HIGH AND DRY
Incredible pics show Europe’s tallest skyscraper built in the middle of nowhere…and you’ve probably NEVER heard of it
There are plans to build two more of the mega structures next door which would reach even greater heights
UNBELIEVABLE images show Europe's tallest skyscraper that's situated in the middle of nowhere - and most people have never even heard of it.
The incredible Lakhta Centre mega-structure stands taller than both the Empire State Building and the roof of One World Trade Center.
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At a mighty 1,516ft, the 87-storey Russian Lakhta Centre clinches the title of the tallest building on the continent from Moscow's Federation Tower.
Incredible images shows the isolated needle-shaped skyscraper sat 12km outside of St Petersburg.
It has an unbelievable 2,000-seat amphitheatre inside, along with a sports centre, shops, restaurants and offices.
The mega-structure makes the Shard look tiny as it towers over it by nearly 500ft.
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Not only is it hailed the tallest structure in Europe, but it is the 16th tallest building in the world.
The skyscraper's fascia is made from 16,500 individual panes of glass which have all been fitted with automatic shutters to cut heat loss.
Residential and commercial spaces fill the building up to 1,181ft with a view point and restaurant at the top.
Lakhta is also headquarters for what was once the largest natural gas company worldwide, Gazprom.
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But despite being the unbelievable height that it is, the top 383ft of the mega-structure is actually unusable.
This part is what's called "vanity height" - and serves no purpose other than to make the skyscraper extra tall.
More than 20,000 workers from 18 different countries were involved in the building of the high-rise edifice.
From afar, the building is said to resemble a ship going into the Gulf of Finland - but others say it looks like a flame.
While the Lakhta's isolated building location has confused many, there is a key reason why it was built - or forced to be built - in the middle-of-nowhere.
The city centre of Saint Petersburg has been a World Heritage Site since the early 90s, and its committee opposed the construction of Gazprom's original structure - the Okhta Centre.
The plans received various backlash which eventually pressured Gazprom to move it to Lakhta.
The Lakhta Centre is based on the Okhta Centre plans with the main tower's infrastructure - but was made even bigger.
The mega-skyscraper was meant to mark the start of a new modern city away from the centre of Saint Petersburg - but it doesn't seem like any other skyscrapers will be popping up near it soon.
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There have been plans for two more massive skyscrapers to stand next to Lakhta that would stand at unbelievable heights of 1640ft and nearly 2330ft tall.
But Gazprom was slapped with sanctions due to Russia's involvement in the Ukraine war - with the company reportedly losing an eye-watering $7 billion in 2022.
This extreme loss suggests the building of two more record-breaking structures is not to come anytime soon.
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Cities worldwide are moving away from the concept of "zoning" - where sky-rises are all dotted in the same area and keep within the same theme like offices.
Now European hotspots are shifting to mixing numerous buildings together whether it be residential, offices or shops as it's more convenient for locals and visitors alike.
The 10 tallest buildings in Europe
- The Lakhta Centre in St Petersburg: 1,516ft (462m)
- Federation Tower Moscow: 1,226ft (373.7m)
- OKO: South Tower in Moscow: 1,162ft (354.1m)
- Mercury City Tower in Moscow 1,112ft (338.8m)
- The Shard in London 1,017ft (309.7m)
- Eurasia in Moscow 1,014ft (308.9)
- CoC: Moscow Tower in Moscow: 990ft (301.6m)
- Skyland Istanbul 1 and 2 in Turkey: 932ft (293.1m)
- Metropol Istanbul in Turkey: 919ft (280ft)
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