tower in the world is planned to be built by 2020. It will be located in Saudi Arabia. The country's authorities have already presented an ambitious project.
The tallest building, a tower called the Kingdom, will be erected in Jeddah. Its height will reach 1600 meters. The project is controlled by the Saudi prince and part-time millionaire Al-Walid. But who is the author and designs the tower is not yet known. According to some reports, the architectural company Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. In the meantime, it is already known how much the project will cost – the preliminary budget is $30 billion. What the tower will become famous for is not hidden from the public. It will contain apartments, shops and offices, and a large observation deck will be built on the 157th floor, which will offer views of the city and the Red Sea. In a word, the “Kingdom” will be a real city-home.
Burj Dubai, UAE, 822 meters
In the meantime, the tallest tower in the world is located in the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai. Burj Dubai opened its doors in January 2010. The grand opening was timed to coincide with the 4th anniversary of the assumption of office by Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and at the same time Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
The Burj Dubai was designed by American architect Adrian Smith. After this, the construction of the tower lasted for six years. Almost $1.5 billion was spent on the construction of 160 floors with a height of 822 meters and 55 centimeters.
The six-star Armani Hotel is located on the first eight floors of the tower. The owner of the popular brand, designer Giorgio Armani, personally designed it. At the hotel you can find spa salons, several restaurants and a nightclub. 900 luxury apartments occupy the remaining floors up to the 108th. The cost of each ranges from 600 thousand euros to 11 million. Another 38 floors were occupied by restaurants and office space. Among other things, the Burj Dubai accommodates Gym and a nightclub. And in the tower, which is located above the main building, there are tons of telecommunications equipment. The tallest tower in the world contains the highest swimming pool - you can swim on the 76th floor, the highest observation deck on the 124th floor, and a mosque on the 158th floor. By the way, the development company assures that almost all the real estate in the tower has already been sold out.
Burj Dubai on video
And the most interesting thing is that you can climb to the upper floors of the tower in just two minutes. This is possible thanks to 65 of the most modern ultra-high-speed elevators. Each is capable of speeds of up to 18 meters per second or 64.37 kilometers per hour. On the way down, the elevator speed decreases slightly so that passengers do not feel the strain. However, to get from the first to the top floor you will need to transfer to another elevator. The Burj Dubai tower draws its energy from a 61-meter turbine, which runs on wind power and a solar panel system. This unique power unit occupies 15 thousand square meters.
Tokyo Sky Tree, Tokyo, 634 meters
One of the tallest towers in the world is located in Japan. In the Sumida district of Tokyo, the Tokyo Sky Tree television tower was commissioned in 2011. Previously, it was planned to be called the Sumida Tower or the New Tokyo Tower.
However, the final name was chosen during construction in 2008 based on the results of a competition. The height of the Tokyo Sky Tree was 634 meters, including the antenna, it turns out that the Tokyo Sky Tree is almost twice as tall as the Tokyo Television Tower. By the way, although the building has already been commissioned, the opening is planned only for May 2012. The tower will be used for digital television and radio broadcasting, as well as navigation systems and mobile communications. Inside you will find about 300 boutiques, an aquarium, restaurants, a planetarium and even a theater.
Canton Tower, China, 610 meters
The Guangzhou TV Tower is also included in the list of the largest. It took five years to build, until 2010. The ARUP company specially planned the completion of construction for the Asian Games. The Cantona Tower boasts a height of 610 meters. Here, up to 450 meters, the structure was erected as a combination of a central core and a hyperboloid load-bearing mesh shell.
The latest tower design is patent compliant last year 19th century Russian engineer Shukhov. This part of the structure is made of large diameter steel pipes. And the Cantona Tower is crowned by a 160-meter spire. The tower is used for television broadcasts and radio transmission, and in addition, here you can see panoramas of Guangzhou. The tower can receive up to 10 thousand tourists per day.
CN Tower, Canada, 553 meters
From 1976 until 2007, the CN Tower was the tallest building in the world. Its height is no less than 553.33 meters.
The tower is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been a symbol of the city since its opening. More than 2 million people come to see the CN Tower every year. Initially, CN stood for Canadian National, since the building was owned by the Canadian National Railway Company.
View from the CN Tower
But in 1995, the tower was bought by Canada Lands Company (CLC). At the request of local residents, the towers retained their original name. Now officially CN stands for Canada's National.
Ostankino, Russia, 540 meters
The tallest building in Russia is the Ostankino television tower. The height of the building is 540 meters. The Ostankino tower stands on ten legs, each of which weighs 3,200 tons. At an altitude of approximately 330 meters, you can dine in Ostankino - here, on three floors, the Seventh Heaven restaurant is located.
People call the tower “Needle”. Experts suggest that the building, built in 1967, will last at least 300 years. It is strictly forbidden to walk under the tower’s supports, and you won’t be able to do this, since the tower is surrounded by a security zone of 180 meters.
Ostankino tower
Ostankino also has an observation deck and it is also safe. You cannot take your own life here, since the site is fenced with three-layer tempered glass.
Oriental Pearl Tower, China, 468 meters
The futuristic design of the Shanghai TV Tower is located in the Pudong region, on the banks of the Huangpu River. Its height is 468 meters, which makes the structure the tallest in Asia. The TV tower consists of 11 so-called pearls, metal balls of different diameters.
And at their base lies a stone slab. The architecture seems to convey a line from a poem of ancient Chinese poetry: “Large and small pearls fall on a jade dish.” Each ball has an observation deck, the highest at an altitude of 360 meters. Here you can see Shanghai from unusual angles. It is noteworthy that the floor on the observation deck is glass. In addition, on each level of the tower there are galleries and shops, especially for tourists who want to buy souvenirs. And at a level of 267 meters there is a revolving restaurant - the only one of its kind that is located so high. About 350 people can sit at the tables at the same time. At the base of the TV tower, everyone can visit the Shanghai History Museum.
At the foot of the Eiffel Tower
Several hundred million people have already visited the tower. At the same time, over more than 115 years of existence, 53 people fell from it and were broken.
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By 2020, the world's tallest building is set to be built in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The future skyscraper-tower is given the name “Kingdom”, and its height will be 1600 meters. According to preliminary estimates, at least $30 billion will be spent on the project. The possible infrastructure of the future building remains secret, but, without a doubt, there will be offices, apartments, and entertainment centers. Below is a ranking of the tallest buildings in the world that have the “tower” architectural type. To give you an idea, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper building in the world, 828 meters.
The first place in this ranking is quite controversial. " tree of heaven "in Tokyo is a radio mast by type, but at the same time it is considered the tallest television tower in the world; experts believe that, in principle, the design features do not interfere with calling this architectural miracle a tower. The height of this giant is 634 meters, and the tower began to operate in 2012. During construction, a number of strong earthquakes occurred in Japan, the amplitude of which reached 9 points, but the “Tree of Heaven” coped well with the first serious test of seismic resistance.
2nd place 
TV Tower " Guangzhou ", located in China, has the structure of a hyperboloid tower and a height of 600 meters. The opening of this high-rise structure took place in 2009, and was timed to coincide with the opening of the 2010 Asian Games. The design solution of the television tower corresponds to the developments of the Russian engineer Shukhov, who in 1899 patented the hyperboloid type of structure. Excluding underground premises, it has 37 floors.
3rd place 
Canada Television Tower CN Tower "has a height of 553 meters and was built in 1976. This grandiose structure made of reinforced concrete structures is located in Toronto. The construction of the tower took only 3 years, while it has a high degree of safety and can withstand winds reaching speeds of 420 km/h. The number of floors of this building, excluding underground premises, is 147.
4th place 
Located in Moscow Ostankino tower with a height of 540.1 meters it ranks fourth in the ranking. Construction of this structure ended in 1967, after seven years of work. In addition to the main direction of operation of the tower - television and radio broadcasting - meteorological observations and research take place here. The number of floors of the Ostankino tower is approximately 120, the structure is made of reinforced concrete materials.
5th place 
TV tower " Oriental pearl ", located in Shanghai in China, has a height of 467.9 meters. It began its operation in 1994 after four years of construction work. The number of floors is 14, the tower is used to provide television broadcasting and entertainment tourism purposes.
« Borje Milad ", a concrete tower with a height of 435 meters, is the tallest in Iran. It provides television and radio broadcasting, telecommunications, and serves as one of the Iranian tourist symbols, located in Tehran. Construction of the tower took 11 years, and its operation began in 2007. Number of floors - 12.
« Menara Kuala Lumpur » is a concrete tower located in the capital of Malaysia, in operation since 1996. The height of the building is 421 meters. The tower serves for television broadcasting. Construction lasted almost five years and was divided into four phases. For various reasons, the tower is often closed to tourists, which has a rather bad effect on its profitability.
Concrete tower in Tianjin at a height of 415.2 meters it is the eighth tallest tower in the world. Used for transmitter installation and surveillance. The construction began operating in 1991.
Tallest building in the world Construction will begin next week. For the first time in history its height will be 1000 meters. Saudi Arabia has prepared a project that will displace the famous Burj Khalifa, located in the neighboring United Arab Emirates, from 1st place.
The name of the new skyscraper is The Kingdom Tower, or Royal Tower. Apart from some very general design data leaked to the press, nothing more detailed is yet known.
Initially, it was assumed that the height of the new skyscraper would be more than one and a half kilometers (that is, almost twice as high as the tallest building today). However, after more thorough geological surveys, it turned out that the soil in the place where they planned to build the tower simply would not support such a massive structure. Therefore, the height range was reduced to exactly one kilometer.
Construction of the tallest building in the world is expected to take about five years. During this time, about $1.2 billion will be spent on it. The foundation of the tower will drop 60 meters deep into the ground. The completed building will house apartments (80% of all areas), a hotel, offices and an observation deck. The latter promises an incomparable spectacle: a view of the surrounding area for 140 kilometers around.
The idea of creating a new tallest building in the world belongs to a local prince and also one of the wealthiest people on the planet Al-Waleed bin Talal. The Royal Tower will be built on the Red Sea coast and will become the center of the new Kingdom City, which will become a district of Jeddah.
Source: Santiago Calatrava
While Baku is thinking about what to do with the empty buildings, Dubai continues to break records for high-rise construction. A few days ago, the construction of the “Tower” based on the design of Santiago Calatrava began in this city. It will be ready in 2020, and its height, according to unconfirmed figures, will be 928 meters. That is, it will be 100 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa - the tallest (so far) skyscraper in the world, which, by the way, is also located in Dubai.
The first stone in the foundation of the “Tower” was laid on October 11. The ceremony was attended by many dignitaries, including the Ruler of Dubai. In the UAE, the future “Tower” is taken very seriously; everyone expects that it will become a source of national pride, increase the prestige of the city and contribute to economic growth.
The shape of the “Tower” is a bit like a minaret - this expresses the synthesis of traditional Islamic culture and modern design. Calatrava himself spoke about this: “The design of the building is inspired by the Islamic tradition.” He compares it to the Muslim Alhambra and the Mosque of Cordoba: “These architectural marvels combine beauty and elegance with mathematics and geometry.” 
Source: Santiago Calatrava
“The design and architectural features of the tower will require unique engineering solutions. We conducted extensive research before starting construction, and our experience will be a valuable contribution to the knowledge base of mankind,” said Santiago Calatrava. 
Source: Santiago Calatrava
The tower will have observation decks, cafes, restaurants, premises for various events, a hotel and tourist facilities. But the most important thing is the balconies that will extend from the facade of the building.
“The construction of the tower is an important technological achievement. But throughout my career, I have used technology as a means of expressing beauty and art. So this project is also an artistic achievement... It is a symbol of faith in progress.” 
