Climber Free-Solos Taipei Skyscraper in Historic Rope-less Climb

Legendary rock climber Alex Honnold has made history by completing the first-ever free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, the iconic 101-story skyscraper in Taiwan, climbing its 1,667-foot glass and steel facade without the use of ropes, harnesses, or any safety equipment.

Using only small L-shaped architectural outcroppings as hand and footholds, Honnold completed the climb in 91 minutes and 30 seconds, an event witnessed by thousands of spectators from the streets below and broadcast live on Netflix.

While French climber Alain “Spiderman” Robert previously scaled the building with ropes in 2004, Honnold’s feat is recognized as the highest free-solo climb of an urban structure ever achieved, adding a new chapter to his legacy following his historic 2017 free-solo of Yosemite’s El Capitan.

The climb, delayed by one day due to rain, was a stunning display of peak human concentration and physical control, transforming one of the world’s tallest buildings into a monumental vertical challenge.