Cheops Pyramid – Egypt, finished in 2,600 BC (481 ft - 146 m)The Cheops Pyramid at Giza, Egypt, was finished in the year (approx) 2,600 BC and reigned as the world's tallest building / structure for another 4,000 years. How the Great Pyramid was built is a question that may never be answered. This pyramid is thought to have been built between 2589 - 2566 BC. It would have taken over 2,300,000 blocks of stone with an average weight of 2.5 tons each. These stones were brought from Aswan and Tura and the water would have brought the stones right to the pyramid. The total weight would have been 6,000,000 tons and a height of 482 feet (140m). The Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) is the largest and the oldest of the Pyramids of Giza. It wasn't until the 13th Century that Egypt lost the title to a cathedral that was constructed in the U.K. at Lincoln.
Lincoln Cathedral, U.K., completed in 1311 AD (525 ft - 160 m)Construction of the Cathedral finished in the year 1311 AD, and the Cathedral maintained the title of the world's tallest building for 238 years until 1549 AD, when the central spire was destroyed in a storm. The central spire was never re-built.
St. Olav, Tallinn, Estonia, finished in 1519 (522 ft - 159 m)Construction was finished in the year 1519, and the Cathedral was not originally as high as Lincoln Cathedral, however, due to the storm that destroyed Lincoln Cathedral's main spire in 1549, St. Olav became the worlds tallest building. 76 years later, in 1625, St. Olav also saw it's spire destroyed by a storm.
Strasbourg Cathedral, France, erected in 1439 (472 ft - 142 m)
Strasbourg Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg) completed in 1439, finally received the title of world's tallest building in 1625 due to storms that had destroyed the spires of other taller constructions. Strasbourg Cathedral was to hold this title for another 249 years from 1625 until 1874.
St. Nikolai, Hamburg, Germany, completed in 1874 (482 ft - 147 m)St. Nikolai took the title of world's tallest building upon completion in the year 1874 being just 10 feet higher than it's predecessor, however, St. Nikolai's moment of glory as the world's tallest building only lasted 2 years as another Cathedral was to take the title away in 1876.
Rouen Cathedral, France, erected in 1876 (495 ft - 151 m)Rouen Cathedral, the world's tallest building from 1876 to 1880, has been dubbed the "City of a Hundred Spires," for many of its important edifices are churches. Towering above them all is the highest spire in France, erected in 1876, a cast-iron tour-de-force rising 490 ft above the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen. Claude Monet immortalized Rouen's cathedral (particularly the facade) in his paintings.
Cologne Cathedral, Germany, completed in 1880 (516 ft - 157 m)Construction of Cologne Cathedral actually took over 640 years to complete (construction began in 1248) and was officially completed in 1880 giving the Cathedral the title of the world's tallest building although this title was only to last for 4 years until 1884 when The Washington Monument, U.S.A. was finally completed.
Up until this point in history, the Lincoln Cathedral, U.K. completed in 1311 would have remained the world's tallest building at 525 ft - 160 m had it's spire not been destroyed by a storm. However, from this moment on, structures were to undergo dramatic changes in construction techniques allowing vastly taller buildings.
The Washington Monument, U.S.A., completed in 1884 (555 ft - 169.29 m)The Washington Monument took the title as the world's tallest building in 1884 and is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet - 169.29 m in height, and is made of marble, granite, and sandstone. The Monument held the title for just 3 years.
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, completed in 1887 (1,063 ft - 324 m)The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1887 took the title of the world's highest building not with just a few extra feet in height - it is twice the height of it's predecessor, The Washington Monument. The Eiffel Tower was to retain the world's tallest building title for another 43 years.
The Chrysler Building, New York, USA, finished in 1930 (1046 ft - 319 m)Completed in 1930, the Chrysler Building had just 1 year of glory as the world's tallest building. You will note from it's height that it appears to be shorter than the Eiffel Tower, however this is because a new antenna was located on the Eiffel Tower in the year 2000 - before this the Eiffel Tower was some 79 ft - 24 m shorter than The Chrysler Building.
The Empire State Building, New York, U.S.A., finished in 1931 (1,472 ft - 449 m)The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in New York, NY on the intersection of 5th Ave and W 34th Street. It stood as the world's tallest building for more than forty years, from its completion in 1931 until the construction of the World Trade Center North Tower topped out on December 23, 1970. It is now once again the tallest building in New York, after the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 from terrorist attacks.
World Trade Center, New York, U.S.A., 1972 - 2001 (1,727 ft - 526.3 m)When completed in 1972, 1 WTC became the tallest building on Earth, unseating the Empire State Building after a 40-year reign. 2 WTC became the second tallest building in the world when completed in 1973. The WTC towers held the height record only briefly. As the building neared completion in 1973, work had already begun on Chicago's Sears Tower, which ultimately reached 1,450 ft - 442 m (not including spire or antenna). Sadly both WTC towers were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 9-11-2001.
Sears Tower, Chicago, U.S.A., finished in 1973 (1,729 ft - 527 m)The Sears Tower was completed in May 1973 and held the title as the world's tallest building until 1998.
Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, finished in 1998 (1,482 ft - 542 m)
The Petronas Towers were completed in 1998 and became the tallest buildings in the world on the date of completion, although there is controversy surrounding this because the Sears Tower, including antenna is actually taller - but due to a change of regulations and guidelines used to define tall structures, the antennas of the Sears Tower were not counted as part of its architectural features.
