Taipei 101 and the vertical skyline of Taipeh
Published on 09/18/2026 at 06:16 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Taipei 101 rises in Taipeh as a 508 m (1,667 ft) skyscraper completed in 2004, with 101 above-ground storeys and a mixed office-and-retail function. Its name points to its floor count, and its profile remains one of the clearest landmarks in the city’s Xinyi District.
Taipei 101’s stacked form in Taipeh
The tower is set among the planned streets of Xinyi District, with No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road as its address and the building visible from much of central Taipeh. The former name, Taipei World Financial Center, still appears in English-language descriptions of the tower.
The structure reaches 508 m, and the spire takes it slightly higher. That combination of height, storeys and public mixed use makes the building easy to place within the city’s modern skyline.
A tower completed in 2004
Taipei 101 was completed in 2004 and opened as a major office tower with retail space at its base. The building’s record-setting period as the world’s tallest building gave it a place in late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century high-rise history.
The name C.Y. Lee & Partners is tied to the tower’s design, and the building’s form is associated with a segmented exterior that reads as stacked sections. Its scale and organisation make it a major example of contemporary skyscraper construction in Taiwan.
Materials, height and city function
The tower combines steel structure, glass and a strong vertical outline. Its height, storey count and mixed use place it among the most recognisable tall buildings in East Asia, while its office floors and retail base give it a city-centre role beyond simple display.
The building is part of Taipei’s Xinyi District, a part of the city known for large modern towers and broad streets. Its location within that district makes it a useful marker for orientation as well as a prominent piece of the skyline.
Visiting Taipei 101: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The tower stands in Xinyi District, Taipeh, beside No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road. It is reached through the city’s street grid and public transport network.
- The building rises as a very tall skyscraper, so the scale is easiest to take in from a distance and from the streets around the base.
- The lower part of the building contains retail space, while the tower above is arranged as a high-rise office structure.
- The official language is Mandarin Chinese and the currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Taipei 101 on social platforms
These links open searches for Taipei 101 on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Taipei 101
Where is Taipei 101?
It stands in Xinyi District in Taipeh, Taiwan, on Section 5 of Xinyi Road. The tower forms part of the city’s modern business quarter.
What does a visit involve?
The lower levels contain retail space, while the upper part is a major office tower. The building’s height and layered form are the main things visible on site.
What makes Taipei 101 distinctive?
Its 508 m height, 101 storeys and 2004 completion define it. The former world-tallest status and the tower’s segmented exterior add to its identity.
