Since the beginning of time, humans have been building monuments, whether for religious purposes or as a testament to immense wealth and good fortune. This tendency has led to the construction of some of the most beautiful and the most expensive buildings in the world. The title of most expensive building in the world is ever changing, as people all over the world try to build the most ornate, the tallest, the most modern and technologically advanced buildings ever seen.
Traces of this history can be seen in buildings like the Palace of Versailles, at one time one of the most expensive buildings in the world, with its unbelievable halls of mirrors and lush salons filled with jewels and precious metals. Or in a building like the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum made from white marble, rubies, and other semi-precious stones. The construction of the Taj Mahal relied on 20,000 labourers and craftsmen and it took sixteen years to complete. The Palace of Versailles is still technically one of the most expensive buildings in the world, as it costs $14.5 million in upkeep every year, while the Taj Mahal costs around $700,000 per year in maintenance.
Both these glorious buildings, however, pale in price comparisons with more recent constructions, particularly in Saudi Arabia, which are costing figures in the billions, and which are monuments to how far architecture and construction technologies have progressed over the years. If we look back over history, we can only imagine how buildings will develop in the future—when they built the Empire State Building in New York it was set to be the tallest building in the world and now it is dwarfed by the regular office buildings around it. With each year we seem to build bigger, better and even more impressive. In the list below we detail some of the most expensive buildings in the world.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Burj Khalifa is an exceptional building in Dubai that houses offices, residences, and hotels and touches the sky at 2,717 feet in height. The building holds the Guinness World Record for being the tallest building in the world. It took two and a half years to construct and cost over $1.5 billion. It is incredibly energy-efficient for its size as its top is covered in solar panels. It cuts a striking line in the sky in Dubai, with its shining walls and unique tiered shape. This is an exceptional (and expensive) monument to human ingenuity and building advancements.
The Great Mosque of Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The Great Mosque of Mecca is one of the most important and sacred sites in the Muslim world. This is the largest mosque in the world and the world’s most expensive building. The structure itself is very old and is built around the Kaaba, a black stone said to have come down from heaven and formed part of an original structure on the site built by the Prophet Abraham. The mosque has been extended a number of times over the years to accommodate the number of people making pilgrimages to the site, and this is how it has racked up costs of over $100 billion in construction. This is a beautiful, ornate and culturally significant building housing many stunning Islamic treasures and artefacts.
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
These three integrated towers cost $5.7 billion to build and a fourth tower is scheduled to be built for 2026 that will add untold costs to that figure. The towers house hotels, casinos, malls, convention centres, theatres, and museums, and there is a sky park that runs across and between the tops of the three towers. There is an infinity pool on the rooftop that offers unmatched views, and an observation deck on the 56th floor. This is one of the largest and most luxury resorts in Singapore and it provides absolutely everything one could possibly need on an elite holiday or business trip.
Abraj Al-Bait, Saudi Arabia
These seven towers were built as accommodation for all those visiting Mecca and they are located just metres away from the Great Mosque. They are ornate and ostentatious, with terracotta colour schemes, thousands of windows, and a giant clock tower. The towers cost $16 billion to build and they include shopping centres and a prayer hall. They were built by the Saudi Arabian government in order to cope with ever increasing numbers of pilgrims visiting Mecca each year.
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States
SoFi Stadium is home to the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers. It is located in Inglewood, California and seats around 70,000 fans. It cost around $5.5 billion to build as it has a retractable glass roof that allows for shelter while maintaining the feeling of an open air experience in the stadium. There is also a performing arts centre in the complex that seats 6,000 and will be used for concerts and other cultural events, meaning this is not simply a sports venue. The stadium also houses The Kinsey African American Art and History Collection, one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of African American art and history, including fine art, rare books, historical documents, and cultural artefacts. As it goes, SoFi stadium, with its connections to sports and the arts, stands as a monument to human strength and resilience.
As you can see from the list above, humans have built some truly spectacular buildings in respect of religious beliefs, to house, and to entertain. All across the world you will find unbelievable examples of architecture and construction and buildings built with enormous care and with an eye to making something breathtaking and enduring. As above, you can see that it doesn’t matter what it is for, people are prepared to spend whatever it takes to build something extraordinary.
