Chicago is stunning. From a distance the skyline is like a soaring, expansive work of art. When you’re in it, walking through downtown or on a boat tour, it’s fascinating to look at individual buildings and see how truly unique and gorgeous each is. It’s like the world’s coolest open air museum of architecture.
Its frustrating as hell, cause those cities check off so many boxes for me, i just dont think im built for it....i'll try someplace up north that isnt as cold first, then we'll see....@@Earth1218
I lived here all my life and it's gorgeous year round even with the cold winter. You learn to love the winter because there's still so much going on during that time as well. Come on down for a year or 2 and try it on for size 😎
Chicago's skyline is magical. Went there last summer and it's still by far the greatest city I've ever visited. There are so many unique buildings and skyscrapers there so it doesn't feel as "generic" as many other cities.
I think Vancouver deserved a better spot on the list. The way the whole downtown area is situated on a peninsula surrounded by the ocean make it so visually appealing + the contrast between the modern glass buildings and the green/snowy mountains on the background adds points for sure.
@Canada-zm5mj Because they give a false representation of the skyline. Skylines for strong cities are office buildings. Condos are for living, so anyone could get those. Office buildings mean that the city is important and not a vacation spot.
As a native Californian, I don’t get the appeal of LA skyline at all. San Francisco has 2 bridges, an island and is surrounded by water. LA skyline isn’t surrounded by a body of water, doesn’t have a real shape to it, and cutting right next to it is a large highway that cuts off downtown from nearby neighborhoods.
Im from the east coast and when i hear beautiful skyline, LA never comes to mind. Its not special in any way to me. You would think that the city known for the glitz and glamour of movies and music that its skyline would look far nicer than it does. Not in my top 15 at all.
One thing you didn't mention about Toronto, is how deep the the Skyline goes back. Unlike most cities mentioned, with the exception of New York, is that the skylines are really along a shoreline and don't have depth. Also, there are neighborhoods like North York, Scarborough, Eglington, and Mississauga, that have more skyscrapers than some of the cities mentioned here. I'm surprised Montreal isn't on here!
Driving from over the border in Wisconsin in Kenosha and through Chicago's suburbs to finally reach Chicago is a great drive when you start to see the skyline. Just got back from there last night and love Chicago's skyline. Especially the John Hancock Center.
Subbed for the balls to give that well-deserved #1 ranking to Chicago. Totally agree. Not only is the spacing elite in a way that NYC can’t touch, but I find it really difficult to see the NYC skyline FROM the city itself. You have to be in Jersey or outside of Manhattan in some manner to even catch more than a brief glimpse of the buildings. Compare the view from Central Park where you can see some of the iconic buildings but not all of them to the view from Millennium park or Lincoln Park. You can see most of the city from most of the city. The only spot where you really can’t is next to the river, which gives it an iconic look that NYC can’t offer. Looking forward to watching your other videos.
I honestly can’t argue with any. NYC is massive but something about Chicago is more visually pleasing. Also Philly to me is often overlooked and I agree it’s 4. It’s a great skyline
Driving through and exiting the Ft. Pitt tunnel and Pittsburgh just explodes in front of you - rivers, fountains, stadiums, a compact but visually appearing downtown. A similar but not quite as dramatic downtown view when exiting the Liberty Tubes.
Great video! As a Chicago resident I totally agree with your number 1 choice 😃 I will also argue that the Cincinnati, OH skyline also deserves an honorable mention. Very similar to Pittsburgh being nestled in the Ohio river valley surrounded by hills and how impressive it looks entering the city from I75 via Northern Kentucky where the Cincinnati and Covington, KY's skylines look like one combined skyline. The city is worth it's own dedicated overview video in the future.
I figured Chicago would be picked first. I lived there in my 20s and the skyline has a way of smacking you in the face whether you drive in from the North via Lake Shore Drive or the west via I-88 or North Ave. Very sad to see what has happened to my city over the past decade..but one day it will be back to normal
I certainly agree with the fact that Ciudad de Mexico and Monterrey really do have impressive skylines as well. Interestingly, Monterrey has North America’s tallest building outside the USA, which is Torres Obispado Torre 1 and the first building in North America outside the USA to exceed 1,000 feet.
Agree, both Monterrey and Mexico City's skylines are really growing. But I think they are so new that they haven't made a mark on the public mind as of yet.
I live in NYC and have never been to Chicago, but I fully agree with your comparison about Chi’s skyline being more artfully arranged and NY’s being more chaotic.
I've been to New York and Chicago, and I can tell you that Chicago's downtown is lightyears better than NYC's. Which is saying a lot, because NYs skyline is extremely impressive. Chicago's downtown gives you a feeling of grandeur, whereas New York's downtown feels dark and chaotic. I'm not from either city, so no bias.
@@born_supreme Yes it's true. Downtown Chicago has a grand/majestc quality to it while other big city centers can feel chaotic and have a grungy quality to them in places. Not Chicago. I was impressed both times was there. It's incredibly designed.
@@born_supreme NYC is so large that the downtown does not matter and is not the center of the city - unlike most cities. Chicago may have the 2nd best skyline, but next to NYC's - it is clear why NYC is the largest city in the US by far.
American skyline never fail to impress me they’re so original as they’re the pioneers in the skyscrapers their city always look serious and intimidating very fast pace
Pretty good list bro…. definitely agree on Chicago being #1..I think the only thing I would’ve done different is I would’ve had Seattle before Philadelphia.
I knew New York, Chicago, and Toronto were going to be in the top 3 in some order, so I am thrilled Philly got #4 on your list. I just love the skyline of my city even if it doesn't technically compare to those three. If you're driving into the city from the north on 95 there is a point where you go around the bend somewhere in northeast Philly and the whole skyline suddenly slides into view many miles away and it's quite magestic.
When you drive and see the boathouses with the art museum and skyline perched behind, it’s just beautiful. Glad he highlighted the city hall because it’s one of my favorite buildings in the country
Great video! 👍 I live in Calgary and it is great you had a chance to see the beautiful city skyline with rockie mountains in the background. Chicago and New York are definitely top on list, hard to pick which is better, my opinion NYC just on its scale and size but agree that Chicago skyline is impressive
I love the heavy hitters, the top dogs, Chicago, NY, LA, Toronto, etc, but I also love a nice modest skyline in a smaller city, especially when you’re not expecting them to have one. I’ll never forget how surprisingly neat the skyline is in Dayton, OH, for example. Toledo surprised me too. Maybe the best of the little guys I’ve seen is Peoria, IL. Amazing little skyline! You should make a video ranking lesser known skylines!
I'm really surprised Atlanta was only an honorable mention. It has an amazing variety of skyscrapers, from historic masonry towers to 1980s PoMo banks towers to modern glassy towers. It has a supertall (Bank of America), great lighting at night, and the views of the skyline from Piedmont Park or the Jackson Street Bridge are phenomenal.
I guess what hurts it is that its all spread out and not clustered. downtown has a few, midtown has a few, and buckhead has a few too. if all the buckhead ones were moved to midtown and downtown, then Atlanta would easily have a top 5 skyline in the country. Also, I agree that Atlantas skyscraper architecture is incredible.
@@shivtim true, especially the north side of midtown. if they connect the north side down to the bank of America plaza then it would really look like a southern Manhattan
@@sri-kaushalramana437 agreed. If they were all together it would be incredible but the fact that they are so spread out really hurts Atlanta's overall beauty.
They do the same thing to Atlanta. And when he said Atlanta and Charlotte together it means this is just his opinion based on his favorite cities. Pittsburgh? Minneapolis? 🤔
So happy to see Minneapolis on your list! It’s truly one of the most underrated skylines in America, and will look even better and more full when the North Loop Green complex and 4th and Park are completed next year! I’m curious to know what building(s) you like best?
Yeah it’s a great skyline! I can’t take my eyes off it anytime I’m heading south on the 35W bridge. I’m excited about the North Loop Green as well. The Capella Tower is probably my favorite but I also like the Foshay tower. I like it enough to have it as part of my logo 😊
Minneapolis is definitely nice! I visited in 2020 and will never forget my view from Marriott City Center. impressive skyline for a beautiful underrated city!
I agree with the chaotic skyline thing you mentioned, honestly New York has so many of those tall slender buildings popping up I feel like it’s ruining/ obscuring that classic skyline image we think of when we think New York.
I don't think ANY skyscraper they put will beat the ICONIC empire state! Of course, after the tragedy of 9/11, that was the tallest skyscraper in New York tor a good while. And, of course, New York has the statue of liberty 🗽
@@SupportTheArts-yo8ox well yeah of course but what I’m saying is, all the new towers, especially those god awful super tall slender ones are blocking out all the classics and iconics, hell I even heard tell that they’re building the new tallest skyscraper in the city right in front of the Chrysler. Like good god way to completely obscure what makes you iconic right.
Totally on board with your number one. However, I lived there for 23 years so I might be a *bit* biased. But I still love how the skyline looks, especially as you drive on Lake Shore Drive from either direction.
Just came back from my hometown of Chicago and always amazed how beautiful the skyline is. It’s absolutely breathtaking especially when you’re riding your bike along lake shore drive. I live in the SF area now and always enjoy going back to Chicago. Great list 🎉
I am biased towards it, but I am sad that Detroit isn't on the list! It has everything I think a skyline needs: variety in building age, defining buildings and variation in shape, color and location with an easily accessible view of the majority of it from the banks of the Windsor side of the river!
Yeah Detroit was one of those cities on the bubble for me so I probably should have included it as an honorable mention. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and making the case for Detroit!
Since my family roots in Detroit I am biased, too. But I really love the skyline and find it to be very characteristic and iconic, although it is not that dense and that high as in other cities. Yet there are some of the most beautiful and impressive skyscrapers, like the Guardian Building (my absolute favorite! Honestly... how incredibly beautifully designed can a building be?), the Penobscot Building, the Buhl Building, the Book Tower, which are just amazingly artistic examples of the best American architecture could bring forward (the Fisher Building adds to it as a solitair standing tall in a distance to the other historic buildings). Then there are the modern buildings, first of all of course the Renaissance Center, but also One Woodward Ave., built by the same architect Minoru Yamasaki, who also invented the WTC in NYC and left some other wonderful traces of his art in Detroit, like some beautiful buildings for Wayne State University. And the very characteristic shape of the Ally Detroit Center, home of the Flagstar Bank. Love them all, and it feels like home, although my parents moved away from it with me to Germany. But the most part of my family still lives there, and I love visiting them and see the city where all of my family started.
My love of the the Chicago skyline was one of the big draws for me when applying to grad schools (that and I had a ton of friends in Chicago already). The balcony at the Adler Planetarium is my all time favorite spot to check out the skyline. Go to Adler After Dark (if they're still doing that) and walk out onto the balcony. You won't be disappointed.
@@SupportTheArts-yo8ox It's not a high balcony, like one floor up, but Chicago looks amazing from that northern balcony at the Planetarium! The view looks like in the video at 8:29, but much closer to the ground, of course!
Great video. I currently live in Charlotte but have spent a lot of time in most of the big cities. Every time I drive down Lakeshore Drive in Chicago I am in awe of the skyline. Chicago truly is an urban photographer's paradise.
While I LOVE New York and Philly, I completely agree that Chicago has THE MOST beautiful skyline. Chicago, for me, gets plus points as it takes awesome advantage of the natural beauty of Lake Michigan. Other than the lake though, the city is not helped by natural structures. But they still managed to make a city so incredibly esthetically pleasing!
@@HardCold-Alquanthey don't capitalize on that asset though the city is mainly towers all the way up to the water besides maybe battery park and a few thin parts while majority of Chicago's skyline is parkland on the water that improves the beauty
Absolutely outstanding! I grew up in Chicago, and for a time in the burbs, which required a lot of driving into that skyline. It never ceased to amaze me or to choke me up. I love that it beats out NYC (so overwhelming and thrilling) on this list! Now I live in New Orleans... well, we don't have much of a skyline (tall structures are totally banned in most areas), though the Superdome and CBD area, with the Mississippi and its bridges in the background (and maybe a steamboat or two), along with the French Quarter and Jackson Square, sure paints a pretty picture. Houston is hideously ugly! There is something just gross about its appearance. Every other city is lovely, but Pittsburgh really stands out to me. I have been curious to visit, and this video cinched it for me. It is visually enticing.
Chicago is decent but there skyline being primarily built up on the water makes it a flawed city for growth. Chicago needs to begin to construct a downtown core in the center of city to maximize its development density similar to NYC having midtown and downtown. Chicago just doesn’t have the sprawling feel of development that DC (DMV), LA and NYC have
@@bnb8277 It's unfortunate, if you took all the areas in Houston with skyscrapers (Downtown, Medical Center, Galleria, Energy Corridor, etc.) and shoved them all together, it would be an amazing skyline.
Seattle also is the 3rd City ever to get a Skyscraper as the Smith Tower is almost 120 years old! Also - They need to fight the Government who keeps trying to Block the Proposed 1300 foot cap, to build one of the Tallest Buildings in the Country (4/C)
Great work! it is very hard to come up with a top-any_number list for such a subject, but I think you did an amazing job. BTW, I love the skyline of Minneapolis!!!
I've got to agree. I grew up in Chicago, and as a young adult in the 80s I had an apartment on the 52nd floor of what in most other cities would be a very tall building, but it was in the middle of a spread-out forest of other much taller skyscrapers, which made for a beautiful view from my windows.
I actually gotta agree with putting NYC at number 2; I actually really don't care for the Billionaire's Row supertalls that stick out like a sore thumb so close to central park in an area that, as a student, I was not accustomed to seeing such tall buildings. Chicago's is better-integrated and lacks the outlying 'spikes' that conspicuously dominate surrounding areas further from the core of downtown. It's got a nice blend of older, more traditional-looking architecture alongside more modern styles. You also have the Chicago river, which, unlike in New York, flows right through the heart of downtown and, thanks largely to its many bridges, is loaded with character.
@@tescherman3048 Whatever, but you know that they are stunning and you are mad because Chicago cannot claim to have the tallest anymore and they cannot keep up.
@@tescherman3048 They give the NYC skyline a futuristic look and make Chicago's skyline look like Philly or L.A. I'll bet once IF Chicago and once L.A. gets one - or two for them, THEN they will be beautiful to you!
@@HardCold-Alquan Nope. Not futuristic at all. They still look like smokestacks from an 1890 industrial city. Ugly on the skyline. And I don't live in Chicago or even much care about it, so chill, dude.
I love my city (nyc) but I agree in part with your top choice. The truth is is when buildings are built literally on top of eachother, it’s kind of hard to appreciate the towers from a distance. The Empire State and WTC stand out bc they’re basically alone in the skyline due to heigh restrictions around them to keep them from being buried 😂
New York City Is My Favorite Skyline In North America And USA. I’m Going To New York City Next Month So I Am Looking More Into The City And Looking At Pictures Of The Skyline. I Love The Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower And The Statue Of Liberty. Chicago Is My Second Favorite Cause I Will Never Forget When I Saw The Best View Of The Skyline From Lakefront. I Also Love The Sears Tower And Lots Of Other Towers
When I first visited Pittsburgh, in like 2003, I remember thinking, as we crossed one of the bridges to get to the city, how it reminded me of a tiny Manhattan. Detroit and Chicago, for me, have the most individual stand-outs in term of beautiful buildings.
@@laryanryan9170 There are Art Deco buildings in Detroit that are absolutely stunning, despite the ignorance of the inhabitants due largely to demographic composition.
@@sergpie I don't remember seeing art deco buildings in Detroit but I was never looking for any whenever I was there. By the way I hate art deco buildings.
Philly and Austin over SF? No way. SF's skyline is iconic. I think it looks good from everywhere, especially when you're coming in across the Bay Bridge.
Philadelphia City Hall is actually one of my favorite buildings as well, it was actually the tallest structure in the world for a decade when it was built
Ahh! LA, Calgary, Pittsburgh and Miami... should've been at the beginning and Houston, Dallas, and Vancouver after... those three are definitely more exciting to look at. Chicago number 1... u r spot-on with why! Cheers
Houston Dallas and Vancouver? They are pretty boring to look at overall, too monotone in color and architecture and layout. Nothing stands out in any of those cities unfortunately.
How is miami at the beginning? It's iconic with surrounding water that almost makes the city look like it's floating, along with good views from all over and good light distribution at night.
I think I’ve been to every city on your list except Pittsburg ( I’ll get there). I might be biased but I agree with your #1 Chicago, it’s beautifully laid out and thoughtfully planned. I lived in a high rise in River North and my view was amazing. There’s a lot of new projects being built or proposed in a massive building boom. Cheers.
Way back in 1911, the city and its people forced the government to put the "H" back at the end of the name after a printers error misspelling the name one hundred years earlier in 1816 during its incorporation as a city. It was originally spelled with the H in honor of William Pitt who had scottish heritage, and there are only a few towns or cities spelled with the "H" at the end. Pittsburg, without the "H" is in Indiana i believe. As you might have guessed, i spent the first 30 years of my life living there, and the last 30 years visiting many many times to visit family and friends. And to show my kids where dad is from and why everything dad wears is black & gold.
I love many of those buildings around all 15 skylines, but separate Marina City Towers, also known as the "Corn Cob Towers". I was on the roof of one of them one day. It was amazing. And I was on many other roofs as well. 😊
As a former long term Torontonian I couldn't agree more with the rankings. Chicago is the gold standard for overall unity of vision. The buildings on a whole seem to really compliment each other. It's clear a lot of thought and some long term planning and vishioning made it what it has become today: the most aesthetically impressive and balanced collection of skyscrapers in N America, and in the running for best overall in the world. I am pleased and a bit surprised that Toronto is in the top three. There is a bit of randomness to all of the new building clusters, and the architectural quality is lacking in many individual projects. Toronto doesn't have the pedigree and precedent of Chicago so our bar for quality is much lower than NYC, Chi, and other cities known for high architectural standards.
Kind of disappointed that you didn't have Nashville, with it's iconic "Batman Building", nor Cincinnati (a nice mixture of old and newer, and home to some rather amazing skyscrapers; one which was a prototype that the Empire State Building was based on, as well as a pre-World War I skyscraper which was the 5th tallest building in the world when completed)
I think Cincinnati is also underrated. That view down the hill on the Kentucky side of i75 is always stunning. Also Great American Tower is one of my more favorite newer skyscrapers mainly because of it's crown.
Wonderful list. I would only rank Minneapolis higher because of the way their skyscrapers link together. Not just gorgeous but practical in the frigid winter. Plus Montreal has such a beautiful downtown. It's like having a European skyline in North America. Chicago is my favorite skyline in the world. I was born and raised there and my love for architecture comes from that. The Monadnock on Jackson is my favorite structure in the world. Great vid! 🤘🏼
I just went to seattle for a trip a few days ago, and when the ferry we went on turned to reveal the city, I thought it was one of the coolest views I've ever seen
I think you put Vancouver way too low! I haven’t been there but always find photos and videos of it so impressive. As a Chicagoland native and current city resident I can’t argue with your #1!
The PNW has some epic skylines. The natural beauty of any city can really make a city skyline really epic in their play off each other. For me, Texas cities, while they have epic buildings, the landscape for me just doesn't have the interaction to really make them pop.
In NYC we really have multiple skylines, with Manhattan being divided into two main areas of tall buildings, the Financial District from Canal St to the South tip including the World Trade Center, and Midtown from 34th st up to 59th st with the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, Hudson Yards, and the new super tall apartment buildings around 57th st. Between them there is a couple of miles with few tall buildings. Then you can add in the skylines of Jersey City and Brooklyn with its new 93 floor Brooklyn Tower, and you get a bunch of skylines melding together.
You cannot add Jersey City, but you can add BK and LIC - although they are not even needed, as Manhattan alone takes care of all other cities. Then the Bronx has it's own skylines too, even though they are mainly residential.
You can add Jersey city as part of the metro area. Jersey city is a beautiful city. It’s growing by the day. A lot of skyscrapers being built. It looks better than Brooklyn. It reminds me of a smaller Chicago but a NY vibe. A lot of times when I watch the news in the morning they always show the Jersey city skyline. It’s beautiful.
@@mbaham85 Of course Jersey City is metro NYC - but it is NOT NYC, as this is about city skylines, not metro area skylines. JC is OK on it's own, but tiny when compared to NYC and it would not exist without NYC.
Of course it would exist without NYC, it’s by the water. Just because a city is bigger doesn’t mean its skyline is automatically better. NY’ers are moving to Jersey City by the thousands. High rises are going up everywhere. Jersey city is the future. If Jersey wanted to all of Northern Jersey could be one big city because it’s so vibrant and there are skyscrapers/high rises everywhere now. But that’s politics for you 😎
No, Philly's skyline is better. He got it right. There's an awesome variety of architectural styles throughout the city, as evidenced through City Hall, the Drake, the Comcast Center, the FMC Tower, etc. Seattle simply lacks the architectural diversity that an East Coast or Midwest city would have
I agree with both, especially with Seattle ahead of Philly. Seattle's skyline, besides being framed amongst the PNW evergreens, the Puget sound and Mt. Rainier, has some of the most architecturally diverse buildings on this list, and with the Smith Tower and King Street Station being complete within a few years of Philadelphia City Hall, there is no lack of historical architecture. I also really love the city's modern skyscraper design with buildings like the Rainier Square Tower, who's facade mimicks the falling raindrops of the region's natural climate (look it up, it's really cool!)
@@jacobwood1707 While I agree about the architecture point, I think the spectacular natural setting gives Seattle a big boost. Pittsburgh's skyline also really benefits from it's unique natural setting as well.
Having traveled extensively to all the aforementioned cities in your video, I would definitely have to rank Atlanta's skyline (definitely higher than Dallas or Houston, which are boring by comparison) among the top 5 if not the top 10 for sure. The architecture and style of some of its buildings is magnificent and the night views are impressive, as well. San Diego has a very pretty coastal sideline, too.
Panama City, Panama certainly has an impressive skyline and should be towards the top of the list in my opinion even though it is considered a part of Central America and Central America is in fact considered the southern end of North America. I consider Panama City’s skyline impressive because it has so many skyscrapers well over 100m in height.
I live near Toronto and it’s getting insane. There’s downtown, but other parts like North York and suburbs like Mississauga have a crazy amount of skyscrapers. Worth looking up if you’re a fan of skyscrapers.
The thing about Chicago is the skyline from the lakefront and riverside consists of buildings over 120 years old standing shoulder to shoulder with new construction. There is no "New City, Old City", it's just Chicago. The city still attracts architectural students from all over the world. I've lived here my whole life, and every time I take the river boat tours slong the Chicago River or the cruises along the lakefront, the skylines take my breath away. City of the Big Shoulders......
Nice video man. Most of these I agree with....maybe not the ranked order but definitely the selections. Some however, I would never put on any list at all. Can't wait to see which city is featured next!
Very entertaining video! I think you may be sleeping on Nashville a little bit (I mean no city on this list that looks like a famous comic book character), but hey, you can’t win ‘em all. Lol
Nice list and I’m glad you added some Canadian cities. The Houston skyline(my city) shows up on virtually all websites with our awful western view. Unfortunately, it is the Worst direction for skyline comparisons. North, South, and especially Southeast views show the classic smaller skyscrapers in the foreground with dense stacks of taller ones in the background. Sadly, only drones and a few midrise residents can get great views from these angles since the downtown is ringed by interstate freeways. I’ve read that the early founders plotted the streets 60 to 100 feet wide so that wagons pulled by a team of horses could make turns with no problems. That dense New York City vibe with those narrow streets just isn’t possible. Still, downtown Houston at night is filled with beautiful city lights and colorful embellishments. Find a night scape image and see what I mean. Right now the tallest skyscrapers have coordinated their lighting to depict yellow & blue in support of Ukraine. ❤Enjoyed the list! Great work! 😀
Thanks!! And that’s good to know about the Houston skyline and it’s too bad that there isn’t more footage showing it from different angles. Houston is one of the only skylines on this list that I haven’t personally seen in person so my opinion might have been higher if I wasn’t completely relying on images and drone footage. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, as always! 😊
I think you should really visit Houston More specifically post Houston it’s like a rooftop lounge dwntwn everyone including tourist visit when they come into town And from there you can see just how gorgeous Houston skyline really is up close and in person and see just how beautifully the sun sunsets also complimenting the skyline itself Many has underrated opinions until actually visiting post Houston It also has different restaurants gift shops etc inside And at your convenience Our skyline is way better then most of the skylines on this list especially cities such as Dallas San Francisco Minneapolis Pittsburgh and Seattle And rivals cities such as nyc &&Chicago But much like Miami it would take for you to see it in person Bcuz the thing w/ most of these skylines aside from having never ending skyscrapers So it seems is tht they all have some type of backdrop body of water/mountains to make the skyline look better then it actually does🤷🏿♂️And the thing w/ Houston is tht we dnt need any of tht Bcuz our city is naturally beautiful w/ the palm trees And lush greenery vegetation && rivers snaking through the city By day And when the Skyline is lit up by night along w/ the sunset twilight It not only look picturesque But also futuristic and like something straight out of a movie And something else worth noting the way the tourist and visitors are standing out there taking pictures of themselves w/ the Houston skyline as their backdrop you would think they we’re in Paris standing in front of the Eiffel Tower And this is no exaggeration either All You have to do is come to post Houston and you’ll see exactly wht im talking abt😎🤷🏿♂️👀
Good list. I agree about Chicago. It's perfect in it's balance, variation and overall mass. For me, just from an overall beauty stand point it's: 1. Chicago 2. Seattle 3. Philadelphia I think those three are the North American standouts because they all have the same ingredients: Balance: the individual buildings seems to work together in the aggregate Variation: the architectural styles of from late 19th century to early 20th century 10 story brick and mortar to modernist, post modernist, to glass and steel Overall Mass: the sheer size of the skylines
Finally someone is showing the love that the city of Pittsburgh has long deserved. Yinz all need to visit the burgh someday. Not only is that skyline beautiful from atop Mt. Washington, it has the greatest view from its ballpark. PNC Park, home of the Pirates of Major League Baseball is annually voted the best ball park in the league to see a game at. Its incredible view of the city and its bridges is great, but the transition from daytime to nighttime is truly breathtaking and spectacular to experience if you go up into the upperdeck behind homeplate. You dont have to because the views are good from almost anywhere, but its well worth the time. The sunset colors reflecting off the buildings and the rivers is really something to behold. The best is when its fireworks night, which they do about a half dozen times or more per year. And concerts are extra special thanks to mother natures light show. I moved from there over 30 years ago but i do get to go back and visit quite often and it never disappoints, even in the winter.
Chicago is stunning.
From a distance the skyline is like a soaring, expansive work of art.
When you’re in it, walking through downtown or on a boat tour, it’s fascinating to look at individual buildings and see how truly unique and gorgeous each is.
It’s like the world’s coolest open air museum of architecture.
i want to live there so bad, even for a year or 2 but that cold looks hellish. one of the very few problems i have with the area
@@diodelvino3048 I get it. Chicago and Minneapolis would be two of the best cities of the Midwest to live in… but those long and frigid winters. 😬
Its frustrating as hell, cause those cities check off so many boxes for me, i just dont think im built for it....i'll try someplace up north that isnt as cold first, then we'll see....@@Earth1218
I’m from Chicago it is beautiful ❤
I lived here all my life and it's gorgeous year round even with the cold winter. You learn to love the winter because there's still so much going on during that time as well. Come on down for a year or 2 and try it on for size 😎
Chicago's skyline is magical. Went there last summer and it's still by far the greatest city I've ever visited. There are so many unique buildings and skyscrapers there so it doesn't feel as "generic" as many other cities.
I think Vancouver deserved a better spot on the list. The way the whole downtown area is situated on a peninsula surrounded by the ocean make it so visually appealing + the contrast between the modern glass buildings and the green/snowy mountains on the background adds points for sure.
Skylines with mainly condos, are different and don't count.
@Canada-zm5mj Because they give a false representation of the skyline. Skylines for strong cities are office buildings. Condos are for living, so anyone could get those. Office buildings mean that the city is important and not a vacation spot.
The buildings are mostly rather russian looking and kinda ugly
I like how you justified your number one pick! Very cool about the separation between buildings and the comparison to where you grew up. Thanks!
Thank you!! Yeah I felt like I had to provide my justification for not putting NYC #1
As a native Californian, I don’t get the appeal of LA skyline at all. San Francisco has 2 bridges, an island and is surrounded by water. LA skyline isn’t surrounded by a body of water, doesn’t have a real shape to it, and cutting right next to it is a large highway that cuts off downtown from nearby neighborhoods.
Funny how San Diego did not even make this list. He must have overlooked it.
@@HardCold-Alquan I'd totally pick San Diego over LA
@@anthonysnyder1152 Me too
Im from the east coast and when i hear beautiful skyline, LA never comes to mind. Its not special in any way to me. You would think that the city known for the glitz and glamour of movies and music that its skyline would look far nicer than it does. Not in my top 15 at all.
yeah it's weird, placing LA skyline higher than SF is just bizarre.
One thing you didn't mention about Toronto, is how deep the the Skyline goes back. Unlike most cities mentioned, with the exception of New York, is that the skylines are really along a shoreline and don't have depth. Also, there are neighborhoods like North York, Scarborough, Eglington, and Mississauga, that have more skyscrapers than some of the cities mentioned here.
I'm surprised Montreal isn't on here!
Well you should see Chicago building that up right now, the you also have projects like lincoln yards and the 78 coming in years to come as well.
Yes and no, there're infill on the back end in T-dot but it's spotty
Why would Montreal be on this list? I don't think it's better than any listed here.
@@lucky247365 Because it has the mountain - Mont Royal - in the background, and the river down below.
@@lucky247365have you been to Montreal?
Driving from over the border in Wisconsin in Kenosha and through Chicago's suburbs to finally reach Chicago is a great drive when you start to see the skyline. Just got back from there last night and love Chicago's skyline. Especially the John Hancock Center.
Subbed for the balls to give that well-deserved #1 ranking to Chicago. Totally agree. Not only is the spacing elite in a way that NYC can’t touch, but I find it really difficult to see the NYC skyline FROM the city itself. You have to be in Jersey or outside of Manhattan in some manner to even catch more than a brief glimpse of the buildings. Compare the view from Central Park where you can see some of the iconic buildings but not all of them to the view from Millennium park or Lincoln Park. You can see most of the city from most of the city. The only spot where you really can’t is next to the river, which gives it an iconic look that NYC can’t offer. Looking forward to watching your other videos.
I honestly can’t argue with any. NYC is massive but something about Chicago is more visually pleasing. Also Philly to me is often overlooked and I agree it’s 4. It’s a great skyline
I’ve always had Chicago over New York in my rankings too.
Vancouver at #14 behind Houston at #13 is wild
Driving through and exiting the Ft. Pitt tunnel and Pittsburgh just explodes in front of you - rivers, fountains, stadiums, a compact but visually appearing downtown. A similar but not quite as dramatic downtown view when exiting the Liberty Tubes.
You forgot Montreal: the view of the city from the Champlain Bridge with Mount Royal in the background.
Mount Royal in the background does make Montreal's skyline quite stunning.
Mediocre skyline
Yes. Top 5 worthy in my opinion
@@secrets.295 zero signature towers and extremely flat. How on earth is that a realistic ranking?
Montreal literally looks like Atlanta skyline lol. It's tiny and uninteresting
Great video! As a Chicago resident I totally agree with your number 1 choice 😃 I will also argue that the Cincinnati, OH skyline also deserves an honorable mention. Very similar to Pittsburgh being nestled in the Ohio river valley surrounded by hills and how impressive it looks entering the city from I75 via Northern Kentucky where the Cincinnati and Covington, KY's skylines look like one combined skyline. The city is worth it's own dedicated overview video in the future.
Thank you!! And I’m glad you agree with my top choice 😊 And you’re right, I probably should have at least included Cinci as an honorable mention.
It would have been nice if Newport had a skyscraper that approached that of Covington, which is still impressive for a town of it's size......
I figured Chicago would be picked first. I lived there in my 20s and the skyline has a way of smacking you in the face whether you drive in from the North via Lake Shore Drive or the west via I-88 or North Ave. Very sad to see what has happened to my city over the past decade..but one day it will be back to normal
Well... both Mexico City and Monterrey are located in North America and have very impressive skylines.
Who?
I certainly agree with the fact that Ciudad de Mexico and Monterrey really do have impressive skylines as well. Interestingly, Monterrey has North America’s tallest building outside the USA, which is Torres Obispado Torre 1 and the first building in North America outside the USA to exceed 1,000 feet.
Agree, both Monterrey and Mexico City's skylines are really growing. But I think they are so new that they haven't made a mark on the public mind as of yet.
True Monterrey is stunning and Mexico City skyline is sprawling
Cities in Mexico build their towers all over the place, the concept of centralized downtown skyline doesn't really exist down there.
I live in NYC and have never been to Chicago, but I fully agree with your comparison about Chi’s skyline being more artfully arranged and NY’s being more chaotic.
You should visit! It’s amazing in the summer
Chicago's downtown is incredibly arranged. Nothing feels out of place. Everything seems to fall in line perfectly.
I've been to New York and Chicago, and I can tell you that Chicago's downtown is lightyears better than NYC's. Which is saying a lot, because NYs skyline is extremely impressive. Chicago's downtown gives you a feeling of grandeur, whereas New York's downtown feels dark and chaotic. I'm not from either city, so no bias.
@@born_supreme
Yes it's true. Downtown Chicago has a grand/majestc quality to it while other big city centers can feel chaotic and have a grungy quality to them in places. Not Chicago. I was impressed both times was there. It's incredibly designed.
@@born_supreme NYC is so large that the downtown does not matter and is not the center of the city - unlike most cities. Chicago may have the 2nd best skyline, but next to NYC's - it is clear why NYC is the largest city in the US by far.
American skyline never fail to impress me they’re so original as they’re the pioneers in the skyscrapers their city always look serious and intimidating very fast pace
Chicago definitely #1 🌃 and Dallas also has a great 1
Pretty good list bro…. definitely agree on Chicago being #1..I think the only thing I would’ve done different is I would’ve had Seattle before Philadelphia.
Thank you!
I knew New York, Chicago, and Toronto were going to be in the top 3 in some order, so I am thrilled Philly got #4 on your list. I just love the skyline of my city even if it doesn't technically compare to those three. If you're driving into the city from the north on 95 there is a point where you go around the bend somewhere in northeast Philly and the whole skyline suddenly slides into view many miles away and it's quite magestic.
I honestly thought Philly would be # 3, but # 4 is great, too!
When you drive and see the boathouses with the art museum and skyline perched behind, it’s just beautiful. Glad he highlighted the city hall because it’s one of my favorite buildings in the country
And how the other side of the state coming in at #7. Finally someone. Showed the burgh the love it deserves.
Great video! 👍 I live in Calgary and it is great you had a chance to see the beautiful city skyline with rockie mountains in the background. Chicago and New York are definitely top on list, hard to pick which is better, my opinion NYC just on its scale and size but agree that Chicago skyline is impressive
Chicago is still growing as well with the west loop/Fulton market construction boom and projects like the 78 as well as Lincoln Yards.
I love the heavy hitters, the top dogs, Chicago, NY, LA, Toronto, etc, but I also love a nice modest skyline in a smaller city, especially when you’re not expecting them to have one. I’ll never forget how surprisingly neat the skyline is in Dayton, OH, for example. Toledo surprised me too. Maybe the best of the little guys I’ve seen is Peoria, IL. Amazing little skyline! You should make a video ranking lesser known skylines!
I grew up in Chicago amazing city Great people thanks for your video 👍👍🔥🔥🔥😊
Thank you!!
Great list and the reasons you gave were really good. I love your reasoning for Chicago
Thank you!! 🙏
My hometown ❤ Chitown
With 6 new tall skyscrapers being completed and the mountain in the back, Montreal deserves the 5 place in this list
Montreal will never make the list because they can’t build taller than Mount Royal. They need a few super tall skyscrapers to put them in the top 10.
@@Como651But despite the hight restrictions, the Montréal skyline is still impressive when crossing the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge!
As a huge fan of cities in population, skyline, things to do, and just drawing cities i love these videos and subbed to the channel!
Thank you!!!
I'm really surprised Atlanta was only an honorable mention. It has an amazing variety of skyscrapers, from historic masonry towers to 1980s PoMo banks towers to modern glassy towers. It has a supertall (Bank of America), great lighting at night, and the views of the skyline from Piedmont Park or the Jackson Street Bridge are phenomenal.
I guess what hurts it is that its all spread out and not clustered. downtown has a few, midtown has a few, and buckhead has a few too. if all the buckhead ones were moved to midtown and downtown, then Atlanta would easily have a top 5 skyline in the country. Also, I agree that Atlantas skyscraper architecture is incredible.
@@sri-kaushalramana437 Fair enough, but midtown atlanta along beats most cities in the US.
@@shivtim true, especially the north side of midtown. if they connect the north side down to the bank of America plaza then it would really look like a southern Manhattan
@@sri-kaushalramana437 agreed. If they were all together it would be incredible but the fact that they are so spread out really hurts Atlanta's overall beauty.
@@drycreek9You must be thinking of 15 years ago.
Ah, yes! The long awaited skyline video. Even though I do have a soft spot for Baltimore's, I can't disagree with Chicago. Keep up the great work!
Thank you!! It’s been a long time coming 😊
Houston should've been ranked higher It only showed downtown but there's 8 different skylines outside that area
@Jayden Gray they always f*ck over Houston's skyline only showing a tiny part of the city (downtown) and leaving out the rest
It pains me to see Chicago at number 1, but I get it. I am a bias native New Yorker though 😂 great video!
They do the same thing to Atlanta. And when he said Atlanta and Charlotte together it means this is just his opinion based on his favorite cities. Pittsburgh? Minneapolis? 🤔
Minneapolis made the list 🤩🙌🏼 love the video!! I’ve been curious about your opinion on these for awhile now!
Thank you!!
So happy to see Minneapolis on your list! It’s truly one of the most underrated skylines in America, and will look even better and more full when the North Loop Green complex and 4th and Park are completed next year! I’m curious to know what building(s) you like best?
Yeah it’s a great skyline! I can’t take my eyes off it anytime I’m heading south on the 35W bridge. I’m excited about the North Loop Green as well.
The Capella Tower is probably my favorite but I also like the Foshay tower. I like it enough to have it as part of my logo 😊
@@CityGeek sir why is Vancouver below Houston LMAO? it has ocean and mountains and looks newer. Up next.... Shanghai below Detroit....
He'll put Detroit at #1. 🤔
Minneapolis is definitely nice! I visited in 2020 and will never forget my view from Marriott City Center. impressive skyline for a beautiful underrated city!
Coming into Chicago and on I-94 on a nice clear night is a beauty. Hancock blinking and the old Sears tower doing it’s quick flash.
I agree with the chaotic skyline thing you mentioned, honestly New York has so many of those tall slender buildings popping up I feel like it’s ruining/ obscuring that classic skyline image we think of when we think New York.
I don't think ANY skyscraper they put will beat the ICONIC empire state! Of course, after the tragedy of 9/11, that was the tallest skyscraper in New York tor a good while. And, of course, New York has the statue of liberty 🗽
@@SupportTheArts-yo8ox well yeah of course but what I’m saying is, all the new towers, especially those god awful super tall slender ones are blocking out all the classics and iconics, hell I even heard tell that they’re building the new tallest skyscraper in the city right in front of the Chrysler. Like good god way to completely obscure what makes you iconic right.
@@theevilplaguedoctor6464yup, it’s like they don’t really plan it well
Excellent list!! Pittsburgh is amazing, i thkught so as well. Chicago's skyline is the most beautiful by far.
Totally on board with your number one. However, I lived there for 23 years so I might be a *bit* biased. But I still love how the skyline looks, especially as you drive on Lake Shore Drive from either direction.
Just came back from my hometown of Chicago and always amazed how beautiful the skyline is. It’s absolutely breathtaking especially when you’re riding your bike along lake shore drive. I live in the SF area now and always enjoy going back to Chicago. Great list 🎉
I am biased towards it, but I am sad that Detroit isn't on the list! It has everything I think a skyline needs: variety in building age, defining buildings and variation in shape, color and location with an easily accessible view of the majority of it from the banks of the Windsor side of the river!
Yeah Detroit was one of those cities on the bubble for me so I probably should have included it as an honorable mention. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and making the case for Detroit!
Agree, Detroit has always had an iconic skyline, with the Renn. Centre. Would be worthy of at least an hon mention.
Since my family roots in Detroit I am biased, too. But I really love the skyline and find it to be very characteristic and iconic, although it is not that dense and that high as in other cities. Yet there are some of the most beautiful and impressive skyscrapers, like the Guardian Building (my absolute favorite! Honestly... how incredibly beautifully designed can a building be?), the Penobscot Building, the Buhl Building, the Book Tower, which are just amazingly artistic examples of the best American architecture could bring forward (the Fisher Building adds to it as a solitair standing tall in a distance to the other historic buildings). Then there are the modern buildings, first of all of course the Renaissance Center, but also One Woodward Ave., built by the same architect Minoru Yamasaki, who also invented the WTC in NYC and left some other wonderful traces of his art in Detroit, like some beautiful buildings for Wayne State University. And the very characteristic shape of the Ally Detroit Center, home of the Flagstar Bank. Love them all, and it feels like home, although my parents moved away from it with me to Germany. But the most part of my family still lives there, and I love visiting them and see the city where all of my family started.
@@FranzKaernBiederstedt agreed, loved views of Detroit skyline growing up across the river in Canada.
Detroit does have a nice skyline
My love of the the Chicago skyline was one of the big draws for me when applying to grad schools (that and I had a ton of friends in Chicago already). The balcony at the Adler Planetarium is my all time favorite spot to check out the skyline. Go to Adler After Dark (if they're still doing that) and walk out onto the balcony. You won't be disappointed.
How high up is the balcony?
@@SupportTheArts-yo8ox It's not a high balcony, like one floor up, but Chicago looks amazing from that northern balcony at the Planetarium! The view looks like in the video at 8:29, but much closer to the ground, of course!
Great video. I currently live in Charlotte but have spent a lot of time in most of the big cities. Every time I drive down Lakeshore Drive in Chicago I am in awe of the skyline. Chicago truly is an urban photographer's paradise.
While I LOVE New York and Philly, I completely agree that Chicago has THE MOST beautiful skyline. Chicago, for me, gets plus points as it takes awesome advantage of the natural beauty of Lake Michigan. Other than the lake though, the city is not helped by natural structures. But they still managed to make a city so incredibly esthetically pleasing!
Manhattan is on the water too...
@@HardCold-Alquanthey don't capitalize on that asset though the city is mainly towers all the way up to the water besides maybe battery park and a few thin parts while majority of Chicago's skyline is parkland on the water that improves the beauty
@@HardCold-Alquan in a different way, though.
I definitely would have had Montreal on this list, and maybe even Quebec City and Edmonton.
Edmonton??? Seriously???
Absolutely outstanding!
I grew up in Chicago, and for a time in the burbs, which required a lot of driving into that skyline. It never ceased to amaze me or to choke me up. I love that it beats out NYC (so overwhelming and thrilling) on this list!
Now I live in New Orleans... well, we don't have much of a skyline (tall structures are totally banned in most areas), though the Superdome and CBD area, with the Mississippi and its bridges in the background (and maybe a steamboat or two), along with the French Quarter and Jackson Square, sure paints a pretty picture.
Houston is hideously ugly! There is something just gross about its appearance. Every other city is lovely, but Pittsburgh really stands out to me. I have been curious to visit, and this video cinched it for me. It is visually enticing.
Thank you!! I'd definitely recommend visiting Pittsburgh.
Chicago is decent but there skyline being primarily built up on the water makes it a flawed city for growth. Chicago needs to begin to construct a downtown core in the center of city to maximize its development density similar to NYC having midtown and downtown. Chicago just doesn’t have the sprawling feel of development that DC (DMV), LA and NYC have
And I agree with you, Houston has a hideous downtown largely impart to their horrible city zoning laws.
To bad Chicago got no beach and no booty
@@bnb8277 It's unfortunate, if you took all the areas in Houston with skyscrapers (Downtown, Medical Center, Galleria, Energy Corridor, etc.) and shoved them all together, it would be an amazing skyline.
Seattle has the most underrated skyline. Beautiful
Seattle also is the 3rd City ever to get a Skyscraper as the Smith Tower is almost 120 years old! Also - They need to fight the Government who keeps trying to Block the Proposed 1300 foot cap, to build one of the Tallest Buildings in the Country (4/C)
Monterrey in Mexico as well as Mexico City have nice looking skylines… and get this, they are in North America.
They’re alright. Monterrey I’d give number 16 😂 Mexico City is meh, maybe number 20 or below LOL.
Great work! it is very hard to come up with a top-any_number list for such a subject, but I think you did an amazing job. BTW, I love the skyline of Minneapolis!!!
Thank you!! I'm glad you agree that Minneapolis has a great skyline!
I've got to agree. I grew up in Chicago, and as a young adult in the 80s I had an apartment on the 52nd floor of what in most other cities would be a very tall building, but it was in the middle of a spread-out forest of other much taller skyscrapers, which made for a beautiful view from my windows.
Wow! That's kind of how it feels if you ever go to the top of the Foshay tower in Minneapolis. That's a smaller scale example, but fitting.
I'm so proud that my city is ranked number 1!!
I actually gotta agree with putting NYC at number 2; I actually really don't care for the Billionaire's Row supertalls that stick out like a sore thumb so close to central park in an area that, as a student, I was not accustomed to seeing such tall buildings. Chicago's is better-integrated and lacks the outlying 'spikes' that conspicuously dominate surrounding areas further from the core of downtown. It's got a nice blend of older, more traditional-looking architecture alongside more modern styles. You also have the Chicago river, which, unlike in New York, flows right through the heart of downtown and, thanks largely to its many bridges, is loaded with character.
Frankly, a lot of the skinny supertall buildings in NYC look like smokestacks. And that is not particularly beautiful.
@@tescherman3048 Whatever, but you know that they are stunning and you are mad because Chicago cannot claim to have the tallest anymore and they cannot keep up.
Mad? LOL. Smokestack supertalls are ugly.@@HardCold-Alquan
@@tescherman3048 They give the NYC skyline a futuristic look and make Chicago's skyline look like Philly or L.A. I'll bet once IF Chicago and once L.A. gets one - or two for them, THEN they will be beautiful to you!
@@HardCold-Alquan Nope. Not futuristic at all. They still look like smokestacks from an 1890 industrial city. Ugly on the skyline. And I don't live in Chicago or even much care about it, so chill, dude.
I love my city (nyc) but I agree in part with your top choice. The truth is is when buildings are built literally on top of eachother, it’s kind of hard to appreciate the towers from a distance. The Empire State and WTC stand out bc they’re basically alone in the skyline due to heigh restrictions around them to keep them from being buried 😂
Native Chicagoan, and you're right. It's perfect.
New York City Is My Favorite Skyline In North America And USA. I’m Going To New York City Next Month So I Am Looking More Into The City And Looking At Pictures Of The Skyline. I Love The Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower And The Statue Of Liberty. Chicago Is My Second Favorite Cause I Will Never Forget When I Saw The Best View Of The Skyline From Lakefront. I Also Love The Sears Tower And Lots Of Other Towers
When I first visited Pittsburgh, in like 2003, I remember thinking, as we crossed one of the bridges to get to the city, how it reminded me of a tiny Manhattan. Detroit and Chicago, for me, have the most individual stand-outs in term of beautiful buildings.
Detroit?🤔😂😂😂
@@laryanryan9170 Cleveland and Buffalo have beautiful skylines as well.
@@laryanryan9170
There are Art Deco buildings in Detroit that are absolutely stunning, despite the ignorance of the inhabitants due largely to demographic composition.
@@sergpie I don't remember seeing art deco buildings in Detroit but I was never looking for any whenever I was there. By the way I hate art deco buildings.
@@sergpie so basically your saying ignorant black people right? I mean, no need to sugarcoat the clear bigotry.
Philly and Austin over SF? No way. SF's skyline is iconic. I think it looks good from everywhere, especially when you're coming in across the Bay Bridge.
I was just watching 'The Man Who Knew too Much' and SF did not even have a skyline then! SF remains a very unique city however.
Philadelphia City Hall is actually one of my favorite buildings as well, it was actually the tallest structure in the world for a decade when it was built
It remains the tallest masonry building in the world
Everything about Philly is what WAS - not what IS.
Ahh! LA, Calgary, Pittsburgh and Miami... should've been at the beginning and Houston, Dallas, and Vancouver after... those three are definitely more exciting to look at. Chicago number 1... u r spot-on with why! Cheers
Houston Dallas and Vancouver? They are pretty boring to look at overall, too monotone in color and architecture and layout. Nothing stands out in any of those cities unfortunately.
How is miami at the beginning? It's iconic with surrounding water that almost makes the city look like it's floating, along with good views from all over and good light distribution at night.
Well done. My favorites are Chicago, Seattle and Calgary.
Thanks!!
I agree with the number one pick of Chicago living outside of it was also glad to see Minneapolis and Pittsburgh as well
I think I’ve been to every city on your list except Pittsburg ( I’ll get there). I might be biased but I agree with your #1 Chicago, it’s beautifully laid out and thoughtfully planned. I lived in a high rise in River North and my view was amazing. There’s a lot of new projects being built or proposed in a massive building boom. Cheers.
Thanks! I’m glad you agree!
Way back in 1911, the city and its people forced the government to put the "H" back at the end of the name after a printers error misspelling the name one hundred years earlier in 1816 during its incorporation as a city. It was originally spelled with the H in honor of William Pitt who had scottish heritage, and there are only a few towns or cities spelled with the "H" at the end. Pittsburg, without the "H" is in Indiana i believe. As you might have guessed, i spent the first 30 years of my life living there, and the last 30 years visiting many many times to visit family and friends. And to show my kids where dad is from and why everything dad wears is black & gold.
SF skyline is much better than LA
Before 2018, I would’ve said LA and called you a madman. But with the addition of Salesforce Tower, I couldn’t agree more.
That’s a hard one to differ
I love many of those buildings around all 15 skylines, but separate Marina City Towers, also known as the "Corn Cob Towers". I was on the roof of one of them one day. It was amazing. And I was on many other roofs as well. 😊
As a former long term Torontonian I couldn't agree more with the rankings. Chicago is the gold standard for overall unity of vision. The buildings on a whole seem to really compliment each other. It's clear a lot of thought and some long term planning and vishioning made it what it has become today: the most aesthetically impressive and balanced collection of skyscrapers in N America, and in the running for best overall in the world.
I am pleased and a bit surprised that Toronto is in the top three. There is a bit of randomness to all of the new building clusters, and the architectural quality is lacking in many individual projects. Toronto doesn't have the pedigree and precedent of Chicago so our bar for quality is much lower than NYC, Chi, and other cities known for high architectural standards.
Thanks so much for including Minneapolis! I live there too and I think the skyline is just stunning
Philly has a very attractive and unique skyline that is constantly changing
Kind of disappointed that you didn't have Nashville, with it's iconic "Batman Building", nor Cincinnati (a nice mixture of old and newer, and home to some rather amazing skyscrapers; one which was a prototype that the Empire State Building was based on, as well as a pre-World War I skyscraper which was the 5th tallest building in the world when completed)
I think Cincinnati is also underrated. That view down the hill on the Kentucky side of i75 is always stunning. Also Great American Tower is one of my more favorite newer skyscrapers mainly because of it's crown.
@@slopiijoe agreed. The view is always amazing and that is a rather cool skyscraper as well.
Its too small...it's on the level of Louisville ,Ky
Chicago number one for sure, but Houston over Vancouver is a little questionable. Great video though!!
Thanks!! Yeah and I can understand why someone would want Vancouver higher on the list. It's a beautiful skyline
@@CityGeek ancouver's is def nicer than houstons
Fantastic video! Subscribed
Thank you!!
I've only been to about half the cities on your list. I also became interested in architecture when I lived in Seattle. That started in 1986.
That’s awesome! It’s a beautiful city
Wonderful list. I would only rank Minneapolis higher because of the way their skyscrapers link together. Not just gorgeous but practical in the frigid winter.
Plus Montreal has such a beautiful downtown. It's like having a European skyline in North America.
Chicago is my favorite skyline in the world. I was born and raised there and my love for architecture comes from that. The Monadnock on Jackson is my favorite structure in the world.
Great vid! 🤘🏼
I just went to seattle for a trip a few days ago, and when the ferry we went on turned to reveal the city, I thought it was one of the coolest views I've ever seen
I think you put Vancouver way too low! I haven’t been there but always find photos and videos of it so impressive. As a Chicagoland native and current city resident I can’t argue with your #1!
Surprised Montreal didn't make the cut. 100% agree on Chicago #1 though
The PNW has some epic skylines. The natural beauty of any city can really make a city skyline really epic in their play off each other.
For me, Texas cities, while they have epic buildings, the landscape for me just doesn't have the interaction to really make them pop.
EXCELLENT video. Great list.
Thank you!
In NYC we really have multiple skylines, with Manhattan being divided into two main areas of tall buildings, the Financial District from Canal St to the South tip including the World Trade Center, and Midtown from 34th st up to 59th st with the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, Hudson Yards, and the new super tall apartment buildings around 57th st. Between them there is a couple of miles with few tall buildings. Then you can add in the skylines of Jersey City and Brooklyn with its new 93 floor Brooklyn Tower, and you get a bunch of skylines melding together.
You cannot add Jersey City, but you can add BK and LIC - although they are not even needed, as Manhattan alone takes care of all other cities. Then the Bronx has it's own skylines too, even though they are mainly residential.
You can add Jersey city as part of the metro area. Jersey city is a beautiful city. It’s growing by the day. A lot of skyscrapers being built. It looks better than Brooklyn. It reminds me of a smaller Chicago but a NY vibe. A lot of times when I watch the news in the morning they always show the Jersey city skyline. It’s beautiful.
@@mbaham85 Of course Jersey City is metro NYC - but it is NOT NYC, as this is about city skylines, not metro area skylines. JC is OK on it's own, but tiny when compared to NYC and it would not exist without NYC.
Of course it would exist without NYC, it’s by the water. Just because a city is bigger doesn’t mean its skyline is automatically better. NY’ers are moving to Jersey City by the thousands. High rises are going up everywhere. Jersey city is the future. If Jersey wanted to all of Northern Jersey could be one big city because it’s so vibrant and there are skyscrapers/high rises everywhere now. But that’s politics for you 😎
@@mbaham85 Most of the people living in those Jersey City apartments take the PATH train into Manhattan to go to work.
I basically agree, but my only changes would be to lower LA below San Francisco, and move Seattle ahead of Philadelphia.
No, Philly's skyline is better. He got it right. There's an awesome variety of architectural styles throughout the city, as evidenced through City Hall, the Drake, the Comcast Center, the FMC Tower, etc. Seattle simply lacks the architectural diversity that an East Coast or Midwest city would have
I agree with both, especially with Seattle ahead of Philly. Seattle's skyline, besides being framed amongst the PNW evergreens, the Puget sound and Mt. Rainier, has some of the most architecturally diverse buildings on this list, and with the Smith Tower and King Street Station being complete within a few years of Philadelphia City Hall, there is no lack of historical architecture. I also really love the city's modern skyscraper design with buildings like the Rainier Square Tower, who's facade mimicks the falling raindrops of the region's natural climate (look it up, it's really cool!)
@@jacobwood1707 While I agree about the architecture point, I think the spectacular natural setting gives Seattle a big boost. Pittsburgh's skyline also really benefits from it's unique natural setting as well.
Great to see Minneapolis on this list, one of the best skylines in the country and VERY under appreciated.
Amen! It kind of reminds me of a smaller scale version of Los Angeles. It's more compact, but the buildings fit so well together and stand out.
Having traveled extensively to all the aforementioned cities in your video, I would definitely have to rank Atlanta's skyline (definitely higher than Dallas or Houston, which are boring by comparison) among the top 5 if not the top 10 for sure. The architecture and style of some of its buildings is magnificent and the night views are impressive, as well. San Diego has a very pretty coastal sideline, too.
Panama City, Panama certainly has an impressive skyline and should be towards the top of the list in my opinion even though it is considered a part of Central America and Central America is in fact considered the southern end of North America. I consider Panama City’s skyline impressive because it has so many skyscrapers well over 100m in height.
I live near Toronto and it’s getting insane. There’s downtown, but other parts like North York and suburbs like Mississauga have a crazy amount of skyscrapers. Worth looking up if you’re a fan of skyscrapers.
Great video! Nashville is nice too.
Thank you!!
I think that Philadelphia is the most underrated skyline. The skyline is just so beautiful!!!!
Brother I couldn't agree with you more if I were you. This is exactly how I would have ranked them too.
The thing about Chicago is the skyline from the lakefront and riverside consists of buildings over 120 years old standing shoulder to shoulder with new construction. There is no "New City, Old City", it's just Chicago.
The city still attracts architectural students from all over the world. I've lived here my whole life, and every time I take the river boat tours slong the Chicago River or the cruises along the lakefront, the skylines take my breath away. City of the Big Shoulders......
Detroit and San Diego have massive skylines too.
not really
Nice video!! However houston above vancouver is wild
Wow Toronto really is beautiful skyline
Chicago's skyline is beautiful from many angles. Coming in from O'Hara Airport it is a sight to behold like Oz. Lol
Nice video man. Most of these I agree with....maybe not the ranked order but definitely the selections. Some however, I would never put on any list at all. Can't wait to see which city is featured next!
Thank you! I might have to do a Canadian city again 😊
@@CityGeek that would be awesome!
Very entertaining video! I think you may be sleeping on Nashville a little bit (I mean no city on this list that looks like a famous comic book character), but hey, you can’t win ‘em all. Lol
Nice list and I’m glad you added some Canadian cities. The Houston skyline(my city) shows up on virtually all websites with our awful western view. Unfortunately, it is the Worst direction for skyline comparisons. North, South, and especially Southeast views show the classic smaller skyscrapers in the foreground with dense stacks of taller ones in the background. Sadly, only drones and a few midrise residents can get great views from these angles since the downtown is ringed by interstate freeways. I’ve read that the early founders plotted the streets 60 to 100 feet wide so that wagons pulled by a team of horses could make turns with no problems. That dense New York City vibe with those narrow streets just isn’t possible. Still, downtown Houston at night is filled with beautiful city lights and colorful embellishments. Find a night scape image and see what I mean. Right now the tallest skyscrapers have coordinated their lighting to depict yellow & blue in support of Ukraine. ❤Enjoyed the list! Great work! 😀
Thanks!! And that’s good to know about the Houston skyline and it’s too bad that there isn’t more footage showing it from different angles. Houston is one of the only skylines on this list that I haven’t personally seen in person so my opinion might have been higher if I wasn’t completely relying on images and drone footage. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, as always! 😊
I have it on my page
I think you should really visit Houston More specifically post Houston it’s like a rooftop lounge dwntwn everyone including tourist visit when they come into town And from there you can see just how gorgeous Houston skyline really is up close and in person and see just how beautifully the sun sunsets also complimenting the skyline itself Many has underrated opinions until actually visiting post Houston It also has different restaurants gift shops etc inside And at your convenience Our skyline is way better then most of the skylines on this list especially cities such as Dallas San Francisco Minneapolis Pittsburgh and Seattle And rivals cities such as nyc &&Chicago But much like Miami it would take for you to see it in person Bcuz the thing w/ most of these skylines aside from having never ending skyscrapers So it seems is tht they all have some type of backdrop body of water/mountains to make the skyline look better then it actually does🤷🏿♂️And the thing w/ Houston is tht we dnt need any of tht Bcuz our city is naturally beautiful w/ the palm trees And lush greenery vegetation && rivers snaking through the city By day And when the Skyline is lit up by night along w/ the sunset twilight It not only look picturesque But also futuristic and like something straight out of a movie And something else worth noting the way the tourist and visitors are standing out there taking pictures of themselves w/ the Houston skyline as their backdrop you would think they we’re in Paris standing in front of the Eiffel Tower And this is no exaggeration either All You have to do is come to post Houston and you’ll see exactly wht im talking abt😎🤷🏿♂️👀
If NYC isn't top ranked you're not serious.
For real . NYC # 1❤
Vancouver should’ve been higher, and Montreal is missing?
I agree about chi being #1 but Denverrrr
Spot on with the #1 skyline
Phoenix, San Diego , Vegas and Mexico City are honarable mentions
CHICAGO ON TOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good list. I agree about Chicago. It's perfect in it's balance, variation and overall mass.
For me, just from an overall beauty stand point it's:
1. Chicago
2. Seattle
3. Philadelphia
I think those three are the North American standouts because they all have the same ingredients:
Balance: the individual buildings seems to work together in the aggregate
Variation: the architectural styles of from late 19th century to early 20th century 10 story brick and mortar to modernist, post modernist, to glass and steel
Overall Mass: the sheer size of the skylines
Chicago is my favorite, too.
Finally someone is showing the love that the city of Pittsburgh has long deserved. Yinz all need to visit the burgh someday. Not only is that skyline beautiful from atop Mt. Washington, it has the greatest view from its ballpark. PNC Park, home of the Pirates of Major League Baseball is annually voted the best ball park in the league to see a game at. Its incredible view of the city and its bridges is great, but the transition from daytime to nighttime is truly breathtaking and spectacular to experience if you go up into the upperdeck behind homeplate. You dont have to because the views are good from almost anywhere, but its well worth the time. The sunset colors reflecting off the buildings and the rivers is really something to behold. The best is when its fireworks night, which they do about a half dozen times or more per year. And concerts are extra special thanks to mother natures light show. I moved from there over 30 years ago but i do get to go back and visit quite often and it never disappoints, even in the winter.