Top 10 Tallest Buildings in the World, Ranked by Height

For almost half a century, New York City held the title for the world’s tallest building.

Between 1931 and 1972, the iconic Empire State Building remained the highest — standing at 1,454 feet tall.

But those days are long gone. 

China is slowly overtaking the world with massive high-rise property developments that house financial institutions, retail and residences.

In many instances, ghost cities in China are on the rise, with many developed buildings remaining vacant. In the past 10 years alone, China has amassed more than 300 new skyscrapers. Of those, 5 out of 10 make up the tallest building structures in the world. 

But the country has yet to claim the No. 1 spot. That title goes to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which soars a grand 2,717 feet. 

Overall, for the first time in three decades, high- and mid-rise apartments are overshadowing low-rises.

Scroll through to see all top 10 tallest buildings around the globe.

10. Taipei 101

At 1,667 square feet tall, Taipei 101 — formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center in Taiwan — ranks No. 10 out of the tallest buildings in the world. Built in 2004, it was considered the globe’s tallest building until 2009, when Burj Khalifa in Dubai was built. 

9. CITIC Tower

CITIC Tower stands at 1,731 feet tall and is the ninth-highest building in the world. It is located in Beijing and was built in 2018. The 109-story building — also known as China Zun — is the tallest in the Chinese city.

8. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre

The Tienjin CTF Finance Center is 1,739 feet long, located in Tianjin, China. Construction began in 2013 and ended in 2019. The building houses a hotel, serviced apartments and offices. 

7. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre

Built at 1,739 feet, the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre currently stands as the seventh-tallest building around the globe. Located in Guangzhou, China, the structure was built in 2016. It has 111 above-ground floors and five below-ground floors. It houses a shopping mall, offices, apartments and a hotel.

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6. One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center, located in the Big Apple, stands at 1,776 feet tall. It is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. It remains the tallest structure in the United States, and the sixth-tallest around the world. The building was completed in 2014 and mostly houses work offices. 

5. Lotte World Tower

The Lotte World Tower is located in Seoul, South Korea, and was built in 2017. At 1,819 feet tall, the tower is the fifth-largest structure around the globe. It is composed of 123 floors and took a total of 13 years of planning and site preparation. It is now open to the public 24 hours a day. In 2016, Russian and Ukrainian urban explorer Vitaliy Raskalov from On the roofs free-climbed on the tower’s top, and video of the escapade has been viewed more than 4.6 million times and received worldwide media attention.

4. Ping An Finance Center

The Ping An Finance is the fourth-tallest building in the world. Constructed in Shenzhen, China, in 2017, it stands at 1,965 feet tall with 115 floors. The building contains offices, hotel and retail spaces, a conference center and a high-end shopping mall.

3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower

The Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, stands at 1,972 feet tall and is currently known as the third-largest building in the world. Built in 2012, it is government-owned and cost nearly $15 billion to build. It is part of seven surrounding skyscraper hotels. 

2. Shanghai Tower

China’s Shanghai Tower stands at a whopping 2,073 feet long. Built in 2015, this structure is the second-largest building in the world and composed of 128 floors. Its elevators run at 20.5 meters per second. The structure houses offices, retail and leisure activities. 

1. Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has remained the tallest building in the world for the past decade. Completed in 2010, the structure stands at a massive 2,717 feet long. Construction initially began in 2004. It has a total of 163 floors.