List of tallest buildings in South America


This list of the tallest buildings in South America ranks skyscrapers in order by height. South America has historically seen a relatively modest demand for skyscrapers. Most of the continent's high-rises are in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and the tallest buildings are located in Santiago, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Balneário Camboríu, Valencia and Bogotá, all of which are one of the biggest financial centers of these countries.
Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela are the countries with the most skyscrapers. São Paulo is the South American city with most skyscrapers, and the 4th in the world in high-rise buildings.
The majority of the continent's tallest buildings are residential. Office buildings have not historically been built taller than residential buildings in the region, though this scenario may well change in the next decades, as South America has been experiencing substantial economic growth.

Ranking criteria and buildings

The first skyscrapers of at least height in South America were built in the 1920s, and included the Martinelli Building in São Paulo,
Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires, and the Palacio Salvo in Montevideo. Martinelli was not only the first, but the tallest skyscraper of South America until being surpassed by the Altino Arantes Building, also in São Paulo, in 1947.
Many of the tallest buildings in South America are located in central business districts that emerged as early as the 19th century, or in office parks developed during the second half of the 20th century. Some of the most notable include Bogotá; Catalinas Norte and the Buenos Aires Central Business District; Parque Central Complex ; along Avenida Rio Branco ; the CentrInfinity o Empresarial Nações Unidas and the Central Zone of São Paulo; and Sanhattan and the Costanera Center.

Tallest skyscrapers by architectural height