In Pictures: The World’s Tallest Structures Throughout History

The battle for the title of the world’s tallest structure has been furiously fought over throughout history, with engineers engaged in a constant battle of one-upmanship.

Since the lofty ambitions of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was the world’s highest at 146.5 metres when it was built, man-made structures have gone stratospheric – a skyscraper currently under construction in Saudi Arabia is set to be the first building more than a kilometer tall.

Unlike a building, by definition a structure doesn’t need to be occupied – towers and monuments count too.

The fight for height reached a peak in the early 20^th century in the U.S., with forests of skyscrapers shooting up in the country’s major cities, each vying to be the tallest.

In the 1930s, the Chrysler Building only managed to hold onto the accolade for a paltry 11 months before the Empire State Building came along to snatch the crown.

From the present day right back to more than 4,000 years ago, these are the tallest structures throughout history.

2560 BC - 1311: The Great Pyramid of Giza

For thousands of years, The Great Pyramid of Giza towered head and shoulders over the rest of the world’s manmade structures, standing 146.5 metres in the Egyptian desert. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, it was built in 20 years as a tomb for the Pharaoh Cheops. It’s made of 2.3 million stone blocks, arranged with fanatical accuracy to create the iconic pointed shape. Despite the lack of building machinery in 2560 BC the pyramid was completed in less than 20 years. It is generally agreed that the colossal stones were dragged from a quarry and lifted into place by huge teams of builders using sheer brute strength. (Rex)

1311 - 1549: Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln

The UK’s very own Lincoln Cathedral held the title for more than 200 years, ending the 3000-year reign of the Great Pyramid of Giza. But details about its exact height are a little sketchy. No one is in agreement about how high its three spires, all of which have been destroyed, actually reached. It’s generally agreed that the highest one, which fell victim to a storm in 1549, was 160 metres tall. (ImageBroker/Rex)

1549 - 1647: St Mary’s Church, Stralsund

St Mary’s Church in Stralsund, Germany, lost its title as the world’s tallest structure in 1647 when a its steeple was hit by lightning and burnt down. The building has been through its fair share of ups and downs during its history. It was built around 1298, but collapsed in 1382. It was rebuilt in 1478 but the steeple was destroyed 17 years later and had to be remade entirely. Its current incarnation as a baroque dome was completed in 1708 and is 104 metres tall. (ImageBroker/Rex)

1647 - 1874: Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg

Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest structure on the world for an impressive 227 years, and is still the world’s sixth tallest church. It’s also the tallest surviving structure built entirely in the Middle Ages. The cathedral is home to one of the world’s largest astronomical clocks. Legend has it that the clock’s maker had his eyes gouged out after it was completed so he wouldn’t be able to produce another model. (ImageBroker/Rex)

1874 - 1876: St Nicholas Church, Hamburg

This Gothic Revival church had its heyday for two years in the late 19th century, when its tall tower made it the highest structure in the world. It was all but destroyed by bombing during the Second World War with most of the building reduced to rubble. But its spire still stands today at 143 metres tall. (ImageBroker/Rex)

1876 - 1880: Rouen Cathedral, Rouen

A church has existed in the spot now occupied by Rouen cathedral since the fourth century. The place of worship crept steadily skywards, with work on the current gothic building beginning in the 12th century. Thanks to a mixture of architectural ambition and being hit by lightning, the building was constantly tinkered with until 1876, when its huge central spire was completely and it became the highest structure in the world. (WestEnd61/Rex)

1880 - 1884: Cologne Cathedral, Cologne

Cologne Cathedral was the tallest structure in the world for four years, but it was a long time coming. Construction started more than 600 years earlier in 1248 and continued until 1473, until work ground to a halt. The cathedral then sat unfinished until the 19th century, when it is finally completed according to the original plans. The catholic cathedral’s two mighty spires then meant it took over from Rouen cathedral in the top spot. (WestEnd61/Rex)

1884 - 1889: The Washington Monument, Washington

Built to commemorate U.S. president George Washington, the marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss obelisk remains the world’s tallest stone tower. It was the tallest structure in the world for five years at 169 metres. The monument was damaged in 2011 by hurricane Irene and had to be closed to the public, but after a lengthy restoration project it reopened in 2014. (MintImages/Rex)

1889 - 1930: The Eiffel Tower, Paris

Paris’s most famous monument is 324 metres tall and weighs 10,100 tonnes. It was the world’s tallest structure for 41 years after it was unveiled at the 1889 World’s Fair – a celebration of the centennial of the French revolution. It has been a hugely popular tourist attraction ever since, and is ascended by seven million people a year. Now it’s a symbol of all things romance, but when it was built not everyone was best pleased. 300 Parisian artists and intellectuals signed a petition to stop the ‘useless and monstrous’ tower from being built. Luckily for the 250 million people who have visited since it was built, they were unsuccessful. (BestShotFactory/Rex)

1930 - 1931: The Chrysler Building, New York

The Chrysler Building in New York only managed to cling on to the title of world’s tallest structure for 11 months before its Manhattan neighbour, the Empire State Building, edged it by 124 metres. It’s 319 metres tall, and is another of the Big Apple’s Art Deco masterpieces. Its steel spire – one of its best-known features – was kept a closely guarded secret until the very last minute so that rival builders wouldn’t know how tall the skyscraper would actually be. The addition of the stealthy spire at the last minute meant that it emerged victorious in a furious battle with 40 Wall Street to take become the tallest building in the world. (OliverDixon/Rex)

1931 - 1967: The Empire State Building, New York

Manhattan’s 120-floor skyscraper is an iconic feature of the New York skyline, as famous for its art deco design as its impressive height. Including its huge antenna spire it reaches a lofty 443m, and took over from the Chrysler Building as the world’s tallest structure. As for the rumour that throwing a penny from the top would kill someone on the street below…? Not true. But a pencil or other cylindrical structure could dent the concrete pavement if you tried the same trick. Australian Paul Creek holds the world record for the fastest time running up the steps of the Empire State Building. He scaled 1,576 stairs in an astonishing nine minutes and 33 seconds. (OliverDixon/Rex)

1967 - 1975: Ostankino Tower, Moscow

The television and radio tower that dominates the skyline of Moscow was the tallest building in the world for eight years, taking over from the Empire State Building. At the time of its construction it became known worldwide as a masterpiece of Soviet engineering. There was a plan made it 1994 to increase the tower’s height by more than 500 metres by adding an antenna to the top – but funding issues meant the idea was never brought to life. In the year 2000 a devastating fire ripped through the tower, killing four people and disrupting communications in Russia. Most of the interior was completely gutted and an emergency operation commenced to restore the structural integrity of the building. (APphoto)

1975 - 2007: CN Tower, Toronto

Toronto’s CN Tower clung onto the record of the world’s tallest structure for more than 30 years, and measures 553 metres. To complete the building of the tower, 1,537 workers labored for 24 hours a day, five days a week – it took three years to finish. It officially opened in June 1976 and will celebrate its 40th birthday this year. Lightning strikes the tip of the tower an average of 75 times a year but, thankfully, long copper strips conduct the energy safely through the length of the building to the ground. It took over from the Ostankino Tower in Moscow to become the world’s tallest. (RobertHarding/Rex)

2007 - present: Burj Khalifa, Dubai

The current tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which has held onto the record since it was completed in 2007. The giant skyscraper stands at 829.8 metres and has 163 floors, home to apartments, hotels, offices and restaurants. It has 24,348 windows made of a total of 120,000 m2 of glass. It would take 36 workers four months to clean the entire exterior. The megatall building took the crown from the CN Tower in Toronto, pipping it by an impressive 296 metres. (WestEnd61/Rex)