Height Showdown: Empire State Building vs. Willis Tower vs. Eiffel Tower

When comparing the world's most iconic towers, the measurement method matters critically. Here's how the three giants stack up using architectural height (including antennas)—the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) standard for "height to tip."

By the Numbers

Key Distinctions

• Empire State Building claims the title by a mere 3 feet (0.9 m) due to its 1950s broadcast antenna. Without antennas, Willis Tower's roof (1,368 ft) surpasses the Empire State's roof (1,250 ft).
• Willis Tower offers the highest public observation deck in the Western Hemisphere at 1,353 ft—103 feet higher than the Empire State's 86th-floor observatory.
• Eiffel Tower, while shortest, was the world's tallest structure for 41 years (1889–1930) and remains the most visited paid monument globally.

Beyond Height

Each tower represents its era's engineering ambition: Eiffel's wrought-iron lattice (1889), the Empire State's Art Deco steel frame (1931), and Willis Tower's bundled-tube innovation (1974). Today, all three serve as vital telecommunications hubs, tourist magnets, and enduring symbols of their cities.