Nowadays, skyscrapers are ubiquitous and ordinary. What about the days before concrete jungles were the new normal? Throughout history, soaring structures were built for humankind to marvel at. Make sure to stretch your neck muscles because these towering buildings will have you looking up!
Hwangnyongsa
Hwangnyongsa was a Buddhist temple in Gyeongju, South Korea. It was finished in 569 AD during the Silla era after a 17-year construction phase. There is significant controversy about the actual height at which it stood, but it was nine floors and was likely between 68m (923 feet) and 80m in height (262 ft). As with the pyramids, the temple is shrouded in tradition and mystery. However, it is widely accepted that the temple was erected after a vision from God instructing King Jinheung to establish a temple on the spot.
Cathedral of Lincoln
Lincoln Cathedral has a long and illustrious history of collapse and reconstruction. The size, color, and weathering of the masonry that comprise the cathedral make it simple to distinguish the various historical eras. Construction on the cathedral began in 1072 but was destroyed by fire in 1124. Only to be rebuilt and demolished in 1185 by an earthquake of all things in Lincolnshire. The cathedral was reconstructed between 1192 to 1235; unfortunately, they didn’t have BIM (Building Information Modeling) back then. As the building was somewhat experimental, the central tower fell barely two years later, in 1237. The cathedral stood for 237 years until 1548 when the central spire fell. When you consider how avant-garde the design was at the time, that’s quite an accomplishment. It has been reduced to a more manageable 83 meters (272 ft). However, Lincoln Cathedral is more than a lofty structure. The well-known “Lincoln Imp,” hiding in the rafters, is a source of excitement for youngsters. Meanwhile, the Dean’s and Bishop’s Eyes shed magnificent hues throughout the interior on the north and south sides. Unbelievably, part of the original medieval glass survives, and one can only imagine how visitors to the cathedral at the time sensed God’s presence.
Ulm Cathedral
Ulm Cathedral, like Lincoln Cathedral, has been renovated multiple times. It was founded in 1377 and turned into a protestant church in 1530. Due to a lack of financing, the building ceased in 1543, and the cathedral languished at a modest 100m (328ft) until 1817 when construction was resumed.
Paris’s Eiffel Tower
No list of the world’s highest buildings would be complete without including the Eiffel Tower, which reached a height of 312 meters (1024 feet) in 1889, crushing all prior records to smithereens. She has grown 12 meters (39 feet) taller due to her radio antenna and now stands as a monument to the industrial revolution and human ingenuity.