Many unusual and interesting buildings were created by human hands. Some of them stand out for their grace and beauty, some for their size, and some for their purpose.
Each state has “record-breaking” buildings, which are the largest castle houses, residential and private houses with large areas, skyscrapers of incredible height.
The article presents the largest houses in the world: photos, characteristics, location, features.
Some information from history
Before we find out, let’s take a short excursion into the history of the construction of the most uniquely sized buildings.
High-rise buildings began to be built in America at an intense rate at the end of the 19th century. This was due to the desire to use plots of expensive land to the maximum. The height of brick buildings at that time had quite strict restrictions (no more than 33 meters).
The creator of the first skyscrapers is William Le Baron Jenney (American urban planner, architect). Thanks to him, it was in the USA that the largest houses in the world began to be built. The construction of the tallest buildings since the 1880s was carried out using the latest technology created by an American architect. The basis of the building is a supporting frame made of steel, which represented the main weight of the structure. Thanks to the developments of the famous American engineer, it became possible in the future to erect skyscrapers of unimaginable heights.
The first ten-story building using this technology was built in 1885 in Chicago. Its height was 42 meters. This was William Janney's first skyscraper (The Home Insurance Building). Six years later, two more floors appeared on the same high-rise building, thanks to which its height reached 55 meters. The building existed until 1931.
However, it should be noted that the so-called “father of skyscrapers” was still considered James Bogardas, who, back in 1848, began to use iron and cast iron beams and columns in the construction of buildings. According to his design, the 5-story Cast Iron building was built in New York. It is, of course, far from skyscrapers.
The largest houses in the world
It is very difficult to decide which houses are the largest in the world. Today there are many world ratings of houses: the highest, the largest in area, the largest in length, etc. Among the large houses, some are the most beautiful and extravagant, and some are ridiculous. Among the huge buildings there are also private houses, as well as luxurious palaces and villas that evoke surprise and admiration.
Let's start with the most pleasant thing - with the largest and most beautiful houses in the world.
Windsor Castle
The building is not only large, but also one of the most elegant and beautiful. There are several estates in the possessions of the family of Elizabeth II. Among them, the largest is Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Today's Queen of England has owned it for more than 60 years.
It was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, and was a defensive structure, although it was located in a place that was never under threat from the conquerors. Its area is forty-six thousand square meters. In total there are more than 1000 rooms.
During its existence, it has undergone many changes and reconstructions. After the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne, Windsor Castle became the main royal home
Largest building by area
What does the largest house in the world look like? To answer this question, we can talk about a huge structure located in the Chinese province of Sichuan. In this building, which has an area of 1760 sq. meters, Century Global Center (shopping center) is located.
It comfortably houses not only shops, but also cinemas, stadiums, an ice skating rink and a water park. It should be noted that it was erected by Chinese builders in just 3 years.
Largest private houses
1. Speaking about the largest houses in the world, it should be noted a private house located in Mumbai - “Antilia”. Construction began in 2002 for the family of an Indian billionaire.
A house of 27 floors, corresponding to sixty ordinary standard floors, is capable of withstanding an earthquake of up to magnitude 8. There are 9 elevators in total. Six floors are occupied by a parking lot, where the house owner’s car collection is located, and on the seventh floor there is a private car service. One of the floors is occupied by a small theater. The house has swimming pools, ballrooms and gardens. There are 4 floors intended for family living, and three floors accommodate all the service personnel (600 people in total).
The main thing in this project is a mixture of architectural styles and elements, sequentially connected and not repeated. There are no repetitions in finishing materials.
This building is also the most expensive private house in the world. Including the land, its estimated value is about $2 billion. The owner is Mukesh Ambani, whose name ranks fifth in the world in terms of capital.
2. The largest private house in the world is the Palace of the Light of Faith (Istan Nurul Iman), which is owned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. It is located in Brunei.
The area of the palace is 187,000 square meters. meters, cost -1.4 billion dollars. In total, it has 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms and 5 swimming pools. There is a garage with a huge capacity (110 cars), a mosque (capacity 1500 people) and a banquet hall, as well as air-conditioned stables for 200 polo ponies.
The longest urban residential buildings
- Among the largest houses in the world in terms of length, one can note the house built in the Russian city of Volgograd. Its length is 1140 meters. The nine-story building was built during the Soviet era, in the second half of the 1970s. Its full size can only be assessed from the height of birds flying. Its shape resembles the letter “E”. In total, this building has 1,400 apartments and a huge number of administrative offices. Local residents of the city, who are proud of their landmark and “record holder”, call it “gut”.
- Another contender for the title of the largest building in the world intended for human habitation is a house in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk. Its shape resembles a honeycomb, and its location is Sobornosti Avenue and st. Youth. The townspeople call it the “Great Wall of China.” The length of the house is 1750 meters (together with all the “shoots” - 2770 meters). Construction of the house took place from 1969 to 1980. This building combines 40 houses of various heights. There are 120 entrances in total.
Skyscrapers
There are a huge number of tallest houses in the world. Undoubtedly, Dubai holds the record for the number of tallest skyscrapers, including residential ones.
In conclusion
Houses can be small, large and very large, and accordingly cheap, expensive and very expensive. But all this can be attributed to the simplest, not very expressive and unremarkable buildings, which cannot be compared in any way with the buildings presented in this article. However, there are an incredible number of similar structures in the world.
A famous proverb says: “my home is my castle.” But looking at the most expensive houses in the world, you understand that these houses are not just fortresses, but truly luxurious fortresses. Each of the houses that are mentioned in our review deserves special attention. True, not everyone, even real moneybags, can afford to buy something like this.
1. Blossom Estate
$130 million
In 2013, the founder of the hedge fund Citadel Investment Group, Kenneth Griffin, bought four adjacent coastal sites in Palm Beach, totaling 3.23 hectares, for $130 million. Houses had already been built on three of them, and the fourth went to the billionaire empty.
2. Broken O Ranch
$132.5 million
One of the most expensive ranches in the world was purchased for $132.5 million by billionaire Stan Kroenke in 2011. The ranch, which previously belonged to William and Desiree Moore (founders of Kelly-Moore Paint) was sold "as a package" with 4,500 cows.
3. Manapalan Residence
$135 million
Located in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast, the Manapalan Residence was purchased for $135 million by Frank McKinney. This 3-story home has 14 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 18 garages, aquarium ceilings and walls, a movie theater, a casino, ocean access, an outdoor summer kitchen, an office, 10 bars, 2 wine cellars, a gym with a beauty salon, swimming pools, a huge aquarium with sharks, sports fields, butterfly gardens and much more.
4. Hearst Home
$135 million
Previously owned by publisher William Randolph Hearst, the Beverly Hills home sold for $135 million in 2014. The mansion has 28 bedrooms, 36 bathrooms, an art deco nightclub, an outdoor terrace for 400 people, two screening rooms, an eight-car garage, etc. This house was also featured in the films The Godfather and Bodyguard.
5. 16 Kensington Palace Gardens
$140 million
In August 2011, Russian businessman, investor and politician Roman Abramovich purchased a house at 16 Kensington Palace Gardens in London. After the purchase, Abramovich built a tennis court, a health center and a private museum for his six rare Ferraris on the plot next to the mansion.
6. Updown Court
$150 million
Located in the village of Windlesham, Surrey, the Californian-style mansion boasts 103 rooms, 58 acres of gardens and private woodland. In 2005, it was the most expensive private home on the market. Elton John and Queen guitarist Brian May live next door.
7. The Manor
$150 million
The mansion, built in the style of a French chateau, is located in the suburbs of Los Angeles. It is now owned by Petra Ecclestone, daughter of Formula 1 founder Bernie Ecclestone. The mansion has 123 rooms, and next to it there is a parking lot for 100 cars.
8. The Pinnacle
$155 million
Pinnacle Mansion is the largest and most expensive ski lodge in Yellowstone National Park. It serves as a private residential club, ski resort and golf resort whose members include Bill Gates, Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.
9. Ellison Estate
$200 million
In 2004, Oracle founder Larry Ellison built an unusual Japanese-style estate in Woodside, California. On an area of 10 hectares there are 10 buildings, an artificial lake, a tea house, a bathhouse and a pond.
10. Park Place
$218 million
In 2011, Russian financier Andrei Borodin purchased Park Place, one of the most expensive houses in the UK. For $218 million, he received an 18th-century country house with an area of 2,800 square meters, about 80 hectares of parkland, several nearby cottages, stables and a boat dock.
11. One Hyde Park
$221 million
The richest man in Ukraine, Rinat Akhmetov, purchased the most expensive apartment in the world. For $221 million, he bought an apartment of more than 2,300 square meters with bulletproof glass windows in a luxury residential complex in central London.
12. 6 Kensington Palace Gardens
$222 million
In 2008, Indian tycoon Lakshmi Mittal purchased building No. 6 on Billionaires' Row in London for his son Aditya. The four-storey house with 12 bedrooms and a swimming pool was finished with marble, which was brought from the same quarry that supplied materials for the construction of the Taj Mahal. The mansion was sold with furniture and a collection of works of art.
13. Fairfield
$248 million
The 25-hectare Fairfield estate, located outside New York, is owned by American investor and businessman Ira Rennert. The 5,800-square-foot home includes 29 bathrooms, 39 bedrooms, a 100-foot-long dining room, bowling alley, basketball court, 164-seat theater, 100-car garage and more.
14. Villa Leopolda
$750 million
Located on the famous French Riviera, Villa Leopolda was built in 1931 and is now owned by the widow of Swiss banker Edmond Safra, Lily. The villa, surrounded by amazing botanical gardens, was repeatedly tried to be purchased by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.
15. Antilia
$1 billion
The official cost of a strange-looking 27-story building with a height of 173 meters in Mumbai, India is $ 1 billion. The owner, Mukesh Ambani, and his family, as well as 600 staff, live in this house, which can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake. Antilia has an area of 48,000 square meters, and in addition to residential apartments, it includes hanging gardens, a two-story fitness center, three helipads, a cinema for 50 people, an underground garage for 168 cars and much more.
Almost every country has record-breaking houses - these are the largest residential buildings, castle houses of enormous area and private houses. The largest cities in the world boast incredible skyscrapers.
Where and when were the first skyscrapers built?
Tall buildings began to appear in America with incredible intensity at the end of the 19th century, which was associated with the desire to make the most of increasingly expensive urban land. Since brick can be used to build a building whose height does not exceed thirty-three meters, the height of buildings under construction at that time had strict restrictions.Only in 1880 in the USA, an entirely new construction technology was proposed by an architect named William Le Baron Jenney. At the heart of the building was a load-bearing steel frame, which bore the main weight of the structure. Thanks to this technology, it became possible to build high-rise buildings, which became known as skyscrapers.
In 1885, the first ten-story building with a height of forty-two meters was built in the city of Chicago using the technology proposed by Jenny, and it became the first skyscraper. The house was owned by an insurance company. The world's first skyscraper was named "The Home Insurance Building". Six years later, the ten-story high-rise building acquired two more floors, thanks to which it reached a height of fifty-five meters. The world's first skyscraper existed until 1931.
Despite the fact that the first skyscraper was built using the technology of William Jenney, the so-called “father of skyscrapers” is considered to be another person. We are talking about James Bogardas, who used cast iron and iron columns and beams during construction back in 1848. Bogardas built the five-story Cast Iron building in New York. However, it was not considered a skyscraper.
The largest castle house
As you know, the family of Elizabeth II has several famous estates, including Holyrood Palace, Windsor Castle, and Buckingham Palace. The largest castle house is Windsor Castle, located in Berkshire, which the current Queen of England has owned for more than sixty years. 
The area of the castle is about forty-six thousand square meters. It has undergone many changes and renovations throughout its history; today it has about a thousand rooms. Built by William the Conqueror in the eleventh century, this castle occupied a defensive position. It is located in a place that has almost never been threatened by conquerors. After Elizabeth II ascended the throne, Windsor Castle became the main royal home
The world's largest private house
There are many large houses in the world, but there are far fewer large private houses. The largest of them is Antilia. Its construction began in 2002 in Mumbai for an Indian billionaire and his family and has now been completed. 
The height of the house is twenty-seven floors, corresponding to sixty standard floors. Antilia is capable of withstanding a magnitude 8 earthquake. The largest private building has nine elevators. There is a parking lot on six floors, where the owner’s car collection is located, and the seventh floor is reserved for a private car service. Another floor is a small theater. This is followed by floors with ballrooms, swimming pools, and gardens. The millionaire's family occupies four floors, and three floors house six hundred service personnel. The main concept of the project is a mixture of architectural elements and styles, which, being consistently connected, are never repeated. There are no repetitions in finishing materials.
The world's largest private house is also the world's most expensive private building. Its estimated value, along with the land on which it is built, is estimated at approximately two billion dollars. This is not at all surprising when you consider that the owner is Mukesh Ambani, whose name ranks fifth in terms of wealth in the world.
The largest residential building in the world
Among all residential buildings built on the planet, the house in Volgograd is recognized as the largest. Its length is one kilometer one hundred and forty meters. This nine-story building was built in the second half of the seventies of the last century. You can see this longest residential building in its entirety only from a bird's eye view. It is shaped like a capital letter "e". 
The Volgograd record building has one thousand four hundred apartments and many administrative premises. Residents of the city call it “gut” and are proud of such a landmark. The tallest monument to Lenin is located in Volgograd - 57 meters. .
Another contender for the title of the largest residential building in the world is located in the city of Lutsk. Its shape resembles a “honeycomb” and is located on two streets – Molodezhi Street and Sobornost Avenue. The townspeople call it the “Great Wall of China.” Its length is one kilometer, seven hundred and fifty meters, but if we count all the “shoots”, the length will be two kilometers, seven hundred and seventy-five meters. Construction of the house began in 1969 and was completed only in 1980. The long building united forty buildings of different heights, with one hundred and twenty entrances.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen
Size matters when it comes to building heights. The most majestic buildings in the world fascinate with their dimensions and provide a person with the opportunity to see the city in which they are located from a bird's eye view. For this purpose, many skyscrapers have built special observation platforms.
Height 414 meters
A tower from Kuwait opens the top ten tallest buildings in the world. One of the most beautiful asymmetrical skyscrapers was built in 2011. Its height was 414 meters, on which there were 80 floors. Shopping centers accounted for 6 floors, and car parking - 11. In addition, the tower housed offices, commercial premises, cinema halls, clubs, restaurants and much more. It took about 6 years to build the structure. The construction cost the state $500 million. Al Hamra boasts not only its height and unusual shape, but also 5 architectural awards, which it was awarded for its unusual design. Besides everything, this is one of the most reliable and durable structures, which is not afraid of natural disasters.
Height 415 meters
Chinese skyscraper International Finance Center Tower 2 from Hong Kong ranks ninth among the tallest structures in the world. The 415-meter-high structure includes 88 floors. The Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong is located on 40 floors, and the rest of the territory is occupied by shopping centers and office space. The building is designed for 5000 people. The tallest Chinese skyscraper was built in 1999.
Height 443 meters
The Chicago Tower is in eighth place among the tallest buildings. Sears Tower. Its height is just over 443 meters. The skyscraper includes 110 floors. Construction of the building began in the 70th year of the last century, and construction was completed in 1973. For 20 years, the tower held the title of the tallest building in the world and only in 1998 lost to the twin towers from Malaysia. The cost of the project at that time was 150 million, which in our time equates to 1 billion dollars. The main material for construction was steel. The design consists of 10 square pipes that form a giant square at the base. The Sears Tower area is 418,000 square meters. m. The building includes 104 high-speed elevators, which divide the structure into three zones.
Height 452 meters
Two twin skyscrapers PETRONAS Twins Towers, located in Malaysia, are the seventh tallest buildings in the world. In 1998, some of the tallest towers in the world were erected, which were connected by an aerial double-decker bridge at an altitude of 170 meters. The buildings rise at a level of 452 meters from the ground and have 88 floors. 800 million dollars were spent on construction. The total area of the structure was 213,750 square meters. m., and the twins themselves occupy an area of 40 hectares. There is an art gallery, exhibition and conference rooms, various offices, residential apartments and much more.
Height 494 meters
Shanghai World Financial Center from Shanghai ranks sixth among the tallest skyscrapers in the world. The Shanghai World Financial Center was built in 2008 and its height is 494 meters. On the 101st floor there are conference rooms, offices, hotels, and shopping centers. The topmost floors are observation platforms. The skyscraper covers an area of 377,000 square meters. m., has 31 elevators and 33 escalators. The maximum height of the Shanghai World Financial Center was originally expected to be 510 meters due to the spire that was wanted to be added to the top of the structure. But the architect William Pedersen did not agree with this proposal and the construction stopped at 494 m.
Height 506 meters
Fifth place is occupied by the tallest building in Europe, erected in Moscow in 2015. The maximum height of the building with roof was 506 meters. The building is a complex of two towers - “East” and “West”. The total area of the complex includes an area of 442,915.2 sq.m. The Vostok Tower is significantly higher than its “neighbor” and consists of 95 floors. There is a shopping gallery, various offices and apartments here.
Height 541 meters
The fourth position among the tallest buildings in the world is occupied by the Manhattan Tower of New York. One World Trade Center. The World Trade Center was built on the site of the former destroyed complex in 2001. The center is also called the Freedom Tower. The construction of the 541 meter high skyscraper was completed in 2013. The building includes 109 floors, 5 of which are underground. It houses many offices, shops and restaurants. There are also viewing platforms here.
Height 571 meters
The Taiwanese skyscraper opens the top three tallest skyscrapers in the world. The planned building, 571 meters high, began construction in 1999, and its opening took place at the end of 2003. About 1.7 billion dollars were spent on construction. Taipei 101 is considered one of the symbols of Taiwan. The architectural structure is equipped with 106 floors, 101 of which are above ground. The tower contains a huge shopping center with over a hundred different stores. There are also a large number of restaurants and clubs here. Asian engineers thought through the project to the smallest detail and protected Taipei 101 from destruction during a possible earthquake. Its design includes a special ball, which plays the role of shock absorbers and will not allow the tower to fall apart.
Height 601 meters
The second place in the ranking of the tallest buildings is occupied by the Royal Clock Tower from Saudi Arabia. The building with the largest clock in the world was built in 2012 and reached a height of 601 meters. In total, the Royal Clock Tower has 120 floors. At its very top there is a giant clock with a diameter of 43 meters. They can be seen from absolutely anywhere in the city of Mecca, where the building is located.
Height 828 meters
The first place among the tallest structures erected by man is occupied by a tower from the capital of the UAE. This skyscraper resembles a stalagmite in shape. Construction of the building began in 2004 and was completed in 2010. It took workers three days to build one floor. About 4 thousand people took part in the construction. Ultimately, the Dubai Tower was 828 meters high. More than $4 billion was spent on its construction. The building is equipped with 56 elevators, which are considered the fastest in the world. Inside there are various offices, residential apartments, hotels, shopping and entertainment centers, observation decks and much more.
The competitive spirit of humanity
From time immemorial, humanity has been competing all the time in whatever it is possible. Without a competitive spirit - nowhere! After all, it’s always nice to feel superior in something over others. I like it, it pleases the ear, it makes me proud, it pleases my vanity. This is expressed in sports competitions, bonuses, and ratings. Not only people and individuals compete, but also states. One of these ratings is the top “Largest Houses in the World”. This refers to the height of buildings.
The leading position is occupied by a skyscraper in the city of Dubai called Burj Khalifa, height 828 meters. It was opened in 2010. The building houses office and residential premises, a hotel and a restaurant. In second place is the Warsaw radio mast in Konstantinov with a height of 646.38 meters. Before the collapse, she was the first, but now she has lost her position. The top three of the “Largest Houses in the World” top is completed by the Japanese TV tower Tokyo Sky Tree, which has a height of 634 meters. It houses restaurants, a theater, a planetarium, and a shopping center. The fourth place is occupied by the North American television tower KVLY-TV with a height of 610 meters. In fifth position is the Chinese Guangzhou TV Tower, which is also 610 meters high and, in addition to its main purpose, is used as a place for sightseeing tours. The rating continues with the Abraj al-Bait tower in Saudi Arabia (601 meters). The top eight of the “Largest Houses in the World” top includes the Canadian CN Tower (553 m) and the Russian Ostankino Tower (540 m).
Champion Candidate
But, as we see, this rating most likely will not last long. In 2019, Azerbaijan plans to commission the tallest building, Azerbaijan Tower, 1050 meters high. And then it will top the list of “The Largest Houses in the World.” Although this is not a fact, since during this time another record holder may appear.
The largest house in China
Communist China has erected a monumental monument to its greatness - the New Century Global Center, built in Sichuan province, the city of Chengdu. This free-standing building is officially the largest house in the world. The photo speaks for itself. Its length is 0.5 km, width - 0.4 km, height 0.1 km. Area - 1.7 million square meters. It is three times the size of the Pentagon and can accommodate 20 Sydney opera houses. What is there: the Mediterranean resort of Paradise Island, an IMAX cinema with 14 movie screens, shopping malls, business centers and an ice skating rink where various competitions can be held.
Russia in this competition
As we have already noted, Russia is also included in the “Largest Houses” rating list, occupying an honorable eighth place in it. Considering the functional features, not every rating wants to include it. Now another high-rise building is being built in our country - the Federation Tower skyscraper, the height of which, together with the spire, will be 506 meters and which meets all the conditions of the rating. Let's name a few more buildings in the Russian capital that are quite tall. This is the Mercury City Tower with a height of 339 meters, Eurasia - 309 m, City of Capitals - 301.8 m.
Conclusion
We must not forget that the criteria for all ratings are different. There are other calculations according to which the results of the competition differ from those given above. According to them, the second place is occupied by Taipei 101 - a Chinese business center with a height of 509 meters, the third place is taken by the world financial center in Shanghai (492 meters). Although taller buildings are here to stay. But first place is not in dispute.
