Take A Look at The World Tallest Building Being Abandoned

They were built to symbolize the city's prosperity and vision.
But after years of abandonment, stalled development or economic crisis, some of the world's most amazing buildings have fallen into ruin and instead come to epitomize national struggle.
From Thailand's 49-storey Sathorn Unique which was abandoned after the 1997 financial crisis to Venezuela's luxury skyscraper-turned-world's tallest slum, the Tower of David, here is a selection of some of the world's tallest hollowed-out buildings which once epitomized architectural triumph.

A close-up of Thailand's unfinished Sathorn Unique Building

It's called Bangkok's 'ghost tower'.

The empty 49-storey Sathorn Unique tower overlooking the Chao Phraya River in Thailand, was destined to be a state-of-the-art office and residential complex.
But construction on the skyscraper - with a rooftop terrace described by i09 as 'perfect for villainous showdowns' - was abandoned after the 1997 financial crisis.
Now the 174-meter graffiti-covered building mainly houses squatters.

The former 'Queen of Memphis': The Sterick Building in Memphis, Tennessee, has been empty since 1986

In 1994, some shots from Hollywood blockbuster The Client were shot around the Sterick Building in Memphis.
But aside from that, the former 'Queen of Memphis' has been vacant since 1986.
At its peak, the tower featured a white stone spire topped with a green tile roof, its own bank, pharmacy, barber shop and beauty parlor; and stockbrokers' offices. The first three floors were made from granite and limestone.
Last year, The Commercial Appeal reported officials were pressing for a feasibility study of mixed-use development of the 111-meter tall gothic-style tower and national marketing of the empty landmark once the study is completed.
Redevelopment of the once-glittering site is reportedly a challenge because it is so big and in an area where demand for office space has declined.

Nickname inspired by He-Man cartoon: Poland's unfinished high-rise, Szkieletor, was nicknamed Skeletor after the skeleton in He-Man

It was nicknamed Skeletor, the arch-villian in He-Man, because it resembled a skeleton in its unfinished form.

Construction of the 92-meter tall high-rise building Szkieletor (Skeletor), in Kraków, Poland, started in 1975 but was stopped about four years later because of economic constraints, political unrest and the imposition of martial law in Poland.

The Krakow Post reports the building was supposed to have a twin, acting as a 'gateway to a skyscraper district' for Krakow.

But despite passing through a series of owners, the building was never completed or commercialised, and now houses advertising billboards instead of people.

Plaza Tower, for a time dubbed Crescent City Towers and Crescent City Residences, is the third tallest building in Louisiana

Formerly known as Crescent City Towers and Crescent City Residences, New Orleans' third tallest building - the Plaza Tower - stands dormant in the heart of the city.

The 162-meter skyscraper has been unused since 2002 because of environmental problems such as toxic mold and asbestos.

A developer which purchased the building in 2005 with $120 million plans to convert the office tower into a 197-unit condominium tower with an entirely new facade, was thwarted by Hurricane Katrina.

Nola.com reports the latest owners last year tried to get the tower listed in the National Register of Historic Places to help finance the redevelopment.

The world's tallest slum: Construction of La Torre de David began in 1990, but because of Venezuela's massive housing shortage it led to the occupation of the building by squatters in October 2007

Venezuela's Torre de David, or Tower of David, is not technically vacant.

With no electricity or running water, the 45-storey Caracas skyscraper built during the country's boom years has become a slum for about 2,500 squatters.

Spectacular...on the outside: North Korea's outwardly extravagant high-rise, Ryugyong Hotel, was scheduled for completion this year. While it isn't 'abandoned', it has been under construction for nearly three decades

The infamous North Korean 'hotel of doom', Ryugyong Hotel, was slated to open this year after standing empty on the Pyongyang skyline for nearly 30 years.

But CNN predicts the colossal 330-meter tall building, with extravagant glass plating, will keep its Guiness World Record as the tallest unoccupied building.
So while the building is not technically abandoned, the absence of a firm construction deadline doesn't bode well.
Geneva-based Kempinski Hotels group - which reportedly manages the outwardly luxurious hotel - issued a statement in April distancing itself from the refurbishment, saying 'market entry is not currently possible'.

The North Koreans started constructing the flashy 105-storey tower in 1987.

Its 1989 opening was delayed due to construction and material problems, and again in 1992 because of funding shortfalls. It ground to a halt in 1993.

Construction re-commenced in 2008 when Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom shelled out $180 million to complete the building’s glass façade, according to CNN.