There’s a lot on interest in tall buildings at the moment. The opening today of the 2,684 feet high Dubai Tower, which is now officially the world’s tallest building, is attracting considerable attention.
Do you know what the tallest building in Italy is?
Dubai Tower on the horizon
What with all this interest in tall buildings and the world’s highest skyscrapers, I thought it would be interesting to discover how Italy measures up on the tall buildings front.
It turns out that Italy has quite a way to go to compete with the Dubai Tower. Quite a long way, actually.
If you’d like to find out what the tallest building in Italy is, and where it can be found, then read on, curious reader.
Technically, the tallest building in Italy today can be found in Naples - and it is the Torre Telecom Italia which is 129 metres (423 feet) in height. This 33 floor structure, however, is about to be beaten by a building in Milan, which is already being listed as Italy’s tallest building on Wikipedia.
Telecom Tower Naples
Italy’s Tallest Building – the Lombardy Region Headquarters Building
Italy's tallest building, Milan, Italy
The successor to the Italy’s Tallest Building title will be 161 metres (528 feet) high with 39 floors, and it will house Lombardy regional council personnel. However, at a measly 161 metres, it’s not much of a threat to the record breaking 818 metres of the cloud tickling Dubai Tower.
Other tall buildings are on Italy’s horizon though, twenty seven of them, including one which will snatch the Italy’s tallest building title from the Lombardy council skyscraper – I Dritto – the Straight (or maybe ‘upstanding’ would be a better translation).
Il Dritto
The height of Milan’s new Il Dritto building will certainly not have the Dubai Tower quaking to its very foundations, as it will stand at a mere 220 metres (721 feet).
Buildings over 100 metres in Italy
At present there are 23 buildings in Italy which equal or exceed 100 metres (328 feet), although another 27 are in the pipeline, with four new Italian skyscrapers destined to reach 170 metres into the sky and beyond.
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Would you live on the top floor of the Dubai Tower? Imagine if the elevator breaks down! Anyone like base jumping?!
Photo
Dubai Tower by Nauticalnonsense on Wikipedia
Grattacieli in Italia – Skyscrapers in Italy – Wikipedia entry in Italian
About Alex Roe
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Wow! I am amazed that the tallest buildings are so much smaller than those that I’m used to in the US. Albany is a relatively small city (we refer to it as SmAlbany), but our tallest building is 44 stories.
Hi Cara Mia,
It’s true that tall buildings in Italy are not exactly that tall! Earthquake worries could be part of it.
It’s odd in some respects seeing as many Italians live in multi-floor apartment blocks. However the majority of these are not much more than 5 or 6 floors.
Although there is a tall building culture here -look at all the towers in places like Pavia for example. While not high, they certainly tower above surrounding buildings.
Best,
Alex
Hmpphhh! Do I want to spend ANY time high up in a tower in one of the most seismically active places on earth? Nope. The Japanese do, but then they don’t build hospitals using sea sand, either.
Hi Judith,
You may be close to hitting the nail on the head – combination of worries – earthquakes and dubious construction quality. Earthquake resistance certification which has been fiddled, stuff like that.
Looking beyond Italy’s foibles, tall buildings could ruin come classic Italian panoramas and cityscapes.
Hope you both had a good Chrimbo.
Cheers,
Alex