Posts by tag Architecture

In Kyoto, among the bustling streets and ancient temples, there is a hidden place where time slows down. Ryoan‑ji Rock Garden is not just a tourist attraction. It is a space for meditation, a mystery carved in stone and sand. There are no waterfalls, flowering trees or bright colors here — just gravel, moss and 15 mysterious stones. But it is precisely in this simplicity that the great wisdom of Zen Buddhism lies.

History of the place

Ryoan‑ji Temple ("Temple of the Resting Dragon") It was built in the 15th century as a villa for an aristocrat, later transformed into a Zen Buddhist temple. The garden, created at the end of the 15th century, became the epitome of Zen philosophy:

Minimalism as a path to enlightenment

Symbolism instead of realism: gravel is the sea, stones are islands and mountains

Incompleteness as an invitation to contemplation: one of the 15 stones is always hidden from view, no matter how much you change your position.

The philosophy of the garden

Why exactly 15 stones? And why is one always hidden?

It's a metaphor for cognition. No matter how much we try to grasp the world with our mind, there will always be something that is inaccessible to our gaze. True understanding does not come through logic, but through intuitive insight — satori. The garden teaches us:

• to see the whole behind the part;
• Accepting the unknown;
• Finding beauty in incompleteness

The rules of contemplation

How to "read" the Ryoan‑ji garden correctly?

1. Sit on the wooden terrace and relax.
2. Don't try to find all 15 stones at once — let your gaze wander freely.
3. Watch the gravel lines: they resemble sea waves or energy flows.
4. Keep your attention on one group of stones. What do they remind you of? Mountains? Islands? Animals?
5. Feel how your breathing becomes smoother and your thoughts become calmer.

Personal experience

"I spent two hours here, first I tried to "solve" the mystery of the 15th stone, and then I just let go of my thoughts. And then the unexpected happened: the garden ceased to be a composition of gravel and stones. He became a mirror of my mind. Somewhere the waves were smooth and calm, somewhere they were agitated. And the hidden stones reminded us that not everything in life needs to be seen in order to feel."

Practical tips for visiting

• When to go: it is best at dawn (the garden opens at 8:00) or at the "golden hour" before sunset. In spring there are cherry blossoms around the temple, in autumn there are purple maples.
• How to get: from Keage Station (Tozai line) 15 minutes on foot.
• Cost: 500 yen.
• Important: it is forbidden to walk in the garden — contemplation is only from the terrace. You can take photos, but without a flash.
• Additionally: After the garden, visit the temple and its garden with a pond, where lotuses bloom and koi carp swim.

"Ryoan‑ji doesn't give answers —it teaches you to ask the right questions. This garden is like a haiku: just a few touches, but an echo remains in the soul for days to come. Perhaps this is what beauty looks like, stripped of everything superfluous — a moon shadow on white gravel, reminiscent of the eternal."

Hello, everyone! I'm with you again! Today I will tell you, perhaps, about not the most banal places in Moscow (quite a bit about the Moscow region), but that makes them no less beautiful. Have fun reading!

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Hermitage Garden (yes, yes, this is Moscow)

I'll start with parks and squares. I forgot to mention, in each category I will highlight the 5 most beautiful/interesting places in my opinion.

• Hermitage Garden: Karetny Ryad, 3. On the territory of the garden there are: the Moscow Hermitage Theater, the Moscow Novaya Opera Theater, the Moscow Drama Theater Sphere, and the summer symphony stage. Recreational areas include fountains, a bandstand, garden cottages, a playground, flower beds, and alleys. The garden is open 24 hours a day, entrance to the territory is free
• Japanese garden: in the northeastern part of the Main Botanical Garden named after N. V. Tsitsin of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Botany St., 4). The garden features cascades of small waterfalls, ponds with islands, pavilions in the traditional Japanese architectural style, a thirteen-tiered pagoda and stone lanterns. Working hours: Tuesday — Sunday: from 12:00 to 18:00, Monday — sanitary day
• Chinese Landscape Park "Huamin": ul. William Peak, 16. Recreates a Chinese village, outdoor galleries, walking areas and ponds. The pavilions are designed in the style of classic Siheyuan houses in Northern China, with four buildings facing inside a rectangular courtyard. Almost all the materials, including decorative stones (taihu, lingbi), were brought from Chinese deposits. The roofs of the houses are tiled with hand-painted tiles. There is a monument to the great Chinese philosopher Confucius in the walking part of the park.
• Lilac Garden: Shchelkovskoe highway, vl. 8-12. The park area is 7 hectares. It was established in 1954 on the basis of the Experimental Breeding Nursery on the initiative of the famous breeder Leonid Kolesnikov. After the reconstruction in 2014-2015, the Lilac Garden became not only a botanical monument, but also a recreation area. There is a light and music fountain, paths, benches, workout areas, flower beds.
• Aerial gardens: st. Dolskaya, 1 (Tsaritsyno). "Air Gardens" is a suburban area in the back of the Tsaritsyn estate, where a large orchard was planted in the early 1800s. According to the manner of that, it was called "airy" because cherries, pears, plums, rosehips, currants were planted not in greenhouses, but in the open ground. Every year at the end of summer, the "Historical Gardens Festival" takes place on the territory of the Air Gardens with an extensive parallel program of concerts, exhibitions and master classes.

Russia - My History Museum

• Pavilion No. 57 "Russia — my history" at VDNH (JUST MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION, VERY INTERESTING): Prospect Mira, 119, p. 57. Operating mode: from Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00, Monday and Tuesday are days off. The museum features numerous interactive solutions. It features a dome cinema, powerful projectors, touchscreens, tablet computers, virtual reality glasses, three—dimensional modeling, animated maps, digital reconstructions, an interactive table, multimedia books and much more. Conceptually, the multimedia park is divided into 4 permanent exhibitions: "Rurikovich", "Romanov", "1914-1945: From Great Upheavals to Great Victory", "Russia — My History: 1945 — our days". In addition to them, other exhibitions are held (you need to watch them because they are temporary). The museum has a cinema room with a large hanging LED screen, a media room, a conference room, recreation areas, a cafe, a bookstore, and a tour desk.
• The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center: st. Obraztsova, 11, building 1A. The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center is a museum dedicated to Jewish culture and religious tradition, the history of Jewish life and settlement, and the history of Jews in Russia. It is located in the building of the former Bakhmetyevsky garage, in Maryina Grove, in the northeast of Moscow. The exhibition is divided into several thematic segments. It includes documents, photographs, and letters telling about the life of Jews in Russia, from the end of the 19th century to the present. The museum features exhibits on the history of Russian Jewry, and a separate collection of ancient books and manuscripts is the Schneerson collection. The permanent exhibition of the museum consists of 13 halls, each dedicated to the life of Jews in different historical periods in Russia and around the world. Visitors get to know the history and culture of the Jewish people in an interactive format: you can touch the exhibits and interact with them. Opening hours: Monday — Thursday, Sunday: 12:00-22:00 (ticket offices until 21:00); Friday: 10:00-15:00 (ticket offices until 14:00); Saturday and Jewish holidays: weekend
• A. P. Chekhov State Literary Memorial Museum-Reserve "Melikhovo": Moscow region, Chekhov Municipal District, Melikhovo village, territory of the Chekhov Museum-Reserve. The museum started operating in 1940. The collection includes more than 30 thousand items, among them the writer's personal belongings — a coat, a famous white cap, a pen, an inkwell, pince-nez. Here you can also see Chekhov's autographs, photographs, books, documents, paintings and much more. The museum-reserve includes the main house, the famous Chaika wing, an ancient outpatient clinic, outbuildings, schools opened by the writer, and a memorial park. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 (the museum's ticket office is open until 16:45). The day off is Monday. The last Friday of the month is a sanitary day
• Y. A. Orlov Paleontological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Yasenevo, 123 Trade Union Street. The Orlov Paleontological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a Moscow museum, one of the largest natural history museums in the world. It was founded in 1937, and since 1966 it has been named after zoologist and paleontologist Yuri Orlov. The museum is part of the Borisyak Paleontological Institute. Operating mode: Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, Monday and Tuesday are days off
• Armory Chamber: Kremlevskaya Embankment, 1, p. 3. The Moscow Treasury Museum, which is part of the Grand Kremlin Palace complex. Organizationally, the museum functions as the Scientific and Curatorial Department of the "Armory Chamber" of the Moscow Kremlin Museums. The exhibition occupies nine themed halls spread over two floors. The museum's collection includes gold and silver items, Russian, European and Oriental weapons, precious fabrics, state regalia and ceremonial items, horse decorations and royal carriages. Opening hours: daily, except Thursday, from 10:00 to 18:00. The tours start at 10:00, 12:00, 14:30 and 16:30

TSUM

• Airline fleet: Khodynsky Boulevard, 4. The center has more than 400 shops, over 80 restaurants and cafes, as well as numerous entertainment centers for children and adults. The world's tallest cylindrical aquarium is located in the central atrium of Aviapark shopping center. It has a height of 23 meters and a diameter of 6 meters, holds 370,000 liters of seawater, and about 2,500 fish swim in it.
• Afimall: St. Presnenskaya emb., 2. The center has: more than 400 shops; more than 50 restaurants and cafes; the cinema "Formula Cinema City" with 10 halls; three-level underground 24-hour Parking for 2,700 cars
• Paveletskaya Plaza: Paveletskaya Square, 3. Paveletskaya Plaza is a shopping mall with a multi-space concept in the historical center of Moscow. The complex unites about 200 shops, a supermarket and a gastronomic space with cuisines from around the world. Infrastructure: flagship stores of leading fashion, sports, beauty and health brands are located in the center. There is a supermarket and a world cuisine food hall. The share of public catering reaches a quarter of the total area — food courts, designer restaurants and chain cafes
• Oceania: Kutuzovsky Prospekt, 57. The area of the center is 137 thousand square meters, there is a paid parking for 110 places on the territory. There are more than 300 shops, 4 children's institutions, more than 30 restaurants and cafes, a cinema with many halls, including IMAX, beauty salons, communications, a supermarket and other establishments.
• TSUM: Petrovka Street, 2. It appeared here in 1885 as the Muir and Merilise trading house, a seven-story Gothic-style building built in 1908. After the revolution, it was nationalized, and it has had its current name since 1933. In 2002, it became the property of the Mercury Group of Companies. With a total area of 70,000 m2, it is one of the largest department stores in Europe.

The Chocolate maker

• "Pushkin at the fountain": Red Square, 3, floor 1. The menu offers a variety of breakfasts, such as Shakshuka and Zucchini Waffles with salmon, poached egg and avocado, as well as original salads. Working hours: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00
• "The Old Man and the Sea": 12a Chistoprudny Boulevard, p. 1. Some examples of the dishes of the restaurant "The Old Man and the Sea": Salmon tartare. Langoustine and strawberry ceviche. Salad with octopus. Onion soup with shrimp. Pasta with crab and truffle. Octopus busan. Dorado, coconut rice and spicy sambal. Halibut, mushrooms and tom yam puree. Tuna, kimchi and sweet onion. Seafood kebab and Argentine salsa. Langoustine and chimichurri. There are also carpaccio, tartare, ceviche and burgers on the menu. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 11:00 to 23:00
• El Asador: St. Bolshaya Ordynka, 45, p. 3. On the ground floor there is a bar, and on the second floor there is a restaurant with its own oven and refrigerator for dry aging of steaks. The menu features dishes typical of Basque cuisine, such as baby goat, chuleton steak and jamon. The restaurant also serves various types of cider, including pear and apple cider. Opening hours: Mon. — Thu., Sat. — Sun. 12:00-0:00, Fri. 12:00-2:00
• Pasta Queen: Kuznetsky Most St., 19, p. 1. Based on Desperate Housewives. Everything that was eaten in the series is here. Some dishes are 18+ due to their shape. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday: 12:00-00:00
• Chocolate shop (I recommend this particular address, the others are not so tasty and good): Korabelnaya Street, 6, River Park residential complex. Some dishes that you can try at the Shokoladnitsa coffee shop on Kolomenskaya: Pancakes. For example, with yuzu and mascarpone cream (490 rubles), "Legendary" with chocolate (410 rubles), with cheese and ham (410 rubles). Pancakes. For example, a large portion with cherry jam (994 rubles). Omelette. For example, with bacon and cheese (360 rubles for 280 grams), with cheese and tomatoes (390 rubles for 240 grams), with salmon and cottage cheese (460 rubles for 190 grams). Chicken cutlets with mashed potatoes. Baked chicken cutlets, mushroom sauce, mushroom chips, parmesan, dill oil and mashed potatoes (550 rubles for 240 grams). Cheesecakes with sour cream and jam. For example, with sour cream and jam to choose from (350 rubles per 200 grams). Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 22:00, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00

Sovremennik Theater

• Moscow State Academic Operetta Theater: st. Bolshaya Dmitrovka, 6. The theater's repertoire includes classical and modern operettas, musicals. I really enjoyed watching The Count of Monte Cristo and Anna Karenina with them
• Moscow Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin: 23 Tverskaya Boulevard. The theater's repertoire includes works of world and Russian classics, as well as productions based on plays by modern playwrights. Among the performances are, for example, "The Marriage of Figaro", "Shakespeare in Love", "The House that Swift Built", "Tartuffe", "Treasure Island", "Belkin's Tale"
• Moscow Academic Musical Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (MAMT): st. Bolshaya Dmitrovka 17. The theater's repertoire includes various performances: from operas and operettas to classical ballets and choreographic experiments.
• Moscow Sovremennik Theater: The main stage is 19 Chistoprudny Boulevard, and the "Other Stage" is 17 Chistoprudny Boulevard. The theater's repertoire includes productions of classical works and modern drama, experimental works and performances continuing the traditions of psychological theater
• The State Academic Central Puppet Theater named after Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov (GATSTK): st. Sadovaya-Samotechnaya, 3. All performances are divided into groups that are recommended for viewing when they reach a certain age: 3, 5, 7 years old and "for those who have already grown up" — most often these are children from 12 years old

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• Russian State Library (RSL): st. Vozdvizhenka, 3/5. The Russian State Library (RSL) is the largest public library in Russia and Europe, and the second largest in the world. The funds of the Russian State Library contain 48 million publications in Russian and foreign languages, including rare and hard-to-access books. Working hours: Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 20:00, Sunday is a day off
• Russian State Children's Library: Kaluzhskaya Square, 1, Building 1. The library has 17 specialized halls, including a hall of literature in foreign languages, a music hall, a fairy tale room, a family reading room, a Pushkin room, a psychological and pedagogical counseling room, and a cinema and concert hall with 160 seats. I got a couple of books for children in German there to learn how to read. Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 20:00, in summer: Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, Sunday is a day off
• I. S. Turgenev Library-reading room: Bobrov Lane, 6, p. 1, 2. The institution organizes lectures, concerts, creative meetings, meetings of public organizations and interest clubs on a regular basis. The library has its own cafe "Ex:Libris", offering a varied menu. The cafe is also a cultural venue where festivals, concerts, literary meetings, workshops and other events are held. Opening hours: Tuesday — Saturday: 10:00-22:00, Sunday: 10:00-20:00. The last Tuesday of the month is a sanitary day
• Library No. 179, branch No. 1: ul. 86 Vavilova Street. The hall for kids is decorated in the form of a fairy-tale room, where interesting books and fascinating conversations await young readers. Opening hours: Tue. — Sat.: from 12:00 to 22:00, Sun.: from 12:00 to 20:00, Mon. — day off. Sanitary Day is the last Tuesday of the month
• Scientific Pedagogical Library named after K. D. Ushinsky: 3 Bolshoy Tolmachevsky Lane. The complex of buildings housing the library is an architectural monument. This is an ancient Moscow city estate of the end of the XVIII — beginning of the XIX century, which belonged to the Demidovs in 1772-1814. Opening hours: from 9:30 to 20:00 (Mon. — Fri.), the first Friday of the month is a sanitary day

Komsomolskaya metro station

• "Nagatinsky Backwater". Nagatinsky Zaton is a station of the Moscow Metro on the Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line. It is located in the Nagatinsky Zaton district (Southern Administrative District), from which it got its name. The beauty of the Nagatinsky Zaton metro station lies in the mosaic panels with images of fish that adorn the walls of the platforms and the lobby. The main idea of the design is to turn the station into an underground museum dedicated to the inhabitants of the rivers of the Moscow region and Nagatinsky backwater in particular. The panel features bream, crucian carp, bullhead, rotan, chub, pike, bleak, burbot, perch, walleye and roach. The largest mosaic is the "Pike" measuring 14 by 3.6 meters. Also, at the entrance to the lobby, a large golden ceiling in the form of giant scales attracts attention. When creating it, 3D modeling was used, and the resulting parts were manually mounted on special slats. Another feature is the lighting of the escalator. The lamps on the balustrade were placed at different heights, so, reflecting in the dark glossy walls, they form the illusion of river foam.
• "Kievskaya". Kievskaya is a station of the Moscow Metro on the Ring Line. It is located in the Dorogomilovo district (CJSC). It is connected by transfers to two stations of the same name, one of which is located on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line, the other on Filevskaya. An object of cultural heritage of Russia of regional importance. In the central hall, you can see 18 colorful mosaic panels with different subjects. The pylons are decorated with stucco garlands in the form of floral ornaments: ears, leaves and buds. Even forged ventilation grilles have become decoration elements. The station is illuminated by luxurious multi-track chandeliers and brass sconces.
• "Taganskaya". Taganskaya is a station of the Moscow Metro on the Ring Line. It is located in the Tagansky district (CAO) under Goncharnaya Street. It is named after Taganskaya Square, where its lobby is located. The station of the Ring Line was commissioned on January 1, 1950 as part of the Kurskaya — Kultury Park section. It is located between Kurskaya and Paveletskaya stations. The structure is a three—vaulted deep-laid pylon with one island platform. The depth is 53 meters, and the diameter of the station tunnels is 9.5 meters. Due to the design (arched entrances, powerful columns, coffered vaults, bas-reliefs), the station is included in the list of cultural heritage sites of Russia of regional importance. The design is dedicated to the theme of the Soviet Army: 32 majolica panels with images of soldiers, sailors, and pilots are located in shallow niches.
• "Dostoevskaya." Dostoevskaya is a Moscow Metro station under construction on the Koltsevaya Line on the current stretch between Novoslobodskaya and Prospekt Mira stations. It will be connected by a transfer to the station of the same name on the Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya line. The station will have two lobbies with exits to Delegatskaya, Durov and Olympic Avenue streets, residential buildings and large objects of citywide importance: the theater "Corner of Grandfather Durov", the Olympic sports complex, public and industrial buildings. The path to Lobby No. 2 will pass through the travelator corridor. The beauty of the Dostoevskaya metro station lies in its design, dedicated to the work of F. M. Dostoevsky. There is a portrait of the writer on the end wall of the hall, and on the other walls there are scenes from the most famous works: "Crime and Punishment", "Idiot", "Demons", "Brothers Karamazov" + black and white design
• Komsomolskaya Street. Komsomolskaya is a station of the Moscow Metro on the Ring Line, located in the Krasnoselsky district (CAO) under Komsomolskaya Square, from which it got its name. It is one of the busiest metro stations in Moscow (mainly due to the Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky railway stations located near the square). In 2021, it was named the most popular (busiest) Moscow Metro station by the Moscow Department of Transport, with 29.1 million people using it. The above-ground entrance lobby with marble columns, which beautifully transitions into an underground hall with a large number of marble columns connected by graceful arches. The vault of the central hall is decorated with eight mosaic panels made of smalt and precious stones, created according to sketches by artist Pavel Korin. They depict significant episodes in the history of Russia. The ceilings are decorated with massive chandeliers in the form of rings, on which there are numerous horns with lamps.

Moscow Zoo

And finally, those sights that I still advise you to visit, but I did not classify them into any of the categories.

• Moscow Zoo
• Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum
• Tsoi's Wall
• The State Tretyakov Gallery
• Ostankino TV Tower
• The Sun of Moscow
• Moscow Nikulin Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard
• St. Basil's Cathedral
• Severny Rechnoy Vokzal
• Lenin's Mausoleum
• Psychiatric Clinical Hospital No. 1 named after N. A. Alekseev
• Changing of the guard at the Eternal Flame (EVERY HOUR, BUT ARRIVE 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE NEW HOUR)

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I highly recommend visiting Moscow in the winter before the New Year. Our city is very beautifully decorated, straight + vibe. Or even in the summer, when there are a number of activities

That's it! Bye-bye to everyone!

Hello everyone

Today you will learn a lot about the 10 tallest buildings, as well as about their parameters, structure, history, records, interesting facts and much more. I won't delay, let's go!

10th place - China Zun skyscraper

• Location - Beijing, China;
• Year of construction - 2018;
• Height - 528 m;
• The number of floors is 108.

China Zun is not only the tallest building in the Chinese capital, but also the tallest building in the world among those with a helipad on the roof. In the building you can find office space, luxury apartments, and many hotel rooms. The skyscraper turned out to be tall, elegant and smooth.

History: On September 19, 2013, the groundbreaking ceremony took place, in 2016, during construction, it became the tallest building in Beijing, by 2017, the tower was completed and commissioned the following year. 

Interesting facts:
-The skyscraper has an unusual shape, which is based on the "zong" - it is an ancient Chinese ritual wine vessel. Thus, developers believe that they have combined the technologies and innovations of today with history and culture.
- Currently, access to the upper floors of the building is limited, as from a height you can look into government offices in Zhongnanhai, a low-rise presidential complex in the west of the Forbidden City and see several secret targets in the South China Sea, as well as see the activities of Communist Party members. 

The very ancient vessel

9th place - Tianjin CTF Financial Center

• Location - Tianjin, China;
• Year of construction - 2019;
• Height - 530 m;
• The number of floors is 97. 

The Tianjin CTF Financial Center is the tallest building in the world among those with fewer than 100 floors. The building is designed with a smoothly curved glass facade, including 8 inclined megacolonnas. The skyscraper has the shape of a rocket, looks stylish, and its crown top resembles the wings of a cicada. 

History: the idea of construction was proposed in 2011, and already in 2013 construction began, in 2017 the final stage began - the installation of the "crown" at the top of the building, in 2019 the construction was already completed. 

Interesting facts:
-The building was awarded the "Tall/Slender Structure" award at the 2021 award ceremony by the Institute of Civil Engineers (IStructE). This structure is really very earthquake-resistant.

8th place - Guangzhou CTF Financial Center

• Location - Guangzhou, China;
• Year of construction - 2016;
• Height - 530 m;
• The number of floors is 116.

Guangzhou CTF Financial Center is the tallest skyscraper in Guangzhou, it houses a shopping mall, offices, apartments, a hotel and residential premises. In addition, 2 of its 86 elevators are capable of climbing at speeds up to 76 km/h - these are the fastest elevators in the world. It has a streamlined shape, so that the impact of air flows on the building is reduced to zero.

History: The construction of the skyscraper began in 2010, in 2014 it reached its maximum height, and by 2016 it was completed. 

Interesting facts:
- This form of building is used for a reason. Some believe that this form allows you to save energy. In addition, such an architectural solution looks very beautiful and unusual.

7th place - World Trade Center 1

• Location - New York, USA;
• Year of construction - 2013;
• Height - 541 m;
• The number of floors is 104.

WTC 1 is a skyscraper built in the high-tech style, with a tall spire and is the tallest building in the United States and the entire western hemisphere of the Earth. It was located on the site of the former Twin Towers, destroyed during the bloody 2001 terrorist attack. 

History: work on the construction of the skyscraper began in 2006. In 2009, the heaviest column of the tower was installed - interestingly, all columns were produced in Luxembourg. In 2013, the skyscraper was completed, and it was opened the following year.

Interesting facts:
-The foundation area of the World Trade Center 1 is the same in size as that of the twin towers.
-A stylized antenna on the roof of the building rises to a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m) (1776 is the year of the adoption of the US Declaration of Independence).

6th place - Lotte World Tower

• Location - Seoul, South Korea;
• Year of construction - 2016;
• Height - 555 m;
• The number of floors is 123.

Lotte World Tower is a multifunctional ultra-high skyscraper with shops, offices, apartments and hotels. It is the tallest building on the Korean Peninsula. The skyscraper also has one of the world's tallest observation decks.

History: The groundbreaking ceremony took place in 2005, but then construction was postponed due to height restrictions imposed in the area due to the nearby airport. The restrictions were lifted in 2009 and construction resumed in February 2010, but it was completed only by 2016, and the tower opened in 2017.

Interesting facts:
-The exterior finish — light glass panels — should resemble traditional Korean ceramics.

5th place - Ping'an International Financial Center

• Location - Shenzhen, China;
• Year of construction - 2017;
• Height - 599 m;
• The number of floors is 115.

MFC Ping'an is the second tallest skyscraper in China, which houses canteens, observation decks, offices and a shopping center. In addition, he broke the world record for the height of the observation deck in the building - 562 m. 

History: in 2009, when the first stone was laid in the foundation of the skyscraper, its construction began. In 2014, the Ping'an Skyscraper became the tallest building in Shenzhen. The construction was completed in 2017.

Interesting facts:
-Upon completion, the building was supposed to have an antenna and become the tallest in China, surpassing the Shanghai Tower, and the second tallest in the world. However, in March 2015, the spire was removed from the project due to the fact that this could interfere with aviation flights, which is why the final height of the tower is reduced from 660 to only 599 m.

4th place - Abraj al-Bayt

• Location - Mecca, Saudi Arabia;
• Year of construction - 2012;
• Height - 601 m;
• The number of floors is 120.

Abraj al-Bayt is a skyscraper that has broken a number of records - it is the tallest structure in Saudi Arabia, the largest structure in the world by weight, the tallest hotel in the world, the tallest prayer room, the largest crescent, the highest and largest clock in the world, etc. It is used as a residential building and a hotel that receives tens of thousands of pilgrims annually. 160 powerful loudspeakers are installed on the spire in 8 rows, capable of broadcasting the call to prayer over a distance of more than 7 kilometers.

History: construction began in 2004, in 2008-2009 during construction the structure caught fire, in 2012 it was completed and commissioned.

Interesting facts:
- This is the second most expensive building in the world, the total cost of construction was $ 15 billion.
-Inside the Royal Clock Tower there is an Islamic Museum and a Moon Observation Center, where telescopes are installed.
-Externally, the building vaguely resembles Big Ben in London, while being 6 times higher than the latter.

3rd place - Shanghai Tower

• Location - Shanghai, China;
• Year of construction - 2015;
• Height - 632 m;
• The number of floors is 130.

The Shanghai Tower is an ultra-tall building in an ultra-large city. This skyscraper is the tallest in China. It has office space, small-scale retail areas, entertainment centers and even full-fledged parks, as well as the highest luxury hotel in the world.

History: in 2008, a groundbreaking ceremony was held, by 2013 the upper level of the tower was completed, and in 2015 it was already opened.

Interesting facts:
-This tower has broken several more records - it is the tallest of the twisted buildings in the world, and the skyscraper has also broken the record for the tallest passenger elevator in the world (578 m).
-The damper show takes place on the 125th and 126th floors of the main building of the Shanghai Tower. It combines multimedia images, music, light show, projection, laser and other multidimensional artistic forms that, with the help of auditory, visual and tactile sensations, will give viewers unforgettable impressions, bring pleasure from the harmonious connection of nature and human culture.
- The lowest floor is allocated for the historical museum of the city. Its unusual interior and wax figures reflect the way of life of local residents.

2nd place - Merdeka 118

• Location - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
• Year of construction - 2023;
• Height - 679 m;
• The number of floors is 118.

Merdeka 118 is the tallest skyscraper in Malaysia and the second tallest in the world. It houses a shopping center, a museum, a mosque, offices, a hotel and apartments. 

History: construction began in 2014, in 2021 the building has already reached its design height, in 2023 it was completed and commissioned this year.

Interesting facts:
-The diamond-shaped facade of the tower, as conceived by the designers, reflects the diversity of Malaysians. There is also an idea that the skyscraper resembles the hand raised by Tunku Abdul Rahman during the declaration of independence of Malaysia.

1st place - Burj Khalifa

• Location - Dubai, UAE;
• Year of construction - 2010;
• Height - 829 m;
• The number of floors is 163.

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building and structure in the world, as well as the most multi-storey. It has the longest spire in the world, and has also set an endless number of records, among which is the highest structure in the history of mankind, the highest located last floor, the highest height of injection of mixture for any structures, the highest located restaurant, etc. It houses hotels, apartments, offices, shopping malls and other facilities. The ledged shape of the building resembles a stalagmite. The cost of the skyscraper is $ 1.5 billion.

History: In 2004, the construction of the Burj Khalifa began. Since 2007, continuing to grow, it has already been the tallest building in the world. Construction proceeded at a rate of one or two floors per week. The building reached its target height in 2009, and in 2010 it was built, inaugurated during a ceremony and put into operation.

Interesting facts:
- Up to 12,000 workers worked on the construction site every day. It took about 320 thousand m3 of concrete and more than 60 thousand tons of steel reinforcement to create it. 
- The name of the building was dedicated to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
-The main idea of the skyscraper project was an architectural imitation of the hymenocallis flower, which is also called the spider lily. The wings of the tower extend from its core like petals.
-During construction, the concrete mixture was laid only at night, and ice was added to the solution. A special brand of concrete has been developed especially for Burj Khalifa, which can withstand temperatures up to +50 °C. 
-In the form of a stalagmite, the building was built in order to reduce the effect of swaying from the wind.
- The elevators in Burj Khalifa are the longest in the world.
-Visiting the observation deck is not cheap - it will cost you $ 40, not to mention the cost of hotel rooms... It's better for you not to know about the queues at the observation deck at all. In 2019, according to Uber, it was the most visited attraction in the world.

So, here we have figured out the ten tallest buildings on our planet! Each of them is really amazing in its grandeur, and even more amazing are the efforts of the builders and the scale of construction work - it is very difficult to build such super-high skyscrapers. The top 10 skyscrapers change almost every year, and today it looks exactly like this. It is quite possible that next year, 2025, it will change slightly, but it is hard to believe that by 2030 the Burj Khalifa will be stripped of its crown position - in recent years they have tried to do this several times, but such projects were constantly frozen, then stopped, or did not even begin to turn into reality - for example, in in the case of the ambitious Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which was planned to have a height of more than 1 km, a "sky terrace" where people can relax, and other interesting features, it was built since 2013, but in 2018, for financial reasons, its construction was stopped for several years, and relatively recently resumed - as the tallest building in the world, it is promised to be built by 2028, and so far it is the only real contender for the tallest skyscraper in the world in the near future - let's see what happens... 

And that's it, have a nice day and new achievements!