The Highest Abandoned Building in the World is a Hotel That Never Opened Its Doors

The Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea had high expectations placed upon it, as its builders aspired to achieve the record for the tallest hotel in the world. However, the record it ended up with was that of the highest abandoned hotel, earning it the title of "ghost hotel" or even the "worst building in the world."

Construction of the Ryugyong Hotel in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang began in 1987. The goal was to exceed 300 meters in height with a building featuring 105 floors, 3,000 rooms, a bowling alley, a nightclub, and five rotating restaurants with panoramic views at the top. When this impressive structure was conceived, it was expected to be completed just two years later, in time for the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, a North Korean version of the Olympics, but construction was delayed and none of that happened.

However, the true motive behind its construction extended far beyond that, as a South Korean company had just built what was at the time the tallest hotel in the world, the Westin Stamford in Singapore. Due to the rivalry between the two countries, the North Korean government could not allow this and decided to surpass its southern neighbor.

Construction of this pyramid-shaped building halted in 1992 due to the severe crisis caused in North Korea by the collapse of the USSR. By then, the main structure was built, but without windows or interior conditioning. Years later, in 2008, work resumed, and by 2011, the entire exterior was glazed. And although technically construction has now finished, it was never officially opened.

The Ryugyong Hotel became an embarrassment for the North Korean government, which tried to hide it and remove it from official maps despite being the silhouette that dominates the horizon of Pyongyang. They even thought that demolishing it would be the best solution; however, after its completion, there have been many attempts to finally open it to the public, but this has never happened, leaving it completely empty to this day.

But it does not end there, as the government of this country seems not to give up on this structure. During 2017 and 2018, work was done on the hotel and access roads were built, and even a sign was finally placed that read: "Ryugyong Hotel." However, due to the secrecy of North Korea, it is impossible to know if we will ever see the establishment open and if it will ever lose its record, good or bad, as the highest abandoned hotel in the world.