<P> The earliest structures now known to be the tallest in the world were the Egyptian pyramids , with the Great Pyramid of Giza , at an original height of 146.5 metres ( 481 ft ) , being the tallest man -- made structure in the world for over 3,800 years , until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in 1300 . From then until the completion of the Washington Monument ( capped in 1884 ) the world 's tallest buildings were churches or cathedrals . Later , the Eiffel Tower and , still later , some radio masts and television towers were the world 's tallest structures . </P>
how long were the pyramids the tallest structure
over 3,800