Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers are very tall buildings found in big cities around the world. They can have more than 100 floors! The word skyscraper means a building so tall it seems to scrape the sky. These amazing buildings are home to offices, apartments, and even restaurants.

How Skyscrapers Are Built

Skyscrapers need a strong frame made of steel and concrete. Workers build a deep foundation underground to hold up all that weight. Special elevators carry people to the top floors in seconds. Without elevators, nobody would want to climb all those stairs!

Famous Skyscrapers

The first true skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885. It was only 10 stories tall. Today, the tallest buildings are over 100 stories high. Cities like New York, Dubai, and Shanghai are famous for their stunning skylines full of skyscrapers.

Fun Facts

• The world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, has 163 floors and is over half a mile tall.
• Strong winds can make the top of a skyscraper sway several feet back and forth.
• Some skyscrapers have special tanks of water near the top to help keep the building steady in the wind.

Did You Know?

The Empire State Building in New York City was built in just 410 days. That is about one year and two months!