The never-ending race to build the world's tallest building

Since humans started building structures, they have been building upward-facing buildings. Over the millennia, our facilities have reached heights and heights on their way to the sky, motivated by various motives: religion, democracy, nationalism, commerce and engineering design, to name a few.

The ancient Egyptians built huge pyramids to protect the mummified bodies of their pharaohs. Christians used Gothic engineering innovations such as flying buttresses and vaulted arches to build majestic cathedrals extending towards the sky. The Americans built the World Trade Center to bring international business to New York.

Around the world, many man-built structures have, for a period of time, been named the tallest building in the world. From more than 4,500 years ago to the present, here's a timeline detailing the record holders, from Giza to Dubai.

Great Pyramid

Giza, Egypt

About 2550 BC to 1311, 1548-1569, 1573-1625

Height: 455 feet (481.4 feet before corrosion)

The Great Pyramid – also known as the Pyramid of Cheops after the Egyptian pharaoh for whom the pyramid was built to bury – is the largest of the pyramids of Giza. This pyramid is known to us as a giant sandy structure, but in its brilliant days it was shimmering white, due to the presence of its original limestone cover that eroded over time. Khufu enjoyed three reigns in which he deserved the title of the tallest building in the world, where rivals emerged and then collapsed during the medieval period and during the Renaissance. During his first unparalleled reign of existence at the top of the ranking, which totaled nearly four thousand years, the only competitor he approached in terms of height was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was about 350 feet high before its fall and extinction.

Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln, England

1311-1548

Height: 525 feet*

The construction of this early Gothic cathedral with a majestic view took three centuries. After its central spire was erected, the cathedral appeared to be the ruler of the heavens and is on its hilltop position in Lincolnshire. There, the locally beloved "Lincoln Goblin" is seen watching the famous church choir complemented by angel sculptures. This goblin is a grotesque creature with horns carved into the top of a column adjacent to the main building. The story says that the goblin, sent by Satan to cause damage, was turned into stone by an avenging angel, and then never left the church.

With the construction of Lincoln Cathedral, the title of "World's Tallest Building" entered the era of competing Christian churches. In 1548, after the spire of Lincoln Cathedral fell into a severe storm, St. Mary's Church in Stralsund in Germany received the title, with a height of 495 feet. The spire of St. Mary's Church then collapsed, allowing a French church to take center stage.

Cathedral of Our Lady in Strasbourg

Strasbourg, France

1647-1874

Height: 465.9 feet

Among the cathedrals that held the height record after Lincoln Cathedral, Strasbourg Cathedral retained the title for the longest term. Victor Hugo described it as a "miraculous miracle", while Goethe likened it to "the towering tree of God of lofty height and sprawling in breadth". Throughout its long history, this cathedral has suffered various damages in multiple wars. Projectiles set fire to its main dish during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870; during World War I, two of its bells were removed for metal; and during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, Hitler's army stole its stained glass windows. In 1945, these windows were rediscovered in a German salt mine by U.S. Army archaeologists, a group of preachers deployed to preserve works of art.

The height record returned to Germany in 1874, with the completion of the 484-foot-high St. Nicholas Church in Hamburg. In 1876, the French cathedral of Rouen received the title, standing 495 feet high. Finally, in 1880, Germany's 515-foot-high Cologne Cathedral became the last church to hold the height record.

Washington Memorial

Washington, D.C.

1884-1889

Height: 555.4 feet

The long series of high-rise buildings dedicated to the worship of God came to an end when the Washington Memorial was completed to honor the first president of the United States. As a result of funding difficulties that halted construction, this obelisk was built in two phases, using three different pieces of marble. The stones have been affected by the weather differently, so visitors can still see the pleasant contrast between their colors. In a miraculous way, mortar was not used in the construction of the monument. Standing upright depends only on the weight of its stones and on the friction between them.

Eiffel Tower

Paris

1889-1929

Altitude: 1,024 feet*

Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel first exhibited his grid design at the 1889 Universal Exposition, originally called the "300-meter Tower". But its height isn't really quite constant: as its iron expands or shrinks due to temperature changes, the tower grows a few inches tall each summer, while it shrinks in winter. It has been painted 19 times, mostly by hand, in order to protect and preserve the metal. The Eiffel Tower was given covers in different colors of reddish brown, yellow and chestnut before taking on its current cover with its distinctive color "Eiffel Tower Brown" in 1968.

Building Empire State

New York City

1931-1970

Altitude: 1250 feet*

The Chrysler Building has not enjoyed the first place for the height of buildings for a long time. By the time he first appeared, the foundation stone had already been laid for the Empire State Building, which was destined to outperform its downtown neighbor after just 13 months of construction. The Art Deco Lounge in the tower is a historic landmark, but most visitors come to enjoy the view from above. The tower has been ranked as the country's most important tourist attraction, attracting four million visitors — and about 25 lightning strikes — each year.

Petronas Barja

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1996-2004

Height: 1,483 feet

Built to be the headquarters of the Malaysian oil company Petronas, these twin towers are connected by a two-storey long bridge on the 41st and 42nd floors. In order to install the two buildings they have a foundation that extends 400 feet underground. The shape that each tower gives its impression of the earth is inspired by the eight-pointed star, a traditional Malaysian Islamic shape.

Taipei 101

Taipei, Taiwan

2004-2010

Height: 1,667 feet

On New Year's Eve in 2004, the first appearance of the Taipei Financial Center was made by an explosion that was the opening of the now-famous annual fireworks display. For some, the tower's design reminds them of the Pagoda Temple, a traditional multi-layered East Asian tower. But his architect actually based the design of the building's appearance on bamboo leg specifications. Now known as Taipei 101, the tower has an indoor and outdoor astronomical observatory, a mall and fine dining restaurants.

Burj Khalifa

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2010–present

Height: 2,717 feet

This "gigantic" skyscraper — a classification that includes buildings over 1,968 feet tall — was built in just six years and cost $1.5 billion to build. As the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa also holds other records, for the highest observation deck, the tallest elevator shaft and others. This impressive tower is 200 floors tall, but only 160 of them are habitable. The accessible floors of this genie house a five-star hotel, offices, restaurants and residences designed by Giorgio Armani.