The tallest buildings in the world have always been symbols of human ambition, engineering feats that reshape city skylines, and expressions of what’s possible in the built environment. These towers trace a geography of 21st-century striving, stretching from East Asia to the Gulf and North America. Advances in high-strength concrete, wind-resistant structural systems, and high-speed elevators have made vertical growth more feasible than ever, while mixed-use programming ensures that supertall buildings function as dense urban ecosystems rather than isolated monuments. Observation decks, luxury hotels, offices, residences, and retail now coexist within single structures, drawing both travelers and locals upward into the heavens.
Even as new contenders emerge, the buildings on this list remain defining landmarks of their cities, instantly recognisable on postcards, film backdrops, and flight approaches. They offer travelers not just sweeping views, but a way to read the aspirations of the places below. Using globally verified height data, this list ranks the tallest buildings in the world by their official architectural height. Heights and rankings are based on data from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), the international authority that standardizes skyscraper measurements. Buildings are ranked by architectural height, which includes spires but excludes antennae and temporary structures. Only completed buildings are included.
A version of this story originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India.
1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai: 828 meters tall
Burj Khalifa, DubaiLu ShaoJi/Getty Images
As the undisputed tallest building on Earth since 2010, this needle-like tower dominates the skyline of Dubai and remains the global benchmark for vertical scale. Designed as the centrepiece of Downtown Dubai, it anchors a district of malls, residences, and fountains that helped redefine the city’s global image.
2. Merdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur: 679 meters tall
Merdeka 118, Kuala Lumpurahmadjaa/Getty Images