It has been suggested that List of supertall structures be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

In 1974, when the Warsaw radio tower was erected, it was the tallest structure ever built at 646.38 m (2,121 ft). It collapsed in 1991.

This is a list of tallest structures in the world, past and present of any type. Most of the tallest structures are television broadcasting masts, followed by a mix of the taller tower-type structures (like the CN Tower) and the taller high rise buildings (like the Sears Tower). Scattered among these are other structures including oil platforms, electrical towers, bridge towers, etc. List is organized by absolute height since it includes many different classes of structures. For other lists, see List of tallest buildings and structures in the world, List of tallest freestanding structures in the world and List of tallest buildings in the world.

This list includes quite a few masts. A mast is a man-made support structure, commonly used on sailing ships as support for sails, or on land as radio masts and towers used to support telecommunication equipment such as radio antennas ("aerials" in the UK).

Terminology

Outide of the electronics industry there is often ambiguity between the terms tower and mast. A tower is a self-supporting or cantilevered structure, while a mast is held up by stays or guys.^[1] Both towers and masts occupy limited floor space and are non-building structures, as opposed to regular buildings which have greater floor space for occupancy. The terminology is further confused through misuse. Skyscrapers are often referred to as towers^[2] and some towers use the term mast. Ironically, skyscraper has some etymology from references to high sailboat masts.

List by height

Notes

• A minimum height limit of 400 metres (1,312 ft) for notable structures is used for practical purposes to keep the list to a reasonable length. Second part of the list contains lower structures.
• Likely structures still missing from this list include masts used for the Russian navigation system RSDN-20.
• Structures no longer standing are in italics.
• For all structures the pinnacle height is given, so the height of skyscrapers may differ from the values at List of skyscrapers.
• Most of the taller masts are located in the United States (indicated by colour), where a prevalence of masts of around 2,000 feet (610 m) in height is the result of special rules in that country limiting structures and objects taller than 2,063 feet (629 m).
• Structures under construction are included in main list if its current height is over 400 metres (1,312 ft).

Structures (past or present) taller than 600 m (1,969 ft)

Structures (past or present) between 550 and 600 m (1,804 ft and 1,969 ft)