Alain Robert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alain Robert
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Robert in 2008
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| Born |
Robert Alain Philippe
7 August 1962 Digoin, France
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| Other names | French Spider-Man |
| Occupation | Climber |
| Known for | Scaling skyscrapers |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
Alain Robert (born Robert Alain Philippe on August 7, 1962) is a famous French rock climber and urban climber. People often call him "the French Spider-Man" or "the Human Spider." He is known for climbing tall buildings all by himself, without using any safety ropes or harnesses. He only uses a small bag of chalk and special climbing shoes.
Alain Robert usually does not get permission to climb the buildings he chooses. He often finds ways to get past security and start his climbs secretly. Because of this, he has been arrested many times in different countries after finishing his climbs. However, he has also done some climbs with permission, sometimes even with sponsors.
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How Alain Robert Climbs
Alain Robert's amazing rock-climbing skills allow him to climb buildings by using tiny parts of the walls and windows. He uses things like window ledges and frames to hold on. Many of his climbs are very difficult because he has no chance to rest and they can last for several hours. He sometimes carries a small bag of climbing chalk powder around his waist to help with his grip.
Alain Robert's Climbing Adventures
Alain Robert has climbed many famous buildings around the world. These include the Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, and the Montparnasse Tower. Most of these climbs were done without any safety equipment.
Climbs in the 1990s
On March 20, 1997, he tried to climb the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was stopped and arrested on the 60th floor, which was 28 floors below the very top.
In April 1998, he climbed the 23-meter-tall Luxor Obelisk in Paris.
In June 1999, Robert climbed the 170-meter-tall Marriott Hotel in Warsaw.
On August 20, 1999, he climbed the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) in Chicago. He was only the second person to climb it, but he did it without any special equipment, unlike the first climber.
Climbs in the 2000s
On February 21, 2003, he legally climbed the 200-meter-tall National Bank of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. About 100,000 people watched him. Around this time, Robert started getting paid to climb buildings for publicity.
In May 2003, he was paid about $18,000 to climb the 95-meter-tall Lloyd's building in London. This was to promote the movie Spider-Man on TV.
On October 19, 2004, he climbed the 187-meter-tall headquarters of the French oil company Total. He wore a Spider-Man costume for this climb.
On December 25, 2004, Robert climbed Taipei 101 in Taiwan. This was a few days before it officially opened as the world's tallest building. This 508-meter climb was legal and part of the opening celebrations. Heavy rain made the climb last four hours, which was twice as long as he expected.
In June 2005, he climbed the Cheung Kong Centre in Hong Kong, reaching the top of the 62-story tower.
In September 2006, he climbed the tallest building in Lithuania, the Europa Tower, which is 148 meters tall. He used a safety rope but detached it several times.
On March 20, 2007, he climbed the Petronas Twin Towers again. He reached the 60th floor and then allowed himself to be arrested. He even waved the Malaysian flag!
On May 31, 2007, he scaled the 88-story Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China's tallest building at the time. He was arrested and jailed for five days before being sent out of China.
In June 2008, he climbed the New York Times Building in New York City. He put up a banner with a message about global warming before police arrested him on the roof.
On September 1, 2009, after two previous attempts where he was arrested, Alain Robert finally reached the very top of the Petronas Twin Towers. He started early in the morning and reached the top without being noticed by the public. He was later fined for climbing without permission.
Climbs in the 2010s
On March 28, 2011, Robert climbed the world's tallest building, the 828-meter Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai. This climb took him just over six hours, and he used a harness for safety, as required.
In April 2012, he set a Guinness World Record for climbing the 300-meter-high Aspire Tower in Doha, Qatar, in the fastest time (1 hour, 33 minutes, and 47 seconds).
On March 27, 2014, he climbed the Tour Ariane outside Paris in 45 minutes. Police watched and arrested him afterward, but he was later released without charges.
In April 2015, he climbed the Cayan Tower in Dubai, a 307-meter-tall twisted building, in 70 minutes.
On June 6, 2018, he climbed the Lotte World Tower, a 123-story skyscraper in Seoul, South Korea. He was arrested.
On January 29, 2019, he climbed the G.T. International Tower, a 181-meter-tall skyscraper in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. He was arrested after he came down.
Climbs in the 2020s
On October 1, 2020, he climbed the 166-meter-tall Silberturm (Silver Tower) in Frankfurt.
On September 17, 2022, he climbed the Tour Total in Paris again to celebrate his 60th birthday. He wanted to show that "being 60 is nothing. You can still do sport, be active, do fabulous things."
On March 5, 2024, he climbed the G.T. International Tower in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, once more. He did this to support a cause he believed in. He was arrested by the police after his climb.
Notable Climbs
The table below shows some of the famous structures Alain Robert has climbed.
| Location | Building | Date | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney, Australia | Sydney Tower | 1997 | 319 metres (1,047 ft) | |
| Sydney, Australia | Sydney Opera House | 1997 | 65 metres (213 ft) | |
| Sydney, Australia | Sydney Harbour Bridge | 1997 | 135 metres (443 ft) | |
| Sydney, Australia | RBS Tower | June 2, 2009 | 218 metres (715 ft) | Climbed down. Arrested and fined A$750. |
| Sydney, Australia | Lumiere building | August 30, 2010 | 151 metres (495 ft) | Arrested at the top. Took about 20 minutes to climb. |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Hotel Vermont | 1996 | ||
| Montreal, Canada | Crown Plaza Hotel | 1999 | 120 metres (390 ft) | |
| Montreal, Canada | Place de la Cathédrale | 146 metres (479 ft) | ||
| Hong Kong | Four Seasons Hotel | 2008 | 130 metres (430 ft) | |
| Hong Kong | The Far East Finance Centre | 1996 | 200 metres (660 ft) | |
| Hong Kong | The Cullinan | 2015 | 270 metres (890 ft) | |
| Hong Kong | The Cheung Kong Centre | 2005 | 283 metres (928 ft) | |
| Hong Kong | The Cheung Kong Centre | 2009 | 283 metres (928 ft) | |
| Tianmen Mountain, China | Heaven's Gate | November 18, 2007 | 200 metres (660 ft) | A plaque remembers his climb. |
| London, England | One Canada Square | October 18, 2002 | 244 metres (801 ft) | Stopped halfway because of rain. |
| London, England | One Canada Square | 1995 | 244 metres (801 ft) | |
| London, England | Lloyd's building | April 2, 2009 | 95 metres (312 ft) | Climbed to the 9th floor. Unfurled a 33-meter banner. |
| London, England | Portland House | December 18, 2007 | 101 metres (331 ft) | Arrested. 40-minute climb. |
| Paris, France | Eiffel Tower | 1996/97 | 313 metres (1,027 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Grande Arche at La Défense | 1999 | 105 metres (344 ft) | Failed due to heat, rescued by firefighters. |
| Paris, France | The Luxor Obelisk in Place de la Concorde | 1998 | 31 metres (102 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Tour Montparnasse | 1995 | 209 metres (686 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Tour Crystal at Front de Seine | 2005 | 100 metres (330 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Tour Crystal at Front de Seine | 1996 | 100 metres (330 ft) | |
| São Paulo, Brazil | FIESP (Luís Eulálio de Bueno Vidigal Filho) | 1996 | 92 metres (302 ft) | Arrested at the top. |
| Paris, France | Mercurial Towers at Bagnolet | 1995 | 125 metres (410 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Tour Total | October 19, 2004 | 187 metres (614 ft) | Wore a Spider-Man costume. |
| Paris, France | Tour Total | March 20, 2014 | 187 metres (614 ft) | |
| Paris, France | Ariane building | October 8, 2009 | 152 metres (499 ft) | No formal charges were brought against him. |
| Frankfurt, Germany | Dresdner Bank Tower | 1995 | 145 metres (476 ft) | |
| Milan, Italy | Banca di Milano building | 1995 | 112 metres (367 ft) | |
| Tokyo, Japan | Shinjuku Center Building | 1998 | 245 metres (804 ft) | |
| Warsaw, Poland | Marriott Hotel | 1999 | 140 metres (460 ft) | |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | IBM Tower | 1998 | 110 metres (360 ft) | |
| Abu Dhabi, UAE | National Bank of Abu Dhabi | Feb 2003 | 173 metres (568 ft) | A legal climb. Watched by about 100,000 people. |
| Abu Dhabi, UAE | The Etisalat building | 2005 | 160 metres (520 ft) | |
| Abu Dhabi, UAE | ADIA Headquarters Building | 2007 | 185 metres (607 ft) | |
| New York City, United States | New York Times Building | June 5, 2008 | 228 metres (748 ft) | Unfurled a banner about global warming. Arrested by police. |
| New York City, United States | Empire State Building | 1994 | 381 metres (1,250 ft) | |
| Chicago, United States | Willis Tower | 1999 | 443 metres (1,453 ft) | Arrested at the top. |
| San Francisco, United States | Golden Gate Bridge | 1996 | 227 metres (745 ft) | Arrested after climbing down. |
| Philadelphia, United States | Blue Cross Tower | 1997 | 185 metres (607 ft) | |
| Las Vegas, United States | Luxor Hotel | 1996 | 106 metres (348 ft) | |
| Tampere, Finland | Hotel Ilves | 2003 | 61 metres (200 ft) | |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Petronas Tower 1 | March 20, 1997 | 452 metres (1,483 ft) | Arrested at the 60th floor. |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Petronas Tower 2 | March 20, 2007 | 452 metres (1,483 ft) | Arrested at the 60th floor. |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Petronas Towers | September 1, 2009 | 452 metres (1,483 ft) | Stood atop the highest point of the tower, fined MYR 2000. |
| Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia | Sabah Foundation Building | 1997 | 122 metres (400 ft) | |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Melia Hotel | 1997 | 80 metres (260 ft) | For fundraising. |
| Singapore | Overseas Union Bank Centre | 2000 | 280 metres (920 ft) | Arrested at the 21st floor. |
| Singapore | Suntec Tower One | 2008 | 176 metres (577 ft) | |
| Taipei, Taiwan | Taipei 101 | 2004 | 508 metres (1,667 ft) | Climbed as part of opening event. Tallest building in the world at the time. |
| Caracas, Venezuela | Parque Central Torre | 2002 | 224 metres (735 ft) | |
| Barcelona, Spain | Torre Agbar | 2007 | 144 metres (472 ft) | |
| Barcelona, Spain | Torre Agbar | 2006 | 144 metres (472 ft) | |
| Lisbon, Portugal | Torre Vasco da Gama | 2006 | 145 metres (476 ft) | Optimus-sponsored legal climb to promote a phone. |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 25 de Abril Bridge | August 6, 2007 | 190 metres (620 ft) | Arrested. |
| Mexico City, Mexico | Santa Fé World Plaza Corporate Tower | 2006 | 127 metres (417 ft) | |
| Bratislava, Slovakia | Slovak Radio Building | April 12, 2007 | 80 metres (260 ft) | Took less than 20 minutes. |
| Shanghai, China | Jin Mao Building | May 31, 2007 | 420 metres (1,380 ft) | Arrested, sent out of China. |
| Moscow, Russia | West Federation Tower | September 4, 2007 | 244 metres (801 ft) | Detained by police. |
| São Paulo, Brazil | Edifício Itália | February 2008 | 168 metres (551 ft) | |
| Beirut, Lebanon | Phoenicia Hotel | October 2008 | 90 metres (300 ft) | Legal climb with safety harness, promotion for Gillette. |
| Jakarta, Indonesia | The City Tower | November 12, 2008 | 150 metres (490 ft) | |
| Jakarta, Indonesia | Bakrie Tower | March 26, 2012 | 214 metres (702 ft) | |
| Pune, India | The Amanora Tower | February 28, 2010 | 100 metres (330 ft) | Took less than 12 minutes. |
| Paris, France | GDF Suez building | April 7, 2010 | 185 metres (607 ft) | Arrested at the top. |
| Singapore | Singapore Flyer | November 5, 2010 | 165 metres (541 ft) | First person to climb around the world's tallest observation wheel. |
| Dubai, UAE | Burj Khalifa | March 28, 2011 | 828 metres (2,717 ft) | Legal climb, partial use of safety harness. Tallest building in the world at the time. |
| Doha, Qatar | Aspire Tower | April 12, 2012 | 300 metres (980 ft) | Set a Guinness World Record for climbing in the fastest time (1 hour, 33 minutes and 47 seconds). |
| Paris, France | Tour First | May 10, 2012 | 231 metres (758 ft) | |
| Port Louis, Mauritius | Mauritius Telecom Tower | June 21, 2012 | 110 metres (360 ft) | Legal climb, took less than 30 minutes. |
| Moscow, Russia | Mail.ru office Tower | August 29, 2013 | 109 metres (358 ft) | Legal climb, took less than 30 minutes. |
| Auckland, New Zealand | Metropolis Residences | December 12, 2013 | 155 metres (509 ft) | Legal climb, promotion for Samsung Galaxy Gear. |
| Yekaterinburg, Russia | Vysotsky | September 24, 2014 | 188 metres (617 ft) | Legal climb, promotion for Sinara Group. |
| Seoul, South Korea | Lotte World Tower | June 6, 2018 | 555 metres (1,821 ft) | Arrested. |
| Makati, Philippines | G.T. International Tower (skyscraper) | January 29, 2019 | 217 metres (712 ft) | Arrested. |
| Hong Kong | The Cheung Kong Centre | 2019 | 283 metres (928 ft) | |
| Frankfurt, Germany | Skyper building | 2019/21 | 153 metres (502 ft) | Detained. |
| Barcelona, Spain | Torre Agbar | 2020 | 144 metres (472 ft) | Detained and fined. |
On November 30, 2023, Alain Robert climbed the Burj Khalifa for a second time, along with Alexis Landot.
Alain Robert's Accidents
Alain Robert has had several serious falls during his climbing career. In 1982, he had two bad falls where he was injured. In 1993, he fell again while teaching students. Despite these accidents, he always recovered and continued his amazing climbs. In 2004, he had another fall but still managed to climb the world's tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101, just one month later.
Books and Documentaries
Alain Robert's autobiography, With Bare Hands, was first published in English in 2008. This book tells his life story, from being a child to becoming a famous urban climber. It shares his ideas and how he overcame challenges.
There is also a 52-minute documentary about Robert called The Wall Crawler, released in 1998. The TV series Cutting Edge also featured him in an episode called The Human Spider in April 2008.
Awards
- Faust Challenger of the Year (2011), Japan
See also
In Spanish: Alain Robert para niños
- Harry Gardiner
- Dan Goodwin
- Ivan Kristoff
- Philippe Petit
- Owen Quinn
- George Willig
