America’s Empire State Building and Sears Tower were, at different times, the tallest buildings in the world. Now, they’ve been eclipsed by some truly giant structures. Engineering tools and building capabilities have come a long way in the last couple of decades, as buildings continue to reach ever-skyward at a rapid pace. In 2010, Burj Khalifa became the official tallest building in the world, and 12 years later it’s still holding on to its title. Dubbed a “vertical city,” the structure is 2,716 feet 6 inches in height, making it twice as tall as the famed Empire State Building. Its height also earned a few additional records, including highest restaurant from ground level, tallest elevator in a building, and most floors in a building. Its 160 floors contain a hotel, office space, restaurants, health and fitness centers, and residences. Burj Khalifa reportedly cost a whopping $1.5 billion to build. Visiting its observation deck is a popular tourist attraction. Coming in second place is Merdeka 118, the 2,227-foot-high, 118-story building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Finally, taking third place for the tallest buildings in the world is Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China. At 128 stories, it reaches 2,073 into the sky and boasts the fastest elevators in the world — traveling at 49mph.
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| Merdeka 118 |
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Shanghai Tower
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