Topic:

The largest malls in the world

Large shopping centers offer the purchase of everything imaginable in one place. Our list of the largest malls in the world is based on “Gross Lettable Area” size. This is the number of square feet the property has for revenue-generating activities such as retail, dining, and entertainment. A construction boom in Asia, where land is cheap and labor costs are low, has created the biggest malls. Only two malls on this list are located outside of Asia.

1. Siam Paragon (3.22 million square feet):

Siam Paragon in Bangkok is one of the largest shopping malls in Thailand. Only nearby Central World is bigger. It includes a wide range of specialty shops and restaurants, as well as a multiplex cinema, Siam Ocean World Aquarium, Thai Art Gallery, and an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and a karaoke center.

2. Berjaya Times Square (3.44 million square feet):

Located in Kuala Lumpur, Berjaya Times Square is a twin-tower complex containing a shopping mall and two five-star hotels. With 7.5 million square feet (700,000 m²) of built-up floor space, it is currently the fifth largest building in the world. The mall includes more than 1,000 retail outlets, 65 grocery stores, and several entertainment attractions such as Asia’s largest indoor theme park, Cosmo’s World, and Malaysia’s first-ever IMAX 2D and 3D cinema located on the 10th floor.

3. Istanbul Cevahir (3.47 million square feet):

Cevahir Shopping and Entertainment Center is located on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, and opened its doors in 2005. It is the largest shopping center in Europe. The shopping center has 343 shops, 34 fast food restaurants, and 14 exclusive restaurants. Other facilities include a large stage for events, 12 cinemas, a bowling alley, a mini roller coaster, and several other entertainment facilities.

4. SM Megamall (3.6 million square feet):

Opened in 1991, SM Megamall in Metro Manila is one of the largest malls in the Philippines. The mall attracts 800,000 people daily with a maximum capacity of 4 million people. The shopping center has two main buildings. Building A has cinemas, a bowling alley, food courts, and the Toy Kingdom. Building B houses retail stores. The bridge connecting the two main buildings of the mall contains several restaurants. SM Megamall is currently undergoing a major renovation and expansion. Once completed, it will be able to claim the ultimate title of the largest mall in the Philippines.

5. West Edmonton Mall (3.77 million square feet):

West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta Canada was the largest mall from 1981 to 2004 and is currently the largest mall in America. In addition to 800 shops and services, the mall includes the world’s largest indoor theme park, the world’s largest indoor water park, and the Ice Palace (a scaled-down version of an NHL-sized ice rink, so it’s not the world’s largest). Other attractions include an 18-hole mini golf course, a cinema, and a bowling alley.

6. Dubai Mall (3.77 million square feet):

The Dubai Mall is part of the Burj Khalifa complex, the tallest man-made structure ever built. At more than 12 million square feet (the size of more than 50 football fields), The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world based on total floor area, but about the same size as West Edmonton Mall when based on leasable area. The mall contains more than 1,200 shops including the world’s largest candy store, an ice rink, a SEGA gaming center (with a 3D bowling game), a 5-star luxury hotel, 22 cinemas plus 120 restaurants, and cafes. The shopping center also includes one of the largest aquariums in the world.

7. SM Mall of Asia (4.2 million square feet):

SM Mall of Asia in Metro Manila, Philippines, opened in 2006 and consists of four buildings connected by walkways. It is equipped with a 20-seater tram that transports shoppers around the shopping center area. One of the main attractions of the shopping center is the IMAX cinema with one of the largest 3D screens in the world. The mall also includes an Olympic-sized ice rink. It accommodates both recreational and competitive figure skating as well as ice hockey.

8. CentralWorld (4.62 million square feet):

Opened in 1990, the eight-story CentralWorld in Bangkok is the largest shopping center in Thailand. It was marketed as a middle-class mall, as opposed to Siam Paragon marketed to the upper class. On May 19 of this year, CentralWorld was one of many objects set on fire by anti-government protesters. The fire raged for two days and the Zen department store collapsed in the fire. After months of repairs, the mall reopened on September 28 with 80% of its retail space open for business.