Top 10 world's tallest freestanding towers

CW Staff , September 27th, 2010

When it comes to ranking the world's tallest structures, freestanding towers have a long and proud history of displacing skyscrapers as the loftiest construction projects on earth.

It was Moscow's Ostankino Tower that finally snatched the Empire State Building's title as world's tallest structure when it was completed in 1967 - 36 years after the New York icon first topped the world. And it was another tower, Toronto's CN Tower, that gained the title nine years later when it topped out at 553m, just 13m more than the Russia building.

This list consists solely of non-habitable freestanding towers. While it could be argued that the Burj Khalifa should sit atop this category, the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat lists buildings, such as skyscrapers and supertall hotel, office and residential properties separately from freestanding towers.

We’ve also based the list on current published heights. Changes to specifications on towers may have taken place (changes to broadcast equipment, mast heights), but we’ve stuck to official claims published by the CTBUH for the sake of clarity. Any changes made will be reflected in constant monitoring of this list.

We've also excluded ongoing projects, projects under construction and those that may have been approved but have yet to be started.

The World's 10 tallest freestanding towers
1. CN Tower
2. Ostankino Tower
3. Oriental Pearl Tower
4. Milad Tower
5. Menara Kuala Lumpur
6. Tianjin Radio & TV Tower
7. Central Radio & TV Tower
8. Kiev TV Tower
9. Gerbrandy Tower
10. Tashkent Tower

Next: CN Tower

1. CN Tower
It may be well over 30 years old but the CN Tower in Toronto is still the tallest free-standing tower in the world, according to the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat – even though the under construction the Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower surpassed the height of the CN Tower in 2009.

Deisgned by architect John Andrews at Canada’s WZMH Architects, construction started with site excavation works in 1973, and foundations completed soon after. More than 7000m³ concrete, 450 tons of rebar and 36 tons of steel cable went in to the foundations.

A hydraulic slipform system was used to build the main pillar and, as the project predated laser levels and GPS systems, the entire project was kept level using massive plumb-bobs attached to the slipform and telescopes to monitor them. The system was used so accurately that the entire tower deviates from its true vertical accuracy by just over an inch.

The main shaft is a hollow hexagonal concrete pillar that contains six elevators and stairwells. The seven storey Sky Pod tower head contains an observation deck, revolving restaurant and floors packed with transmission and receiving equipment for cellphone, radio and television signals.

The observation deck is also the third highest in the world, surpassed by that at the Shanghai World Financial Centre’s (474m), and the Burj Khalifa’s at 452m. The structure

Location: Toronto, Canada
Height: 553m
Observation deck height: 447m
Year completed: 1976
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Ostankino Tower

2. Ostankino Tower
Designed by Nikolai Nikitin, the Ostankino Tower was built between 1963 and 1967 and surpassed the Empire State Building as the world’s tallest free-standing structure when completed.

It held the record for nine years before the CN Tower snatched the title in 1976. After 43 years, it is still considered the tallest tower in Europe

Standing 540m high, the tower was also the first free-standing structure to exceed 500m thanks to the extensive use of prestressed concrete.

There are many other structures in the pipeline around the world that look set to surpass the Ostankino Tower, but until they do, the structure will hold on to its spot in our rankings.

Location: Moscow, Russia
Height: 540m
Observation deck height: 337m
Year completed: 1967
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Oriental Pearl Tower

3. Oriental Pearl Tower
The ornate design of Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower disguises the rather mundane core purpose of the building as a communication tower.

It is, of course, much more than a simple mast for TV transmission, cellphone signals and radio broadcasts: the 468m structure also hosts a hotel and 15 observation levels (the highest at 350m), making it one of the most inspiring buildings ever constructed.

The tower contains 11 spheres: the two largest are 50m (the lower of the two) and 45m in diameter, and the entire structure is supported by three massive columns that are anchored securely beneath ground level.

It’s claimed the building’s design is based on a verse of Tang Dynasty poem, but designer Jiang Huancheng said that he didn’t have that in mind when creating the building.

Location: Shanghai, China
Height: 468m
Observation deck height: 350m
Year completed: 1995
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunicatio

Next: Milad Tower

4. Milad Tower
At 435m, Tehran’s Milad Tower is second only to the Burj Khalifa as the Middle East’s tallest building.

The tower consists of five main parts: the foundation, transition/lobby area, tower shaft, tower head structure and antenna mast.

Designed by local architect Dr Mohammad Reza Hafezi and built by Iranian firm Heydari Sazeh Co, construction started with groundbreaking on site in 2000.

The lobby structure consists of six floors, with three floors containing 63 shops, 11 food courts, a cafeteria and 260m² commercial products exhibition area.

The concrete shaft is 315m high and contains six elevators which whisk visitors to the 25,000 ton, 12 floor tower head which contains a revolving restaurant, both enclosed and open observation decks, telecoms dedicated floors, a VIP restaurant, mechanical floors and a sky dome.

The project was finished in 2007 and opened the following year.

Location: Tehan, Iran
Height: 435m
Observation deck height: 293m
Year completed: 2008
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunication

Next: Manara Kuala Lumpur

5. Menara Kuala Lumpur
The Malaysian capital’s skyline is dominated by three structures: the iconic twin Petronas towers and the Menara Kuala Lumpur communication and observation tower.

Construction of the tower started in 1984 and was completed over a six year, three phase project. The tower required 50,000m3 of concrete for its foundations, while work on the superstructure began on January 1, 1987.

The structure is divided in to five basis sections: the base houses three basement floors; the tourist building contains the administration office, souvenir shops and mall; the tower shaft, comprising 22 levels with four elevators and 2058 steps; the tower head, with the main observation deck and revolving restaurant with telecommunication and broadcasting equipment; and the antenna.

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Height: 420m
Observation deck height: 276m
Year completed: 1996
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Tianjin Radio and TV Tower

6. Tianjin Radio & TV Tower
Tianjin’s Radio and TV Tower was completed in 1991 and currently holds the record as China’s fifth tallest building and the 11th tallest building in the world.

The observation deck sits at 253m and offers tremendous views of the city and surrounding districts below.

Location: Tianjin, China
Height: 415m
Observation deck height: 253m
Year completed: 1991
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Central Radio and TV Tower

7. Central Radio & TV Tower
Beijing’s tallest building was completed in 1992 after a five-year build and, at 386.5m stands as the 13th tallest building in the world.

Built to house broadcast equipment for China Central Television, the tower provides stunning views of the city from its rotating restaurant and observation deck.

A race to the top of the tower is held every year in which participants run two laps of the tower’s base before ascending the 1484 steps to the observation deck.

Location: Beijing, China
Height: 387m
Observation deck height: 248m
Year completed: 1992
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Kiev TV Tower

8. Kiev TV Tower
Another tower built behind the Iron Curtain prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kiev Tower is the tallest free-standing steel lattice construction in the world.

The tower weighs 2,700 tons and is unique in the fact that no mechanical fasteners were used in its construction: the entire this is welding together, including every joint, pipe and fixture.

The tower sits on a four-legged base that is about 100m tall. On top of that is an enclosed level that is home to microwave transmission and receiving equipment. At around 200m, a second enclosed level holds TV and FM transmitting equipment.

The tower was originally designed for Moscow but plans were dropped in favour of the Ostankino Tower and later resurrected, albeit shorted by 30% as to not rival the Moscow tower’s height.
It holds the record for being the tallest building in Europe.

Location: Kiev, Ukraine
Height: 385m
Observation deck height:
Year completed: 1974
Made of: steel
Use: telecommunications

Next: Gerbrandy Tower

9. Gerbrandy Tower
Named after Pieter Gerbrandy, prime minister of the Netherlands during WWII, the Gerbrandy Tower was finished in 1961 after a three year build. Used for directional radio services and as an FM and TV transmitter, the tower consists of a 100m concrete tower with a guyed mast mounted on top.

Though it’s almost 50 years old, the tower remains the tallest in western Europe and the 15th tallest structure in the world.

Location: IJsselstein (NL)
Height: 375m
Observation deck height: none
Year completed: 1961
Made of: concrete
Use: telecommunications

Next: Tashkent Tower

10. Tashkent Tower
The TV Tower in Tashkent is a striking steel structure that dominates the Uzbek city’s skyline. Originally started in 1978, the tower began operations six years later.

Designed by local architects Terxiev, Tsarucov & Semashko, the vertical cantilever structure is made out of steel – and has an observation deck at 97 metres above ground level.

The World Federation of Great Towers ranks the Tashkent Tower eighth in its list of 32 global members. One of the key criteria for inclusion in the Federation list is that the building must have an observation deck.

Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Height: 375m
Observation deck height: 97.3m
Year completed: 1985
Made of: steel
Use: telecommunications