The Lakhta Centre, located near St. Petersburg, Russia is the tallest skyscraper in Europe, standing at 462 meters.
Despite being taller than well-known landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and The Shardx it remains relatively unknown.
Completed in 2019, it is located 12 km outside St Petersburg on land that was previously undeveloped.
The skyscraper serves as the headquarters for major companies like Gazprom, Russia’s energy giant.
The building is made of glass, with over 16,500 curved glass panels and contains various facilities like a sports center, shops, restaurants and a planetarium.
The design of the tower is inspired by a Swedish fort from 1611 which is now part of the modern city.
Because of its unusual shape, the construction was highly complex as each floor has a different structure compared to the one above and below it.
Also, the skyscraper, faces a unique challenge due to its close location to the Arctic Circle, where extreme weather conditions are common.
The building rounded design help it resist the effects of strong winds. However the mesh at the top of the building allows wind to pass through which can lead to ice building up.
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This ice, if it accumulates enough, could fall from a height of 460 meters, potentially causing danger to people below.
While the building is over 460 meters tall, a large portion of it isn't usable.
Specifically, the top 117 meters don't have a practical function and are just there to make the building look taller.
The building was initially intended to be the first of many skyscrapers representing Russia's wealth and success.
However, due to the invasion of Ukraine and the resulting economic decline in Russia, those plans have been put on hold.
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