Many of the world’s tallest buildings become major tourist attractions and icons for their cities – such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Shard in London.
However, one huge skyscraper in China lies empty and boasts the unenviable world record of ‘The World’s Tallest Unoccupied Building’.
The Goldin Finance 117, in the business district of Tianjin in the country’s northeast, is 1,957 feet tall.
However, construction was paused in 2015 and never resumed, with the project remaining unfinished.
Work had initially started in 2008 and was set to be completed in 2014. However, work was first suspended in early 2010 due to the global recession and again in 2015 when Goldin Properties, the building’s owner, hit financial issues during the Chinese stock market crash.
The project – which was the fifth tallest building in the world when it was topped out in 2015 – was one of a number that led to the government in Beijing changing the law to ban the construction of buildings over 1,640 feet.
The building has a total of 128 storeys above ground.
Of these, 117 were originally going to be used for housing and a hotel, although none of these uses have yet been taken up.
If construction had ever been completed, the skyscraper would have boasted the world’s highest observation deck.
There would also have been a restaurant and sky bar offering views for miles around.
It is one of several skyscrapers on hold in China and surrounding countries.
The previous Guinness World Record holder for the tallest abandoned building in the world was the Ryugyong Hotel in neighbouring North Korea – where construction was put on hold in 1992.