Atop rain clouds. The Highest Buildings in the World
Futuristic skyscrapers are important landmarks of many modern cities. They have always attracted huge interest of tourists. These beautiful buildings house the most prestigious hotels, restaurants and shops; comfortable viewing platforms are equipped for visitors on top of some skyscrapers. Visit to modern monuments can give no less experience than exploring historic sites, as each skyscraper is unique and has a lot of interesting features. In this review we will focus on the highest and the most famous skyscrapers of the planet, which annually attract thousands of curious tourists and never cease to amaze them with impeccable look.
Burj Khalifa, UAE
The tallest building in the world is in Dubai. That’s the legendary Burj Khalifa resembling a huge stalagmite with its appearance; it goes up to 828 meters. The official opening ceremony took place on January 4, 2010. The skyscraper has 163 floors, where hotels, restaurants, offices of large companies and a variety of entertainment facilities are situated. The tower was named in honor of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, so it’s an important national symbol for locals.
The author of the project of this unique skyscraper is an American architect Adrian Smith; implementation of the project took five years. Today, the Burj Khalifa is not only the most famous landmark of Dubai, but also a unique architectural monument of world importance. A tour all around is interesting, first of all, thanks to the excellent viewing points equipped on 123rd and 142nd floors.
Several floors of a skyscraper serve for the luxury hotel Armani being a center of attraction for fans of upscale rest. The skyscraper is full of amazing features providing an unforgettable adventure for guests. The building has a special air purification system with flavoring option; the facade of the skyscraper is lined with special glass panels, which stop dust and sunlight. The neighborhood is also incredibly interesting; there is an amazing musical fountain next to the skyscraper.
Next - Freedom Tower
Freedom Tower, USA
New York is a true leader in the number of spectacular skyscrapers, and a special place among its many landmarks belongs to the Freedom Tower. This luxury skyscraper with a sparkling glass facade is part of the World Trade Center. It was opened on May 10, 2013. Height of a skyscraper is 541 meters, so it’s the highest not only in the United States, but also in the Western Hemisphere.
Complete article
Taipei 101, China
Taipei 101 opened on November 17, 2003 is being one of the main attractions of Taipei for over ten years. The height of this spectacular building is 509.2 meters; this 101-floor skyscraper is constructed in accordance with national traditions. The amazing glass building is among the five tallest buildings in the world. Travelers know the skyscraper as the location of popular shopping centers and restaurants of local cuisine.
Complete article
Petronas Towers, Malaysia
Travelers who are planning to visit Kuala Lumpur should definitely see one of the most spectacular architectural complexes of the city, Petronas Towers. This unusual architectural complex in the Islamic style consists of two skyscrapers 451.9 meters high; each skyscraper has 88 floors. It’s noteworthy that only Malaysian building materials were used during the construction. The opening of this architectural complex took place in 1998.
Complete article
Empire State Building, USA
Empire State Building is the truly unique structure; it has been built in 1931 and has remained one of the tallest buildings in the world for more than 70 years. The skyscraper is built in the best traditions of the Art Deco style; it affects with performance and unmatched interior. A true piece of art design is a three-storey hall that is 30 meters long; it can boast artful decoration of marble and huge murals depicting Seven Wonders of the World. Guinness Hall with its collection of interesting exhibits describing world’s records is just amazing.
Complete article
Jin Mao Tower, China
Jin Mao Tower deserves special attention among modern architectural symbols of Shanghai. The building is 421 meters high. Skyscraper construction was completed in 1998; it owes its spectacular appearance to the strict observance of proportions. In Asian culture, the number 8 is a symbol of prosperity and harmony, and this ‘magic’ number was laid in the heart of proportional calculations of the construction.
Complete article
International financial center, China
International Finance Centre in Hong Kong can safely claim to be one of the most beautiful skyscrapers of the planet. This one like many other high-rise buildings in Asia is built in accordance with the Cantonese tradition - it has 88 floors and its height is 420 meters. The grand skyscraper was completed in 2003; it has being remaining one of the most attractive tourist sites in Hong Kong for more than ten years.
Complete article
Al Hamra Tower, Kuwait
One of the most beautiful skyscrapers of the planet, Al Hamra Tower, is situated in Kuwait City. This 77-storey building is 414 meters tall. It features not only impressive height, but also a very original look. Al Hamra Tower is one of the most grandiose asymmetric skyscrapers, but despite its sleek appearance, it’s very durable and can confidently resist destructive element.
Complete article
Sky Tree, Japan
Tokyo has the famous TV tower with an original and symbolic name, Sky Tree. Height of the building is 634 meters; the name of the unique architectural masterpiece was chosen by ordinary people via online voting. Construction of the tower has begun in 2008, and already 29 February 2012 it was completed. According to rough estimates, the conditional speed of construction was 10 meters per week.
Complete article
Tower Abraj al-Bait, Saudi Arabia
Mecca can boast the heaviest skyscraper in the world and the tallest building in Saudi Arabia, Abraj Al Bait. It’s an intricate and incredibly beautiful architectural complex of 601 meters height. The main decoration of the facade is the clock set at a height of over 400 meters; the diameter of the dial is 43 meters.
Complete article
CN Tower, Canada
CN Tower with a height of 533.33 meters is the tallest building in Canada and one of the tallest buildings in the Western Hemisphere. The tower was built in record time, as preparation for construction has begun in 1973 and the official opening took place in 1976. The building looks very fragile; however, only for a rough estimate, it’s able to withstand wind speeds of 420 km/h. The tower is equipped with a special lightning rod and annually it withstands hundreds of thunderstrokes.
Complete article
Ostankino Tower, Russia
Ostankino Tower in Moscow is one of the ten tallest buildings of the planet; it goes upward to 540 meters. Opening of the tower took place in 1967; outstanding Soviet designer Nikolay Nikitin has been working on its project. He has thought the project tower in just one night; the lily flower has inspired him to that grand project. Later, the plan of the tower was slightly adjusted taking into account advice of renowned architect, Fritz Leonhardt. It was decided to design ten legs at the bottom instead of four legs resembling lily petals.
Complete article
Willis Tower, USA
There is also an interesting monument of modern architecture in Chicago that deserves attention of tourists. We are talking about Willis Tower. Built in 1974, it has 110 floors. The height of this grandiose skyscraper is 443.2 meters. Among the distinctive features of the building, it’s worth noting a huge number of lifts, 104 in total; thus you can navigate through a large-scale building with maximum comfort and do it very fast.
Complete article
Stratosphere, USA
Stratosphere Tower is the most popular casino&hotel; it’s famous far beyond Las Vegas. Tower is on the busy Las Vegas Strip; in addition to the upscale hotel and casino area of 7,000 square meters, the facility offers a lot of interesting entertainment venues and attractions. Opening of the tower took place in 1996; its height is 350.2 meters. Basically the building is oriented to tourists, which constitute the bulk of its visitors.
Complete article