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What’s the tallest building in the world?

how skyscraper cranes are built and work

The record has previously been held by Taipei 101, Petronas Towers, Sears, One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building, among others but, currently, the world's tallest skyscraper is Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828m (2,717ft). 

We think of the skyscraper as being a building phenomenon of the 20th century, so it can be hard to believe that the world's first was built in 1885. Little more than a century later we have Burj Khalifa.

What are the tallest buildings in the world?

1885-1890, Home Insurance Building, Chicago, 55m (180ft) demolished 1931

1890-1894, World Building, New York, 94.2m (309ft) demolished 1955

1894-1899, Manhattan Life Insurance Building, New York, 106m (348ft) demolished 1964

1899-1908, Park Row Building, New York, 119.2m (391ft)

1908-1909, Singer Building, New York, 186.6m (612ft) demolished 1968

1909-1913, Metropolitan Life Tower, New York, 213.4m (700ft)

1913-1930, Woolworth Building, New York, 241.4m (792ft)

1930-1930, Bank of Manhattan, New York, 282.6m (927ft)

1930-1931, Chrysler Building, New York, 318.9m (1,046ft)

1931-1972, Empire State Building, New York, 381m (1,250ft)

1972-1974, One World Trade Center, New York, 417m (1,368ft) demolished 2001

1974-1998, Sears (now Willis) Tower, New York, 442.1m (1,451ft)

1998-2004, Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, 451.9m (1,483ft)

2004-2010, Taipei 101, Taipei, 508m (1,667ft)

2010-present, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, 828m (2,717ft)

Construction on hold, Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia, 1,000m (3,280ft)