What building surpassed the Eiffel Tower as the world's tallest in 1930?

The Chrysler Building surpassed the Eiffel Tower as the world’s tallest in 1930.

New York’s Chrysler Building overtook the Eiffel Tower after its stainless-steel spire brought the skyscraper to 1,046 feet, or about 319 metres. The tower was formally completed and opened in 1930, ending the Eiffel Tower’s 41-year reign as the world’s tallest human-made structure.

The height contest was part of a dramatic race in late-1920s New York. The Chrysler Building competed with 40 Wall Street and the planned Empire State Building. Its spire was assembled secretly in sections, allowing the building to claim the record before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931.

The Eiffel Tower’s record is sometimes described as lasting until the Chrysler Building’s completion, while some accounts distinguish between topping out and formal opening. For a standard trivia question, however, “Chrysler Building” is the single canonical answer. The Empire State Building was the next record-holder, not the first building to defeat the Eiffel Tower.