The Burj Khalifa in Dubai once again leads the global ranking of the most mentioned skyscrapers on Instagram, with more than 8.7 million posts. This is according to a new study by TUI Musement, a leading provider of tours and activities, which examines the most popular skyscrapers on social media and tracks the growth in their visibility between 2022 and 2025.
The report is released ahead of Skyscraper Day, celebrated annually on September 3rd.
Standing 828 meters tall, the Burj Khalifa continues to dominate not only Dubai’s skyline but also social media. Its multiple observation decks, including At the Top on the 124th and 125th floors, and At the Top Sky on the 148th, offer sweeping views of the city, desert, and the Persian Gulf, making it a must-visit for travellers and content creators alike.
In second place is New York’s iconic Empire State Building. A fixture in countless films and TV shows, this symbol of the Big Apple remains a cultural and tourist favourite. Its 86th-floor open-air observation deck offers a 360° view of the city, including landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty.
Taking third place is Taipei 101, Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper. At 508 meters tall and designed to resemble a bamboo stalk, a symbol of resilience and prosperity in Eastern culture, it’s known for both its architecture and its high-speed elevators, which whisk visitors to the top in seconds.
One World Trade Center, also in New York, ranks fourth. Opened in 2014 as a symbol of resilience, it is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The One World Observatory offers breathtaking views, and its Skypod elevators feature immersive time-lapse visuals showing the city’s transformation through the decades.
In fifth place is Willis Tower in Chicago. Once the tallest building in the world (from 1973 to 1998), this Windy City icon owes much of its online popularity to the 103rd-floor Skydeck and The Ledge, a series of glass-floored balconies suspended in the air, perfect for a thrilling photo op.
The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur take sixth place. Until recently the tallest buildings in Malaysia, these twin towers, connected by a two-story skybridge, remain one of Southeast Asia’s top tourist attractions. The 86th-floor observation deck, perched 370 meters above the city, continues to captivate visitors.
One Vanderbilt, located in New York, stands out as the building with the highest growth in Instagram mentions since 2022, a 189% increase. Opened just five years ago, it has climbed from tenth to seventh place, becoming one of the city’s hottest new attractions. Its immersive observation experience blends art, design, and technology, and features glass boxes suspended 325 meters above the ground, offering a striking new perspective of Manhattan.
30 Hudson Yards, also in New York, claims the eighth spot. Its main draw is Edge, an observation deck launched in 2020 that’s taken social media by storm, with an 80% increase in mentions over the past three years. Part of the open-air terrace on the 100th floor features a glass floor, an instant favourite for daring Instagram shots.
Ninth place goes to Lotte World Tower in Seoul. With 129 floors, it houses a shopping mall, cultural spaces, a hotel, and the Seoul Sky observatory, which offers 360° views of the South Korean capital. Its elegant design and all-in-one experience have made it a growing social media presence.
Closing out the top 10 is Shanghai Tower, which stands 632 meters tall, making it the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world. Its observation deck on the 118th floor overlooks the Huangpu River and the Pudong financial district skyline, while floors 125 and 126 host an interactive art experience.
*Methodology: The study analysed the 100 tallest skyscrapers in the world. For each building, Instagram mentions from their two most-used hashtags were tallied. The data from June 2025 was compared with 2022 figures to identify both the most popular buildings and those with the highest growth in mentions.
Ranking:
- Burj Khalifa: over 8,700,000 mentions (+38 % vs 2022)
- Empire State Building: over 4,500,000 mentions (+7 % vs 2022)
- Taipéi 101: over 913,000 mentions (+12 % vs 2022)
- One World Trade Center: over 833,000 mentions (+5 % vs 2022)
- Willis Tower: over 590,000 mentions (+5 % vs 2022)
- Petronas Towers: over 294,000 mentions (+33 % vs 2022)
- One Vanderbilt: over 171,000 mentions(+189 % vs 2022)
- 30 Hudson Yards: over 133,000 mentions (+80 % vs 2022)
- Lotte World Tower: over 120,000 mentions (+9 % vs 2022)
- Shanghai Tower: over 114,000 mentions (+9 % vs 2022)
