This is a list of tallest freestanding steel structures in the world past and present. To be a freestanding steel structure it must not be supported by guy wires, the list therefore does not include guyed masts and the main vertical and lateral structural elements and floor systems in the case of buildings, are constructed from steel. This type of construction is a rarity today as most tall buildings are built with a composite structure featuring a reinforced concrete core.
Oil platforms built using rigid steel jackets, such as the Bullwinkle (oil platform), are included and ranked as the local medium(water) does not provide any horizontal support. In fact they are over engineered specifically to resist water forces them rather than modulate them as compliant towers are designed to do.
Demolished structures and structures under construction are also included but not ranked.
Steel structures (above 275 m / 900 ft in height) indicates a structures no longer standing. indicates a structure built in water. indicates a structure under construction.
For all structures the pinnacle height is given meaning it includes both spires and antennas as long as they are built of steel.
Rank Name Pinnacle height (metres / feet) Year Type Main use Country City Remarks Coordinates 1 Tokyo Skytree 634 2,080 2012 Lattice tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Tokyo Tallest tower in the world. Inclusion on the list is debatable - the external steel lattice provides most of the structural support but the tower also has a concrete core. The two are structurally separated from each other and compensate each other to reduce the overall motion of the building during dynamic events such as earthquakes. 2 Bullwinkle Platform 529 1,736 1989 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico When built the Bullwinkle platform was the second tallest freestanding structure in the world after the CN Tower. 3 Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) 527.0 1,729 1974 Skyscraper Office, observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Chicago Tallest building in the world 1974–1998 (by structural height). World Trade Center (1973–2001) 526.7 1,728 1973 Skyscraper Office, observation, FM/TV-broadcasting New York City Destroyed on 11 September 2001. Tallest freestanding structure that no longer exists. Tallest building in the world 1972–1974. 4 Pompano Platform 477 1,565 1994 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 5 John Hancock Center 457.2 1,500 1969 Skyscraper Office, residential, FM/TV-broadcasting Chicago World's tallest mixed-use building 1969–2008. 6 Empire State Building 449 1,474 1931 Skyscraper Office, observation, UHF/VHF-transmission New York City Tallest freestanding structure 1931–1967.Tallest skyscraper 1931–1973.First Skyscraper with 100+ stories. 7 Harmony Platform 366 1,200 1992 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig List of tallest oil platforms#cite note-2 California Height is only to water level, total height between 1,400 and 1,500 ft, built in South Korea 8 One Vanderbilt 427 1,401 2020 Skyscraper Office, observation New York City 9 JPMorgan Chase World Headquarters 423 1,389 2025 Skyscraper Office, observation New York City Two World Trade Center (1973–2001) 415.3 1,362 1973 Skyscraper Office, observation New York City Destroyed on 11 September 2001. 10 Coelacanth Platform 400 1,312 2016 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 11 Virgo Platform 344 1,130 1999 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico Height is only to water level, total height between 1,300 and 1,400 ft 12 Heritage Platform 326 1,070 1992 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig List of tallest oil platforms#cite note-25 California Height is only to water level, total height between 1,300 and 1,400 ft, built in South Korea 13 30 Hudson Yards 395 1,296 2019 Skyscraper Office, observation, retail New York City Has the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. 14 Zhongyuan Tower 388 1,273 2010 Steel tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Zhengzhou 15 Cognac Platform 385.5 1,265 1977 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 16 tie Kyiv TV Tower 385 1,263 1973 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Kyiv 16 tie Yangtze River Crossing Jiangyin #2 North Tower 385 1,263 2022 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jiangyin Tallest pylons in the world 16 tie Yangtze River Crossing Jiangyin #2 South Tower 385 1,263 2022 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jiangyin 16 tie Torch Tower (Japan) 385 1,263 2028 Skyscraper Office, observation Tokyo 20 tie Jintang and Cezi islands Overhead Powerline Tie, East Tower 380 1,247 2019 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jintang Island Second tallest set of electricity pylons in the world 20 tie Jintang and Cezi islands Overhead Powerline Tie, West tower 380 1,247 2019 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jintang Island 22 Tuntex Sky Tower 378 1,240 1997 Skyscraper Hotel, office, observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Kaohsiung 23 Tashkent Tower 374.9 1,230 1984 Steel tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Tashkent 24 Almaty Tower 371.5 1,219 1983 Steel tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Almaty Tallest free-standing tubular steel structure. 25 tie Zhoushan Island Overhead Powerline Tie North Tower 370 1,214 2010 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Zhoushan Island 25 tie Zhoushan Island Overhead Powerline Tie South Tower 370 1,214 2010 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Zhoushan Island 27 Riga Radio and TV Tower 368.5 1,209 1987 Steel tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Riga Tallest structure in the European Union. 28 Amberjack Platform 314 1,030 1991 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico Height is only to water level, total height between 1,200 and 1,300 ft 29 Schipkau Wind Turbine 365 1,198 2026 Lattice tower Wind Turbine Schipkau 30 Aon Center 362.5 1,189 1973 Skyscraper Office Chicago 31 Taipei Twin Towers 1 360 1,181 2027 Skyscraper Office Taipei 32 First Canadian Place 355 1,165 1975 Skyscraper Office, FM/TV-broadcasting Toronto Tallest skyscraper in Canada 33 Hondo Platform 354.5 1,163 1976 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 34 tie Yangtze River Crossing North Tower 347 1,138 2003 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jiangyin 34 tie Yangtze River Crossing South Tower 347 1,138 2003 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jiangyin 36 The Center 346 1,135 1998 Skyscraper Office Hong Kong 37 4 Times Square 340.7 1,118 2000 Skyscraper Office New York City 38 Dragon Tower 336 1,102 2000 Lattice tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Harbin 39 Tokyo Tower 332.6 1,091 1958 Lattice tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Tokyo Second tallest structure in Japan 40 Minsheng Bank Building 331 1,087 2007 Skyscraper Office Wuhan 41 WITI TV Tower 329.4 1,081 1962 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Shorewood (Milwaukee), Wisconsin 42 tie Cerveza Platform 327 1,073 1981 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 42 tie Cerveza Light Platform 327 1,073 1981 Rigid Steel Jacket (truss tower) Oil Rig Gulf of Mexico 44 tie St. Petersburg TV Tower 326 1,070 1962 Lattice tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting St. Petersburg 44 tie Linyi Radio and TV Tower 326 1,070 2010 Steel tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting, Amusement ride Linyi 46 Eiffel Tower 324 1,063 1889 Lattice tower Observation, FM/TV-broadcasting Paris Tallest structure in the world from 1889 to 1930; first structure to exceed 300 metres in height 47 WHDH-TV Tower 323.8 1,062 1960 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Newton, Massachusetts 48 Highwealth Huiguo 90 323 1,060 2028 Skyscraper Office Taichung 49 Chrysler Building 319 1,046 1930 Skyscraper Office New York City Tallest structure in the world 1930–1931 50 New York Times Building 319 1,046 2007 Skyscraper Office New York City 51 KCTV Broadcast Tower 317.6 1,042 1956 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Kansas City 52 The Spiral 314 1,041 2023 Skyscraper Office, observation New York City Turner Broadcasting tower (1967-2010) 314.3 1,031 1980 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Atlanta, Georgia Demolished in 2010 53 TV Tower Yerevan 311.7 1,023 1977 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Yerevan 54 U.S. Bank Tower 311 1,018 1990 Skyscraper Office Los Angeles 55 Fazilka TV Tower 304.8 1,000 2007 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Fazilka 56 Wells Fargo Plaza 302 992 1983 Skyscraper Office Houston 57 tie Mumbai Television Tower 300 984 1972 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Mumbai 57 tie Abeno Harukas 300 984 2014 Skyscraper Office, Observation Osaka Tallest skyscraper in Japan. 59 Sutro Tower 297.8 977 1973 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting San Francisco, California 60 Landmark Tower 296.3 972 1993 Skyscraper Office, Observation Yokohama 61 tie Tucuruí transmission line North Tower 295 968 2013 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jurupari island 61 tie Tucuruí transmission line South Tower 295 968 2013 Lattice tower Electricity pylon Jurupari island 63 WKRQ Tower 294.6 967 1960's Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Cincinnati, Ohio 64 Zhuzhou Television Tower 293 961 1999 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Shijiazhuang 65 Star Tower 290.8 954 1991 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Cincinnati, Ohio Landmark tower design 66 70 Pine Street 290.2 952 1932 Skyscraper Office New York 67 WLWT TV Tower 289.6 950 1978 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Cincinnati, Ohio 68 One Liberty Place 288 945 1987 Skyscraper Office Philadelphia 69 Dudelange Radio Tower 285 935 1957 Lattice tower FM-broadcasting Dudelange 70 tie Akashi Kaikyō Bridge North Tower 282.8 928 1998 Bridge Transportation Kobe 70 tie Akashi Kaikyō Bridge South Tower 282.8 928 1998 Bridge Transportation Kobe 70 tie Cheung Kong Centre 282.8 928 1999 Skyscraper Office Hong Kong 73 40 Wall Street 282.6 927 1930 Skyscraper Office New York 74 tie United Overseas Bank Plaza 280 919 1992 Skyscraper Office Singapore 74 tie Shijiazhuang TV-tower 280 919 1998 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Shijiazhuang 74 tie AIR tower 280 919 2013 Lattice tower FM-broadcasting Amritsar originally intended to be 300 m tall currently 280 m due to a tilt in the towers angle. 77 tie Taipei Twin Towers 2 280 918 2027 Skyscraper Office Taipei 77 tie The Sky Taipei 280 918 2025 Skyscraper Office Taipei 79 Citigroup Center 278.9 915 1977 Skyscraper Office New York 80 OUB Centrehttps://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/9b252a4a-3c8a-11e4-859c-0050568939ad 277.8 911 1992 Skyscraper Office Singapore 81 tiePrudential Tower276.49071964SkyscraperOfficeBostonTallest building in Boston when counting by pinnacle height. 81 tie Net 25 Tower 276.4 907 1990 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Quezon City 83 WCPO TV Tower 276 905 1965 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Cincinnati, Ohio 84 Perm TV tower 275 902 2016 Lattice tower FM/TV-broadcasting Perm 85 tie Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower 275 901 1972 Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Tbilisi 85 tie RCTI TV Tower 275 901 ? Lattice tower TV-broadcasting Jakarta 85 tie Williams Tower 275 901 1982 Skyscraper Office Houston
See also List of tallest buildings List of tallest towers List of tallest freestanding structures List of tallest buildings and structures List of tallest structures by country List of tallest oil platforms Lattice tower
References