Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands. The Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area is the most populous in the country, with a population of approximately 2.4 million.[2] Rotterdam is home to many of the tallest skyscrapers in the Netherlands, with over 350 completed high-rises,[3] including 26 buildings greater than a height of 100 metres (328 feet), seven of which are taller than 150 m (492 ft) as of 2025. Rotterdam's skyline is one of the largest in the European Union;[4] it has the largest skyline in the Netherlands and in the Low Countries as a whole.[5] Its tallest building is the 215 m (705 ft), 59-storey Zalmhaven, a residential skyscraper completed in 2021.
Rotterdam is famous for its high-rise character, and the prevalence of tall buildings has lended it the nickname of "Manhattan on the Meuse", in reference to the island of Manhattan in New York City, and the river, Nieuwe Maas, that runs through the centre of Rotterdam.[6] The history of high-rises in Rotterdam dates back to 1897 with the completion of the "Witte Huis", at the time the tallest skyscraper in Europe. Following heavy aerial bombardment in World War II, the city mainly incorporated modernist architecture during rebuilding.
While some high-rises were built during the 1960s to 1980s, it was in the 1990s that Rotterdam increasingly embraced skyscraper development, including for residential and mixed-use purposes. This has continued into the 21st century, with the city almost tripling the number of buildings above 100 m (328 ft), from nine in 2000 to 26 in 2025. The Rise and Codrico projects, currently under planning, would surpass the height of Zalmhaven if they came into fruition.
Most of Rotterdam's high-rises are located within or near the city centre, on both sides of the Nieuwe Maas. On the north, skyscrapers can be found in Stadsdriehoek, and surrounding the Rotterdam Centraal train station further north. To the south of the river, the Kop van Zuid neighbourhood is an artificial peninsula, known for distinctive skyscrapers such as De Rotterdam and New Orleans. Within the Nieuwe Maas is the island of Noordereiland, which lacks any tall buildings and maintains its mid-rise identity. Crossing the river is the Erasmus Bridge, whose angular profile rises 139 m (456 ft) above the river, making it a notable feature on the skyline.
History
Pre-war history
The Witte Huis, Rotterdam's first high-rise
Rotterdam has a longer history with high-rises than most other European cities. The city's skyscraper tradition began in 1897 with the completion of its first high-rise (Hoogbouw in Dutch), the ten-storey Art NouveauHet Witte Huis (The White House). It was the tallest skyscraper in Europe at the time. The structure features a Chicago-type steel skeleton construction with a ceramic façade.[7][8][9] However, the building's 45-metre (148 ft) height failed to surpass the tallest structure in the city, which was the 64-metre (210 ft) Grote Kirk, a protestant church built between 1449 and 1525.[10] The Witte Huis reflected Rotterdam's growth as a major port towards the end of the 19th century, along with a booming population.[11]
High-rise development was slow until the 1930s, with the construction of GEB-gebouw (or GEB-Toren) in 1931. Designed by a group of Dutch architects including Ad van der Steur, it was built as the headquarters of Gemeentelijk Energie Bedrijf (Municipal Energy Company), or GEB for short.[12][13] It was the tallest building in Rotterdam until the 1960s. During World War II, German occupiers built an anti-aircraft lookout post on top of the building, raising its height by 7 metres (23 ft).[12] Another significant pre-war high-rise was the Ungerpleinflat, completed as part of the Ungerplein complex in 1936. Considered a Bauhaus icon, it was one of the tallest residential towers in Europe at the time.[14] The building's design followed the principles of "Nieuwe Bouwen" (Dutch Functionalism) with "lack of ornamentation, with a focus on pure geometric forms".[15]
The German Army invaded the Netherlands in 1940, meeting unexpected resistance. In May, the historic city centre was heavily bombed, an event sometimes referred to as the Rotterdam Blitz. The extent of the damage led to a decision to demolish most of what remained of the entire city centre. Despite the disaster, the city's destruction was regarded as the perfect opportunity to redress many of the problems of industrial pre-war Rotterdam, such as crowded, impoverished neighborhoods. Rotterdam's reconstruction embraced modernist design principles, such as broad open spaces and low, wide open streets.[16][17]
1950s–1990s
After the completion of Delftse Poort, Rotterdam's skyline departed from simple curtain walls
Despite the turn to modernist architecture, high-rise development was largely absent in the 1950s, gaining steam in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968, a new high-rise building in the Erasmus University Medical Cente r, a teaching hospital, was completed. It overtook GEB-gebouw as the city's tallest building and was the first building to surpass 100 m (328 ft) in the city. This precipitated the city's first major wave of high-rise development in the 1970s,[18] with the construction of office towers such as Hofpoort (1976)[19] and the Rotterdam Science Tower (1978),[20] and residential towers including Prinsenwiek (1974)[21] and the Lee Towers complex (1975).[22]
A second, larger wave would begin in the late 1980s, and high-rises would start to reach a height 100 m (328 ft) more frequently. In addition to an increase in architectural height, this wave would show a shift in tall building policy, architectural design, and the functional use of new skyscrapers.[18] In 1993, the Rotterdam Municipal Council launched its first tall buildings policy (Hoogbouwbeleid) in a structured attempt to steer the development of tall buildings in the city.[18][23] Previous high-rises used mirror-glass facades, with the last major example being the twin-tower Delftse Poort office complex in 1992. Delftse Poort marked a major turning point in the skyline, being the first buildings to exceed 150 m (492 ft) in height. After their completion, building styles became more diverse. Since then, there has also been an increase in the number of skyscrapers designed by international architects, as well as a growth in the function of Rotterdam's tallest buildings, which was increasingly residential[18]
Rotterdam's skyscraper boom continued in the 21st century. A major redevelopment is the Kop van Zuid area, including Wilhelminapier, located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas, which had been planned since the late 1980s. Many of the city's tallest buildings came into fruition there, including the World Port Center, designed by Norman Foster, in 2001, and Montevideo in 2005. The latter is designed by the principal of Dutch architectural firm Mecanoo, Francine Houben, making it one of the tallest woman-designed buildings in the world. They would be followed by Maastoren,[24]New Orleans,[25] and lastly De Rotterdam[26] in the early 2010s. De Rotterdam is notable for its design, consisting of stacked, interconnected blocks.[27] Together, the five skyscrapers make up half of the current ten tallest buildings in the Netherlands.
The Maritiem District in Stadsdriehoek, where the Witte Huis was built, was another centre for high-rise construction, with new skyscrapers such as Waterstadtoren (2004), The Red Apple (2009), and UP:Town and 100Hoog in the 2010s. A new eastern high-rise was completed in the Erasmus University Medical Center campus in 2012, as part of a major renovation.[28] The new tower, along with its older companion, form the two tallest buildings in Dijkzigt. In 2021, construction was complete on De Zalmhaven, in Scheepvaartkwartier. It is currently the tallest building in Rotterdam, and the first skyscraper to surpass 200 m (656 ft) in height, being 215 m (705 ft) tall. The mixed-use tower has 256 units across 60 storeys, as well as offices, a restaurant, a roof garden, and a fitness centre.[29][30] The tower is part of a complex with two shorter high-rises, named the Kaan Towers.[31]
Another significant addition in the 2020s is the Cool Tower (Cooltoren in Dutch), distinguished by a protruding "mid-crown" in the centre of the building.[32] Currently under construction are the Post Tower and the Baan Tower, both skyscrapers over 150 m (492 ft). The latter, with a facade described as "black marble", offers amenities such as a rooftop pool and a spa, and is expected to be complete in 2026.[33][34] Two projects are planned that could exceed De Zalmhaven in height. The 220 m (722 ft) Codrico, designed by New York City-based SHoP architects, will be located on the site of a former industrial factory.[35] The RISE complex will add 1,500 apartment units with half designated for social or mid-market housing via three towers. The tallest, Hofpleintoren, would be 286 m (938 ft) tall.[36]
Cityscape
Panorama of Rotterdam in 2016
Tallest buildings
This list ranks completed skyscrapers and high-rises in Rotterdam that stand at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2025, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The “Year” column indicates the year of completion.
Was the tallest building in Rotterdam upon completion
[24]Tallest building in Rotterdam and the Netherlands from 2010 to 2022. Tallest office building in Rotterdam. Tallest building completed in Rotterdam in the 2010s
The following table ranks skyscrapers under construction in Rotterdam that are expected to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2025, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. Buildings that are on hold are not included.
The following table ranks approved and proposed skyscrapers in Rotterdam that are expected to be at least 100 m (328 ft) tall as of 2025, based on standard height measurement. The “Year” column indicates the expected year of completion. A dash “–“ indicates information about the building’s height or year of completion is not available.
This map displays the location of all buildings taller than 100 m (328 ft) in Rotterdam. Each marker is coloured by the decade of the building's completion.
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