Top 10 Biggest Skylines of the World
A skyline is described as the overall view of the tall buildings and structures of a city. It consists of many skyscrapers. The skylines are like the fingerprints of a city. None of them look similar to each other. Many television shows, movies, sports programs use the skylines as their respective locations. The top ten biggest skylines in the world are as follows:
1. Hong Kong
Hong Kong is at the top of the list. With a population of about 6.9 million, Hong Kong has 43 buildings which are above 200m. This makes Hong Kong have the first entry in the biggest skylines in the world. It has also many unique tall towers which are decorated with wonderful colors and lights at night.
The backdrop mountain makes the city look even more attractive and beautiful. A few examples of tall structures in Hong Kong are Central Plaza and Cheung Kong Center.
2. Chicago, United States
The first high structure of steel built in 1885 was not exactly the tallest building, but the design was an example about the new style of engineering. There are 19 buildings which are above 200 meters. The population of Chicago counts about 9.5 million. It has some finest architecture and modern skyscrapers in the world like the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower and still often calls that), Aon Center, and the John Hancock Center.
Click here to get tickets to visit the observation deck at Willis Tower
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3. Shanghai, China
The most advanced and largest city in China is Shanghai, which has a population of about 13.1 million. In Shanghai there are about 25 buildings which are above 200 meters, which is why it has one of the biggest skylines in the world. Two of those buildings are the 468m high Oriental pearl tower and the 490m Shanghai world financial center.
4. New York City, United States
The skyline of New York contains various designs of the architectural buildings. The population of the city is 21.0 million. One can recognize the skyline very easily. It is considered to be the earliest skyline in the world. Few examples are Rockefeller Center, New York Times building, and the Chrysler Building. New York City has the highest collection of 48 buildings which are above 200 meters. If you’re planning to visit, check out our list of things to do in New York City.
5. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan has the highest population in the world. It is about 32.0 million. The skyline has certain distinct features which are different from the other skylines. 15 structures in the city are over 200 meters. Tokyo Tower has a special night lighting which changes its colors every night. The buildings have contemporary architecture and are decorated with an effect of neon lighting for beautiful night reflection. Almost every corner of Tokyo seems to have its own distinct skyline.
The Tokyo Skytree is the tallest structure in Japan at 2080 feet. It’s Tembo Deck, at 350 meters up, gives you a beautiful view of the city of Tokyo. You can also choose to visit the Tembo Galleria, at 450 meters.
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6. Singapore
Singapore is the cleanliest and the best planned city all over the world. The population is comparatively lesser than the other cities as it counts 3.8 million. Due to the restriction of the air control traffic the buildings should be lower than 280 meters. There are 8 buildings that are over 200 meters and exactly 3 of them are 280 meters. The famous structures include the Republic Plaza and One Raffles Place (formerly OUB Centre).
7. Toronto, Canada
The population in Toronto, Canada is 5.1 million. It has 11 structures over 200 meters and one of them is the CN Tower. The CN tower makes the skyline most identifiable and may be why people immediately think of it when pondering the biggest skylines in the world.
Since 2009, 4 structures above 200 meters were formed. Toronto Trump Tower is one of them.
8. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The skyline of Kuala Lumpur is very impressive, and it is not as dense as some other cities. The buildings are allowed to stand out individually. The population is 1.5 million. The Petronas Twin Towers (420m) is the highest structure in Kuala Lumpur and popular in films. The other taller structures include the Maybank Tower and Telecom Tower.
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9. Shenzhen, China
The population of the city is 4.2 million. It has 13 buildings which are above 200 meters. Shun Hing Square is in the 8th position among the tallest buildings. After the sunset the city looks awesome due to its well designed skyline and bright lights. Unfortunately, the city is criticized sometimes due to the large amount of smog.
10. Seoul, South Korea
The skyline of Seoul contains clusters of business as well as residential buildings. There are exactly 10 buildings which are above 200 meters. The skyline has the combination of both ancient and modern architecture buildings that serve its population of 20.8 million.
Conclusion: Biggest Skylines in the World
The skylines of the above mentioned cities reflect real beauty and the modern architecture. They are the symbolic locations which make the city look more attractive and beautiful.
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I always say that it is better to build up than out. With the population density of some of these cities, it is amazing to think about how many people live is such a small area. I can’t imagine what they will look like in 20 or 50 years.
Paul, it’s funny, some cities have no choice. I lived for 5 years in Houston, TX, and the urban sprawl was insane. It took 90-120 minutes to drive from the west suburb to the east side of town.