Tallest buildings in the world: top 5 (2026)

1. CTBUH Skyscraper CenterNews reportBurj Khalifa 828 m, Dubai, completed 2010, Global Height rank 1828 m / 2,717 ftskyscrapercenter.com/building/burj-khalifa/3
2. Guinness World RecordsPrimary sourceBurj Khalifa 828 mThe tallest building is the Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) which measures 828 m (2,716 ft 6 in) tall.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-building
3. CTBUH Skyscraper CenterNews reportMerdeka 118 678.9 m (679 m), Kuala Lumpur, completed 2023, Global Height rank 2678.9 m / 2,227 ftskyscrapercenter.com/building/merdeka-pnb118/10115
4. DezeenNews reportMerdeka 118 678.9 m, world's second-tallestThe 678.9-metre-tall Merdeka 118 skyscraperdezeen.com/2021/12/13/worlds-second-tallest-skyscraper-merdeka-118-tops-out/
5. CTBUH Skyscraper CenterNews reportShanghai Tower 632 m, Shanghai, completed 2015, Global Height rank 3632 m / 2,073 ftskyscrapercenter.com/building/shanghai-tower/56
6. Illinois Institute of Technology (CTBUH release)Research or own measurementShanghai Tower 632 m, finished late 2015at a height of 632 meterstoday.iit.edu/ctbuh-recognizes-completion-of-shanghai-tower-now-the-second-talle
7. CTBUH Skyscraper CenterNews reportMakkah Royal Clock Tower 601 m, Mecca, completed 2012, Global Height rank 4601 m / 1,972 ftskyscrapercenter.com/building/makkah-royal-clock-tower/84
8. The Skyscraper MuseumNews reportMakkah Royal Clock Tower 601 m, completed 2012601 meters / 1,972 feet to the tip of the crescent spireskyscraper.org/supertall/building/makkah-royal-clock-tower/
9. CTBUH Skyscraper CenterNews reportPing An Finance Centre 599.1 m (599 m), Shenzhen, completed 2017, Global Height rank 5599.1 m / 1,965 ftskyscrapercenter.com/building/ping-an-finance-centre/54
10. DezeenNews reportPing An Finance Centre 599 m, fourth tallest when ranked in 2018At 599 metres, it is the fourth tallest building in the worlddezeen.com/2018/01/30/kohn-pederson-fox-kpf-ping-an-finance-centre-skyscraper-fo
11. World History EncyclopediaNews reportGreat Pyramid: tallest man-made structure for over 3,000 yearswas the tallest structure made by human hands in the world; a record it held for over 3,000 yearsworldhistory.org/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza/
12. History.comNews reportGreat Pyramid tallest man-made structure for more than 3,800 years; Lincoln Cathedral first to surpass it, spire placed 1311The first such structure to surpass the Great Pyramid's height was the Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln, England.history.com/articles/tallest-buildings-in-the-world
13. Google Arts & CultureNews reportGreat Pyramid originally about 146.5 m (rounded to 147 m), built in the 26th century BCbuilt in the 26th century BC during a period of around 27 yearsartsandculture.google.com/entity/m036mk
14. Gulf NewsNews reportJeddah Tower unfinished: 116th floor reached, 157 floors planned, completion target late 2028That leaves 41 of the 157 planned floors to be built.gulfnews.com/business/property/jeddah-tower-crosses-116-floors-completion-timeli

Music

“Forgotten Land” by Doxent Zsigmond (feat. Gurdonark, Joanne Gabriel) (CC BY 3.0), edited for length. All music credits

Period

As of October 2026. Figures like these change over time; see the accuracy and disclaimer.

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