Record-breaking buildings are some of the people’s favorite structures to behold – perhaps simply because we are in awe in their presence. But, looks can be deceiving. Just because a building looks big to us, that doesn’t mean it is one of the heaviest in the world.
There are massive amounts of material that go into the construction of these big old buildings, and it all adds up in the end.
What are the world’s heaviest buildings? In no particular order, here are 23 of the world’s heaviest buildings:
1. The Palace of Parliament
Our heavyweight champion building of the world is in Bucharest, Romania. The Palace of Parliament is over 4 million tons in weight, though it only has 12 floors. This giant building took over 13 years to construct from start to finish.
2. One World Trade Center
The One World Trade Center building is the remaining building in New York City, New York. It was rebuilt after the attacks of 9/11. It stands 1,792 ft tall from tip to base and weighs about 500,000 tons. The fact that it is a staggering 3.5 million sq ft in size can show you how it ranks as one of the heaviest buildings in the world.
3. Pyramid of Khufu
Pyramids are known to be constructed from impossibly heavy stones, and The Pyramid of Khufu in The Greater Cairo of Egypt tops the charts. Also known as The Pyramid of Giza, this breathtaking pyramid is one of the seven wonders of the world, and weighs in at approximately 5,750,000 tons!
4. NASA Vehicle Assembly Building
This building is used for the construction of rockets. It covers 8 acres and took 98,590 tons of steel to construct, making it one of the largest & heaviest buildings in the world. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island In Florida is the location of this enormous structure.
5. Great Mosque of Mecca
Mosques are typically some of the largest structures around. The Great Mosque of Mecca can hold up to 4 million people at once and covers a staggering 99 acres of land! It is more than 4.9 million square feet. Conservative estimates would put the weight of construction material at over 850,000 tons.
6. The Burj Khalifa
This skyscraper holds many records, and one of those is for the tallest building of the world at 2,716.5 feet tall. This enormous structure is also one of the heaviest, weighing over 2.2 million tons!
7. The New Century Global Center
Chengdu, China, is home to the largest building in terms of square footage at almost 19 million sq ft! Over 4 million of those square feet of space is dedicated to a wide variety of stores, the rest of the center includes things like an iMax theater and hotels. Nearly 2.3 million tons.
8. Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower is not only one of the tallest mega skyscrapers in the world, but also hold a top record for one of the fastest moving elevators in the world and is seen as one of the greenest skyscrapers ever built. The tower weighs in at over 850,000 tons!
9. The Pentagon
A record-holding structure for the largest office building in the world, The Pentagon in Arlington, VA, is almost 4 million sq ft! The building itself spans close to 30 acres of land. The Pentagon includes 700,000 tons of sand from the nearby Potomac River.
10. Taipei 101
This mega skyscraper was constructed with a 728-ton damper. In addition to the massive damper, there are 101 floors in this iconic building in Taipei, Taiwan. Approximately 240,000 tons.
11. Lotte World Tower
Seoul, South Korea, is the home of the 1,821-foot tall skyscraper. This structure weighs in at over 750,000 tons and took over five years to construct.
12. Q1
In Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland, Australia, the massive Q1 tower that weighs over 87 tons. Fun fact, the Q1 has 1,331 steps to get to the top, or you can ride the speedy elevator that will carry you 77 floors in under a minute!
13. Makkah Clock Tower
This amazing clock tower is the biggest and tallest in the world and is located in Saudi Arabia. You can see the tower from almost 11 miles away! The tower alone weighs 36,000 tons and contains 76 elevators!
14. The Abraj Al. Bait Complex
Though it is not just one heavy stand-alone building, this massive complex has earned its right to be on this list. Including a staggering seven skyscrapers, and the Makkah Clock Tower. Not only is it one of the biggest constructions in the world, but it is also the most expensive build, to date, at 15 billion dollars.
15. Windsor Castle
The Royal Windsor Castle was originally built in the late 11th century to be a fortress, and later became the home of the royal family. It now holds the record for the largest home in the world. It is known for its towers, which can be seen from the surrounding town of Windsor, Berkshire. Since it was built to be a fortress, this castle is undoubtedly one of the heaviest stone buildings ever created.
16. Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin sees almost 3,000,000 visitors per year! The Kremlin is located in the heart of Moscow, Russia. The exact weight would be quite hard to calculate as it is made up of five palaces, four cathedrals, a stone wall, and massive towers surrounding the perimeter.
17. Hohensalzburg Castle
Ranking as one of the largest medieval castles in all of Europe, The Hohensalzburg Castle (or fortress) took over 400 years to construct. Located in Salzburg, Austria, this fortress looms over the city below with a strong presence.
18. Mehrangarh Fort
It is almost impossible to look at this fort, and not be overwhelmed by how massive it is. Located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan Mehrangarh Fort sits over 400 ft above the city surrounded by a thick stone wall. It is open to the public, where you can visit the museum and revel in the culture & vastness of the fort.
19. Malbork Castle
The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork is the world’s largest castle. Located in Malbork, Poland, and built in the 13th century. Constructed mostly of brick, this structure weighs in on the high ends of the scale. It is 1,545,600 square feet and roughly 185,000 tons.
20. St. Peter’s Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, as it is formally known, is located in the Vatican for being the biggest church in the world. Built in 1626, this Vatican church is thought to be one of the greatest pieces of architecture of its time. It took over 100 years to construct this massive stone building that is now 4,200,000 sq. ft and more than 500,000 tons.
21. Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida is one of the largest churches in the world. Located in Aparecida, Brazil, this famous church houses a statue of the Virgin Mary. The church seats 45,000 people but can accommodate up to 350,000 during outdoor services.
22. Torre Mayor
The Torre Mayor, or Major Tower, is located in the heart of Mexico City, Mexico. The reason this 55 story tower is so heavy is that it was built to sustain earthquakes that are very common in Mexico City. The earthquake-proof tower proved itself during a 7.6 earthquake in 2003 that rocked Mexico City but didn’t do any damage to Torre Mayor. Its gross floor area is 1,687,103 sq ft.
23. The First World Hotel
Located in Pahang, Malaysia, this 7,351 room hotel holds the record for the biggest in the world. With an average room size of 170 sq ft, the hotel boasts approximately 1.25 million sq ft of rooms alone. Not only is it a grand hotel, but it also houses multiple restaurants, a shopping mall, and a 500,000 sq ft theme park!
