5 of the World’s Largest Wooden Structures

Wood may appear to be a modest and simple building material, but in the right hands, it can be transformed into something truly remarkable. From Japan’s futuristic Grand Ring to historic churches in Russia built without a single nail, these five wooden landmarks are the work of some of the world’s most skilled and creative architects. 

The Grand Ring – Osaka, Japan

Opened in early 2025, the Grand Ring is recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest wooden architectural structure in the world. It was built for Expo 2025 Osaka, the latest iteration of the World Expo — an international event held every five years that promotes and celebrates the exchange of technology information between nations. Standing 65 feet tall with a 1.2-mile circumference, the ring reflects the 2025 event’s theme, “Unity in Diversity.” 

Built entirely from wood using nuki, a traditional Japanese carpentry technique that joins timber without nails or screws, the Grand Ring also features a Skywalk, offering sweeping views of the expo grounds and the city of Osaka. Completed in just 14 months in advance of the event, which runs from April to October 2025, the structure was designed to be temporary, though organizers are now considering reuse proposals from private businesses and public organizations to make it a permanent fixture. 

Kizhi Pogost – Kizhi Island, Russia

Kizhi Pogost (also known as the Kizhi enclosure) is a pair of 18th-century churches and a clock tower that are built entirely of wood, including their iconic onion-shaped Russian Orthodox domes. The architectural ensemble is located on Kizhi Island, part of Lake Onega’s Kizhi Archipelago in northwest Russia.

According to legend, the 121-foot-tall Church of the Transfiguration and 99-foot-tall Church of the Intercession were constructed using only an axe. The architect, Master Nestor, used an ancient carpentry method called interlocking corner joinery, which connects timber through precisely hand-carved, fitted joints — no nails or metal required. Even the ashen shingles on the onion bulbs were fixed in place using wooden pegs. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, Kizhi Pogost “has no parallel in either Russian or global wooden architecture,” according to UNESCO. 

U Bein Bridge – Myanmar

Measuring 0.75 miles long, U Bein Bridge is the longest teak bridge in the world. Built between 1849 and 1851, it spans the tranquil Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura, just outside Myanmar’s former royal capital of Mandalay. The wood used for the bridge’s construction was salvaged from a former palace in Innwa that was destroyed by earthquakes a decade earlier. While more than 1,000 original wooden pillars support the bridge, some have been reinforced with concrete to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge, which is still in use today.

Metropol Parasol – Seville, Spain

One of the world’s largest freestanding wooden structures, the Metropol Parasol — also known as Las Setas de Sevilla or “The Mushrooms of Seville” for its distinctive shape — was built in 2011. Its designer was German architect Jürgen Mayer, who won a competition to rebuild the Plaza de la Encarnación, one of Seville’s most notable squares.

Constructed primarily from polyurethane-coated wood and reinforced with steel and concrete, the massive structure is held together by over 16 million screws and nuts. Today, it serves as a multifunctional hub with shaded walkways, a traditional market, restaurants, a museum, event spaces, and a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of Seville’s old town.

Tillamook Air Museum – Oregon

The Tillamook Air Museum is housed within a former blimp hangar in a U.S. Naval Air Station along the central Oregon coast. It is the world’s largest clear span wooden structure, meaning it does not have any internal support columns or beams. The hangar — built in 1943 by the U.S. Navy — measures 1,072 feet long, 192 feet tall, and 296 feet wide, and it covers approximately 7 acres of land. It is one of the world’s last remaining wooden World War II-era blimp hangars. Inside, the Tillamook Air Museum features wartime and aviation artifacts, vintage aircraft models, and interactive exhibits detailing the history of the Naval Air Station during World War II.