Architecture + Design

The 17 Most Beautiful Skylines in the World

Did your hometown make the list?
Shanghai skyscraper at sunset sunlight China.
Shanghai has one of the most beautiful and unique skylines in the world.Photo: Comezora/Getty Images

The world’s most beautiful skylines are more than just collections of buildings placed close together: They’re the façades of entire cities, the front doors to many of the earth’s most vibrant metropolises. It’s these man-made horizons that often offer the first impression to visitors and imbue a sense of home to returning locals. But what exactly makes a beautiful skyline? One that is immediately recognizable? Those that are the most harmonious? The cities with the greatest number of individually striking buildings? The answer, is of course, some collection of all of the above. Like when discussing most aesthetic disciplines, visual examples are far more powerful than description will ever be. To that end, AD has rounded up 17 of the world’s most beautiful skylines, covering notable favorites like New York City and Shanghai as well as some lesser-known stunners that deserve more acclaim. Did your favorite make the list?

  • Shanghai skyscraper at sunset sunlight China.
    Photo: Frank Peters
    1/17

    Manhattan, New York City

    New York City’s skyline, particularly Manhattan’s, has truly earned the adjective iconic. Its buildings offer a visual history of the five-borough metropolis, featuring Art Deco classics like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building and modern marvels like One World Trade Center. Making it even more striking is the collection of smaller skylines that appear around it, including Jersey City and Downtown Brooklyn, all connected by some of the world’s most beautiful bridges.

  • Photo: DuKai photographer/ Getty Images
    2/17

    Hong Kong

    Many have argued that Hong Kong’s skyline is not one of the most beautiful in the world, but rather the most beautiful. Featuring densely packed high rises contrasted with Victoria Peak, the view is particularly special at night when the city lights bounce off of the harbor water.

  • Photo: Aerial Views/Getty Images
    3/17

    Chicago, Illinois

    Hugging the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is the third most populated city in the United States. The Midwest metropolis is made famous by many striking supertalls, such as Willis Tower, Vista Tower, and Marina City.

  • Photo: Johnny Greig/Getty Images
    4/17

    Dubai, UAE

    If you’re a fan of contemporary design, perhaps no city is better to visit than Dubai. It’s home to some of the world’s most innovative and futuristic buildings like the Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world and the metropolis’ crowning jewel.

  • Photo: TommL/Getty Images
    5/17

    Tokyo, Japan

    Tokyo is without a doubt one of the most vibrant and culturally rich cities in the world. It’s no surprise that its skyline is equally energetic. The Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower, two supertall constructions used for telecommunications and observation decks, are beacons in the city and great locations to take in the rest of the skyline.

  • Photo: Matteo Colombo/Getty Images
    6/17

    Perth, Western Australia

    The capital of Western Australia, Perth sits at the convergence of the Swan River and southwest coast. Undulating bridges add a dynamic quality to the cityscape and include stunners such as the Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian Bridge, seen here, and the Matagarup Bridge.

  • Photo: Scott E Barbour/Getty Images
    7/17

    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    If a city’s skyline includes one of the most spectacular structures of from the 20th century, it certainly deserves a spot on the list of the world’s most beautiful. Despite not being a skyscraper, the Sydney Opera House undoubtedly defines the waterfront horizon and offers visual contrast to the high rises behind it.

  • Photo: Comezora/Getty Images
    8/17

    Shanghai, China

    Shanghai has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world thanks to buildings like the Shainghai Tower, which houses the fastest elevators in the world. The marriage of architectural and a geometric forms, such as spheres, prisms, and cubes, makes the view even more dynamic and visually intriguing.

  • Photo: Tomatoskin/Getty Images
    9/17

    Singapore

    Singapore’s skyline does not get its beauty from the sheer number of high rise buildings on its horizon, but rather from the unique and innovative quality of each. Moshe Safdie’s Marina Bay Sands and WilkinsonEyre and Grant Associates’s Gardens by the Bay, seen here, are such examples, which demonstrate contemporary influence and were crafted to provide a distinctive image for the waterfront.

  • Photo: Deejpilot/Getty Images
    10/17

    Bangkok, Thailand

    MahaNakhon in Bangkok appears almost pixelated, as if it’s materializing right in front of its viewers eyes. It’s this building in conversation with other beauties, such as Rosewood Bangkok and the Central Embassy, that make the Thai skyline so compelling.

  • Photo: DuKai photographer/Getty Images
    11/17

    Tianjin, China

    One of China’s 17 megacities (those with a population over 10 million), Tianjin’s skyline is made even more intriguing by the large Ferris wheel that straddles the Hai River. Named the Tianjin Eye, the ride is built over the Yongle Bridge and offers incredible views.

  • Photo: SL Photography/Getty Images
    12/17

    Panama City, Panama

    Though often overlooked in favor of more famous skylines, Panama City has certainly earned its place on this list. The ultramodern towers that make up the city’s downtown are exciting and creative. F&F Tower, which appears to twist as it climbs higher into the clouds, is one of the most special buildings in Latin America.

  • Photo: chain45154/Getty Images
    13/17

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Petronas Towers designed by César Pelli in Kuala Lumpur are the tallest twin towers in the world. Designed in a postmodern style and drawing inspiration from Islamic architecture, the mirror sky-highs are defining additions of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Of course, they’re not the only ones, the city has 241 skyscrapers including Merdeka 118, the second tallest building in the world.

  • Photo: aiisha5/Getty Images
    14/17

    Seattle, Washington

    It only took 400 days to build the Seattle Space Needle, one of the most spectacular landmarks in the United States. With the city’s other towers, the needle appears like the peak of a mountain, which juxtaposes beautifully with Mount Rainier in the background.

  • Photo: Henryk Sadura/Getty Images
    15/17

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    If it’s not Chicago, the Midwest is often overlooked. But as Milwaukee so effortlessly demonstrates, this is a mistake. While on the smaller-side compared to some on this list, its proximity to Lake Michigan and buildings by heavy-hitters like Santiago Calatrava make it one of the prettiest in the United States.

  • Photo: Manfred Gottschalk/Getty Images
    16/17

    Auckland, New Zealand

    You’ll find New Zealand’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower designed by Moller Architects, in Aukland. Here, guests can take in 360-degree views of the city’s skyline from above it. You may also spot a collection of superyachts docked in Viaduct Harbor.

  • Photo: mdmworks/Getty Images
    17/17

    Toronto, Ontario

    No review of the world’s most beautiful skylines is complete without mention of Toronto. The tall, sleek profile of the CN Tower next to the sinuous Rogers Center is a captivating juxtaposition in a forest of other skyscrapers.

Katherine McLaughlin is the digital features editor at Architectural Digest where she covers architecture and design news, travel, and real estate, among other things. Previously, she wrote trend, lifestyle, and DIY stories for AD as a freelancer as well as contributing to other publications such as The New York Times,... Read more