Unforgettable skyscrapers of the world

The Petronas Towers rise as twin structures in central Kuala Lumpur, reaching 1,483 feet (452 meters) in height. These buildings were designed by architect Cesar Pelli and completed between 1992 and 1998. The towers are connected by a two-story skybridge at the 41st and 42nd floors, offering visitors a view across the city. The floor plan follows Islamic geometric patterns with an eight-pointed star. The facade consists of stainless steel and glass.

The Burj Khalifa rises 2,717 feet (828 meters) above Dubai and stands as the world's tallest building. Completed in 2010, this skyscraper contains 163 floors and combines residential, office and hotel spaces. The exterior facade of glass and stainless steel reflects the desert sun and creates a constantly changing play of light. The foundation consists of 192 piles extending 164 feet (50 meters) into the ground. Observation decks on the 124th, 125th and 148th floors provide views across the city and the Persian Gulf.

The Shanghai Tower rises 2,073 feet (632 meters), making it one of the tallest buildings in the world. This spiraling structure houses offices, a hotel and observation decks that provide expansive views across Shanghai. The tower's double-skin facade improves energy efficiency and contributes to its sustainable design. Completed in 2015, the building represents contemporary Chinese architecture and engineering.

The Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower rises above the Haram precinct in Mecca, displaying a clock face measuring 141 feet (43 meters) in diameter, among the largest in the world. This 2012 skyscraper stands 1,972 feet (601 meters) tall and forms part of a seven-tower complex that houses hotels, residences and prayer spaces for millions of pilgrims. The illuminated clock face remains visible from 16 miles (25 kilometers) away, serving as a landmark for worshippers approaching the Kaaba.

One World Trade Center rises as the tallest building in the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. The skyscraper reaches a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 meters) and houses office space across more than 100 floors. David Childs' architecture combines a square base with a tapering design that culminates in a glass spire. The building features an observation deck on the 100th and 102nd floors offering views across Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey. Construction incorporates reinforced security features and sustainable building materials, earning it LEED Gold certification.

The Lotte World Tower rises 555 meters (1,819 feet) above Seoul, making it the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest in the world. This 123-story skyscraper was completed in 2017 and combines office space, luxury residences, a seven-star hotel, and a public observation deck on the 117th floor. The facade uses double-glazed glass that reflects daylight, giving the tower a constantly changing appearance throughout the day. The structure's design draws from traditional Korean ceramics and calligraphy in its tapered silhouette.

Taipei 101 combines modern engineering with traditional Chinese design elements. Completed in 2004, the 1,671-foot (509-meter) tower features a distinctive pagoda-inspired silhouette with eight stacked segments that reference a Chinese symbol of prosperity. A 730-ton pendulum damper inside stabilizes the structure during typhoons and earthquakes. The design incorporates traditional bamboo motifs into the facade structure, while the observation deck at 1,253 feet (382 meters) is accessible via high-speed elevators.

The International Commerce Centre in Kowloon stands among the tallest skyscrapers in the world, its glass and steel facade rising 1,588 feet (484 meters) across 118 floors above the former industrial district, with an observation deck on the top floor offering views across Victoria Harbour and the surrounding territory.

The Centre du Royaume in Riyadh ranks among the most recognizable high-rises in the Arab world. The 302-foot (302-meter) tower, completed in 2002, shapes the skyline of Saudi Arabia's capital with its distinctive parabolic form. The horseshoe-shaped opening at the summit, accessible via a skybridge between the two towers, offers visitors expansive views across the city. The building's architecture combines modern engineering with regional design elements and houses office space, a shopping mall, luxury apartments, and a hotel.

The Shard London, designed by Renzo Piano, rises 1,016 feet (310 meters) above the city and forms a distinctive pyramid shape with its glass facade. The building houses offices, restaurants, a hotel and a public viewing platform on the 72nd floor that provides wide views over the Thames and the surrounding metropolis.

The Bank of America Tower rises 1,200 feet (366 meters) above Midtown Manhattan, distinguished by its prismatic glass facade and asymmetrical spire. Completed in 2009, this building was designed by Cook+Fox Architects and became the first skyscraper in the United States to achieve LEED Platinum certification for environmentally responsible construction. Its design incorporates high-performance glass, ice-water storage for energy efficiency, and an air filtration system that circulates outdoor air throughout the interior spaces. The tower stands at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street, providing more than 2.1 million square feet (195,000 square meters) of office space. Its tapered profile and setback spire contribute to the city's skyline while combining structural efficiency with contemporary architectural form.

Jin Mao Tower rises in the Pudong financial district and combines traditional Chinese architectural elements with modern engineering techniques. Completed in 1999, this building reaches 1,381 feet (421 meters) across 88 floors and stood as China's tallest building at its opening. The stainless steel and glass facade follows a tiered design that recalls Chinese pagodas, while the number 88 holds special significance in Chinese culture as a symbol of prosperity. The building houses offices, a hotel and a public observation deck on the 88th floor that provides views across Shanghai in all directions.

The Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, dominated Chicago's skyline for decades and held the record as the world's tallest building from 1973 to 1998. Standing 1,450 feet (442 meters) tall, the skyscraper consists of nine interconnected tubes that terminate at varying heights, creating its distinctive stepped silhouette. The Skydeck observation platform on the 103rd floor provides views across four states and features glass balconies that extend 1,353 feet (412 meters) above street level.

This residential tower rises 1,396 feet (426 meters) above Manhattan and ranks among the tallest buildings in the United States, defining the Midtown skyline with its angular, prismatic form. The 432 Park Avenue encompasses 96 floors and presents a perfect 1:15 aspect ratio, making it the slenderest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The facade displays a grid of six by six windows per floor, interrupted by mechanical venting floors every twelve levels. Viñoly architects designed the building with a square footprint and a deliberate structural system of reinforced concrete that withstands extreme wind loads.

The Lakhta Center stands 1,516 feet (462 meters) tall, making it the tallest building in Europe and a defining feature of Saint Petersburg's skyline. Completed in 2019, the tower serves as the headquarters for Gazprom. Its glass facade spirals upward across 87 floors, incorporating climate-adaptive technologies that enhance energy efficiency. Beyond office space, the Lakhta Center includes a science center and an observation deck at 1,171 feet (357 meters), offering expansive views of the city and the Gulf of Finland.

The Aon Center ranks among the tallest structures in Los Angeles, completed in 1973 and rising 860 feet (262 meters) across 62 floors. This office tower employs a steel frame design with prominent white granite columns running along the exterior facade. These vertical structural elements give the building its distinctive appearance while serving as load-bearing components. Located in the downtown financial district, the Aon Center primarily houses commercial office space. Charles Luckman Associates designed the tower, which exemplifies early 1970s architectural principles emphasizing functional design and geometric clarity in high-rise construction.

Mercury City Tower rises as a copper-toned skyscraper in the Moscow City business district, reaching a height of 1,112 feet (339 meters). The 75-story building was completed in 2013 and briefly held the title of Europe's tallest building. Its distinctive bronze facade of reflective glass gives the tower its recognizable appearance, while the structure tapers as it ascends toward the top.

The Salesforce Tower stands as San Francisco's tallest building at 1,070 feet (326 meters), dominating the city's skyline since its completion in 2018. This 61-story office tower was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and features a tapered glass facade that reflects daylight throughout the day. The tower houses office spaces and includes a public park at its base that serves both local residents and visitors to the area.

The First Canadian Place stands 978 feet tall, making it the tallest office building in Canada since its completion in 1975. The complex consists of two connected towers rising 72 stories above Toronto's financial district, housing corporate headquarters, banking operations and retail spaces within an underground shopping concourse. Its original white marble cladding was replaced with a modern glass facade during renovations, updating its appearance while maintaining the building's functional purpose. The structure connects to Toronto's PATH network, an underground pedestrian system that provides weather-protected access throughout downtown. The building remains a working office tower that accommodates thousands of employees and serves as a reference point in the city's skyline.

Marina Bay Sands is a prominent complex at the southern end of downtown that connects three 55-story towers with a curved platform. Opened in 2010, the structure houses a 2,561-room hotel, convention center, shops and casino. The 1,115-foot (340-meter) Sky Park terrace at the 57th-floor level features a pool and observation area 627 feet (191 meters) above ground. Designed by Moshe Safdie, the construction represents a technical achievement in modern high-rise building.

The Tour Montparnasse rises above the Left Bank and held the title of France's tallest office building when it opened in 1973. This 689-foot (210-meter) tower of concrete, glass and steel has shaped the Paris skyline for over five decades and offers panoramic views of the city and its landmarks from its 56th-floor observation deck.

The Commerzbank Tower rises 850 feet (259 meters) above Frankfurt's banking district and held the title of Europe's tallest building when completed in 1997. Designed by Norman Foster, this 56-story structure features an innovative triangular floor plan with nine multi-story sky gardens arranged in a spiral around the building, allowing natural ventilation and daylight to reach deep into the office spaces.

This multifunctional complex consists of two distinct towers in the Moscow City business district. The two buildings were completed in 2009 and reach heights of 990 feet (302 meters) and 840 feet (257 meters). The architecture combines office space, residential units and retail areas in a vertical city concept. The towers are named Moscow and Saint Petersburg, representing Russia's two most important cities. The design comes from the Russian architectural firm NBBJ and integrates modern construction techniques with functional spatial concepts. The facades consist of glass and steel, reflecting the changing light over the Russian capital. City of Capitals ranks among the first completed high-rises in the Moscow City project.

This 992-foot office tower has stood as Houston's second tallest building since 1983. The Wells Fargo Plaza features a distinctive five-tier pyramid roof that lights up at night and contributes to the downtown skyline's character. Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed the 71 floors with an exterior clad in Italian marble and granite. The building houses primarily office space and includes a two-story lobby finished with polished stone surfaces. Its underground pedestrian level connects to the Houston Downtown Tunnel System, which extends across several city blocks.

The Gran Torre Santiago in Chile's capital stands 984 feet (300 meters) tall, making it the tallest building in Latin America. This skyscraper houses offices, a hotel, and retail spaces. The observation deck on the 61st and 62nd floors provides panoramic views of Santiago and the Andes Mountains. The architecture combines a triangular footprint with a glass facade that tapers toward the top. The building was constructed to international earthquake safety standards and completed in 2014.