This list ranks the tallest buildings in the European Union that stand at least 150 metres (492 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This means that spires and other architectural details are included in the official height, but not antenna masts, as it is defined by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Only habitable buildings are ranked, which excludes radio masts and towers, observation towers, cathedrals, steeples, chimneys and other tall architectural structures.

Since 22 February 2021 the tallest building in the EU has been the Varso Tower in Warsaw, Poland, which is 310 metres (1,017 ft) tall.[1]

Existing buildings

This list includes buildings under construction that have already been architecturally topped out. Architectural height is considered, so masts and other elements added after completion of building are not considered.

  Was the union's tallest building upon completion
  Was the country's tallest building upon completion
Rank Name Image City Height in m (ft)[2] Floors Year built
1 Varso Tower Warsaw 310 m (1,017 ft) 53 2022
2 Commerzbank Tower Frankfurt 259 m (850 ft) 56 1997
3 Messeturm Frankfurt 256.5 m (842 ft) 64 1990
4 Torre de Cristal Madrid 249 m (817 ft) 52 2009
5 Torre Cepsa Madrid 248.3 m (815 ft) 45 2008
6 Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw 237 m (778 ft)[a] 42 1955
7 Torre PwC Madrid 236 m (774 ft) 52 2008
8 Unicredit Tower Milan 231 m (758 ft) 35 2011
Tour First Paris 231 m (758 ft) 52 2011
10 Torre Emperador Madrid 224.2 m (736 ft) 57 2008
11 DC Towers Vienna 220 m (722 ft) 60 2013
Tour Hekla Paris 220 m (722 ft) 48 2022
Warsaw Spire Warsaw 220 m (722 ft) 49 2016
14 De Zalmhaven Rotterdam 215 m (705 ft) 61 2021
15 Sky Tower Wrocław 212 m (696 ft) 50 2012
16 Allianz Tower Milan 209 m (686 ft) 50 2014
17 Tour Montparnasse Paris 209 m (686 ft) 59 1972
Piedmont Region Headquarters[4] Turin 209 m (686 ft) 42 2021
19 Westendstraße 1 Frankfurt 208 m (682 ft) 53 1993
Warsaw Trade Tower Warsaw 208 m (682 ft) 43 1999
21 Intempo Benidorm 202.5 m (664 ft) 55 2021
22 Millennium Tower Vienna 202 m (663 ft) 50 1999
Warsaw Unit Warsaw 200.7 m (658 ft) 46 2021
24 Main Tower Frankfurt 200 m (656 ft) 55 1999
Tower 185 Frankfurt 200 m (656 ft) 55 2011
Tour Incity Lyon 200 m (656 ft) 39 2015
27 Skyliner Warsaw 195 m (640 ft) 45 2021
28 Tour Majunga Paris 194 m (636 ft) 45 2014
29 Złota 44 Warsaw 192 m (630 ft) 54 2012
30 ONE Frankfurt 191 m (627 ft) 49 2022
31 Turning Torso Malmö 190 m (623 ft) 54 2005
32 Omniturm[5] Frankfurt 189.9 m (623 ft) 45 2019
33 Trianon Frankfurt 186 m (610 ft) 45 1993
Gran Hotel Bali Benidorm 186 m (610 ft) 52 2002
35 Tour GDF Suez Paris 185 m (607 ft) 37 2008
European Central Bank Headquarters Frankfurt 185 m (607 ft) 45 2014
37 Tour Granite Paris 183 m (600 ft) 35 2008
38 Caleido Tower Madrid 181 m (594 ft) 38 2020
39 Olivia Star Gdańsk 180.6 m (593 ft) 47 2018
40 Sevilla Tower Seville 180.5 m (592 ft) 40 2016
41 Grand Tower[6] Frankfurt 180 m (591 ft) 47 2019
42 Tours Duo 1[7] Paris 180 m (591 ft) 39 2021
43 Tour Total Paris 179 m (587 ft) 48 1985
44 Tour Areva Paris 178 m (584 ft) 44 1974
45 Tour Saint-Gobain Paris 178 m (584 ft) 39 2019
46 Generali Tower Milan 177.4 m (582 ft) 44 2017
47 Libeskind Tower Milan 175.5 m (576 ft) 34 2021
48 Tour D2 Paris 171 m (561 ft) 37 2014
49 Tour To-Lyon Lyon 171 m (561 ft) 43 2023
50 Opernturm Frankfurt 170 m (558 ft) 42 2010
Taunusturm[8] Frankfurt 170 m (558 ft) 40 2014
ONE Limassol 170 m (558 ft) 37 2021
53 Tours Société Générale (Tour Alicante) Paris 167 m (548 ft) 37 1995
Tours Société Générale (Tour Chassagne) Paris 167 m (548 ft) 37 1995
Torre Intesa Sanpaolo[9] Turin 167 m (548 ft) 39 2014
56 Tour CB21 Paris 166 m (545 ft) 42 1974
Silberturm Frankfurt 166 m (545 ft) 32 1978
Tour Carpe Diem Paris 166 m (545 ft) 34 2013
59 Cosmopolitan Twarda 2/4[10] Warsaw 165.4 m (543 ft) 46 2013
60 Tour Part-Dieu Lyon 165 m (541 ft) 42 1977
Maastoren Rotterdam 165 m (541 ft) 44 2009
Torre Iberdrola Bilbao 165 m (541 ft) 41 2011
63 InterContinental Warsaw Warsaw 164 m (538 ft) 45 2003
64 Post Tower Bonn 162 m (531 ft) 41 2002
65 Cœur Défense Paris 161 m (528 ft) 40 2001
Palazzo Lombardia Milan 161 m (528 ft) 44 2010
67 Tour Alto[11] Paris 160 m (525 ft) 38 2020
68 Tribunal de Paris[12] Paris 159.7 m (524 ft) 38 2018
69 Westend Gate Frankfurt 159 m (522 ft) 47 1976
Rondo 1 Warsaw 159 m (522 ft) 40 2006
Q22 Warsaw 159 m (522 ft) 47 2016
72 Torre Lúgano[13] Benidorm 158 m (518 ft) 43 2007
New Orleans Rotterdam 158 m (518 ft) 43 2010
Torre Picasso Madrid 156 m (512 ft) 43 1988
75 Deutsche Bank I Frankfurt 155 m (509 ft) 40 1984
Deutsche Bank II Frankfurt 155 m (509 ft) 38 1984
Torre Eurosky Rome 155 m (509 ft) 35 2012
Tour Egée Paris 155 m (509 ft) 40 1999
Tour Adria Paris 155 m (509 ft) 40 2002
Marienturm[14] Frankfurt 155 m (509 ft) 38 2019
Cooltoren Rotterdam 155 m (509 ft) 50 2022
Skysawa[15] Warsaw 155 m (509 ft) 36 2022
83 Torre Mapfre Barcelona 154 m (505 ft) 40 1992
Hotel Arts Barcelona 154 m (505 ft) 44 1994
Skyper Frankfurt 154 m (505 ft) 38 2004
86 Tour Ariane Paris 152 m (499 ft) 36 1975
Montevideo Rotterdam 152 m (499 ft) 43 2005
88 De Rotterdam[16] Rotterdam 151.3 m (496 ft) 44 2013
89 Gebouw Delftse Poort I Rotterdam 151 m (495 ft) 41 1991
Torre Pontina Latina 151 m (495 ft) 37 2010
Tour Trinity Paris 151 m (495 ft) 33 2020
92 Tour Les Poissons Paris 150 m (492 ft) 42 1970
Rembrandt Tower Amsterdam 150 m (492 ft) 41 1992
Hochhaus Neue Donau[17] Vienna 150 m (492 ft) 33 2002

Alternative height measurement

When measuring the height of a building several different points can be viewed as the tallest. Some skyscraper enthusiasts prefer these other measurements. The pinnacle height is the most straightforward measurement, it includes non-architectural elements such as antennas or lightning rods. The architectural height, used as the official height does not include parts that are easily added and removed from tall buildings without significantly changing the style and design of the building. The highest occupied floor (HOF) is another measurement. This is the height to the top floor of the building that is in use.

The list includes all skyscrapers with a pinnacle height of at least 200 metres (656 ft) tall. However, the height data is subject to fluctuations due to simple changing of mast extensions.

Name City Highest Occupied Floor in m (ft)[18] Architectural height (Official) in m (ft) Pinnacle Height in m (ft) Floors Completed
Messeturm Frankfurt 214 m (702 ft) 256.6 m (842 ft) 256.6 m (842 ft) 55 1990
Torre Espacio Madrid 211 m (692 ft) 224.2 m (736 ft) 230 m (755 ft) 57 2007
Torre de Cristal Madrid 210 m (689 ft) 249 m (817 ft) 250 m (820 ft) 45 2007
Torre Cepsa Madrid 209 m (686 ft) 248.3 m (815 ft) 248.3 m (815 ft) 45 2008
Varso Tower Warsaw 205 m (673 ft) 310 m (1,017 ft) 310 m (1,017 ft) 53 2021
DC Towers Vienna 203 m (666 ft) 220 m (722 ft) 250 m (820 ft) 60 2013
Tour Montparnasse Paris 197 m (646 ft) 209 m (686 ft) 209 m (686 ft) 59 1972
Torre PwC Madrid 197 m (646 ft) 236 m (774 ft) 236 m (774 ft) 52 2007
Tour Hekla Paris 196 m (643 ft) 220 m (722 ft) 220 m (722 ft) 50 2022
Sky Tower Wrocław 195 m (640 ft) 212 m (696 ft) 212 m (696 ft) 50 2012
Commerzbank Tower Frankfurt 194 m (636 ft) 258.7 m (849 ft) 300 m (984 ft) 56 1997
Allianz Tower Milan 193 m (633 ft) 300 m (984 ft) 259 m (850 ft) 50 2014
Main Tower Frankfurt 189 m (620 ft) 200 m (656 ft) 240 m (787 ft) 55 1999
Tower 185 Frankfurt 185 m (607 ft) 200 m (656 ft) 200 m (656 ft) 51 2011
Intempo Benidorm 183 m (600 ft) 187 m (614 ft) 200 m (656 ft) 55 2014
De Zalmhaven Rotterdam 179 m (587 ft) 215 m (705 ft) 215 m (705 ft) 58 2022
Westendstrasse 1 Frankfurt 178 m (584 ft) 208 m (682 ft) 208 m (682 ft) 53 1993
European Central Bank Headquarters Frankfurt 176 m (577 ft) 183.7 m (603 ft) 217.3 m (713 ft) 45 2014
Warsaw Unit Warsaw 176 m (577 ft) 200 m (656 ft) 200.7 m (658 ft) 46 2021
Tour First Paris 173 m (568 ft) 231 m (758 ft) 231 m (758 ft) 56 2010
Piedmont Region Headquarters[4] Turin 170 m (558 ft) 181 m (594 ft) 209 m (686 ft) 42 2017
Gran Hotel Bali Benidorm 168 m (551 ft) 186 m (610 ft) 210 m (689 ft) 52 2002
Warsaw Spire Warsaw 161 m (528 ft) 220 m (722 ft) 220 m (722 ft) 49 2016
Warsaw Trade Tower Warsaw 154 m (505 ft) 187.2 m (614 ft) 208 m (682 ft) 43 1999
Millennium Tower Vienna 143 m (469 ft) 171 m (561 ft) 202 m (663 ft) 51 1999
Tour Incity Lyon 141 m (463 ft) 202 m (663 ft) 202 m (663 ft) 39 2015
Unicredit Tower Milan 131 m (430 ft) 231 m (758 ft) 231 m (758 ft) 35 2011
Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw 124 m (407 ft) 230.7 m (757 ft) 237 m (778 ft) 44 1955

Buildings under construction

This lists buildings that are under construction in European Union and are planned to rise at least 150 metres (492 ft). Approved or proposed buildings are not included in the table. Included are renders of the finished towers or images of the current construction sites.

Image Name City Metres Feet Floors Planned
completion
Karlatornet Gothenburg 246 807 74 2024
Elbtower Hamburg 245 804 64 2026
The Link[19] Paris 244 801 52 2024
Four Frankfurt 1 Frankfurt 233 765 59 2023
Central Business Tower[20] Frankfurt 205 672 52 2028
Sky Fort Sofia 202 663 47 2024
Riviera Tower[21] Athens 198 650 45 2025
Danube Flats Vienna 180 590 48 2023
DC-Tower 2 Vienna 180 590 53 2025
Estrel Tower Berlin 176 577 45 2024
The Bridge[22] Warsaw 174 570 40 2025
Four Frankfurt 2 Frankfurt 173 568 50 2023
Eurovea Tower[23] Bratislava 168 552 46 2023
Trilogy East Tower[24][25] Limassol 165 541 37 2023
Trilogy West Tower[26][27] Limassol 161 528 39 2023
Olszynki Park[28] Rzeszów 161 509 36 2023
Forum Donaustadt Vienna 153 502 42 2022

Timeline of the tallest buildings in the EU/EEC

The following is a timeline of the tallest buildings in the European Union (EU) and its direct predecessor, the European Economic Community (EEC) established in 1957.

Name City Years as tallest Metres Feet Floors
Varso Tower Warsaw 2021–present 310 1,017 53
Commerzbank Tower Frankfurt 2020–2021 259 850 56
The Shard London 2011–2020 306[b] 1,004 73
Commerzbank Tower Frankfurt 1997–2011 259 850 56
Messeturm Frankfurt 1990–1997 257 843 55
Tour Montparnasse Paris 1972–1990 210 689 59
Tour du Midi / Zuidertoren Brussels 1966–1972 150 492 38
Pirelli Tower Milan 1958–1966 127 416 32

Prior to 1966, Edificio España and Torre de Madrid in Madrid surpassed the height of the then tallest EU building, but Spain didn't become a European Union member until 1986. Similarly, before 1990, the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw surpassed the height of the then tallest EU building; however, Poland did not become a member of the European Union until 2004.

The Shard ceased to be tallest building in the EU in 2020 due to the United Kingdom exiting the European Union. The title then returned to the previous holder, Frankfurt's Commerzbank Tower.

See also

Footnotes and references

  1. ^ Height according to the official website of the Palace of Culture which claims that the additional 6-meter spire-antenna addition is an integral part of the spire[3]
  2. ^ Height according to Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat methodology, according to other sources the height is 309.6 m (1,016 ft)[29]
  1. ^ Bretan, Juliette (22 February 2021). "Warsaw skyscraper becomes EU's tallest building". Notes From Poland. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Buildings in Europe, No Min. Year-No Max. Year". skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Information about the Palace (in Polish)". Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b GmbH, Emporis. "La Muratella, Rome - 256356 - EMPORIS". Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Omniturm". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  6. ^ "Grand Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  7. ^ "Tours DUO 1". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  8. ^ "TaunusTurm". Tishman Speyer.
  9. ^ "Grattacielo Intesa SanPaolo". UrbanFile. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Cosmopolitan Twarda 2/4 Warszawa – inwestycja Tacit Development Polska". Urbanity.pl.
  11. ^ "Tour ALTO". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  12. ^ "Tribunal de Paris". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  13. ^ "Torre Lugano - The Skyscraper Center". Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Marienturm". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Skysawa". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  16. ^ "De Rotterdam". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  17. ^ "Hochhaus Neue Donau". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  18. ^ "Building Data". skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  19. ^ "The Link". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  20. ^ "New landmark for Frankfurt skyline: Ed. Züblin AG leads construction of "central business tower" for Helaba". Züblin. 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Riviera Tower - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Budowa ponad 170-metrowego wieżowca w centrum Warszawy wkracza w kolejny etap". www.urbanity.pl. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Eurovea Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Trilogy Limassol Seafront East Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Trilogy East Tower". Emporis.[dead link]
  26. ^ "Trilogy Limassol Seafront West Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Trilogy West Tower". Emporis.[dead link]
  28. ^ Gubernat, Bartosz (20 September 2020). "Olszynki Park. W Rzeszowie powstaje jeden z najwyższych budynków mieszkalnych w Polsce. Tak będzie wyglądał [WIZUALIZACJE]". Nowiny (in Polish). Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  29. ^ "A Vertical City". Retrieved 26 December 2016.

Bibliography

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