A Man Who Climbed 700 Skyscrapers Without Equipments .

In the early 1900s, skyscrapers started to rise one by one, and clothing trends were changing. Men's outfits got a more casual look, and suits became more common. The styles went beyond the silk top hat, and felt derby and bowler hats became the go-to accessories for males in the 1910s.

At that time, Harry Gardner was making a name for himself as a "gentleman climber" and was also known as the "human fly." He claimed over 700 buildings in Europe and North America without any special equipment or powers like Spider-Man. He didn't even have a security rope to protect him from the wind that pushed him from the side, and the edges under his fingers were slippery.

While hundreds of people watched and cheered him on from the ground, Gardner climbed up the Omaha World Herald building in 1960, with an audience of more than 30,000 people. Most of the time, he wore his ordinary street clothes when he climbed skyscrapers. He had exceptionally strong hands, and he sometimes used a short length of rope to climb. However, it wasn't just this that brought him success; he was quite a performer. His wide smile and round glasses were a perfect fit for the camera and for the spectators.

Gardner didn't merely climb buildings for fun; he turned his gift and fame into money. While he scaled different constructions with his bare hands, he seized the opportunity to promote businesses. Companies were willing to pay him to advertise their goods to a large audience below. He advertised banks, movies, and ironically enough, life insurance companies, none of which offered him coverage.

At the 14-story mark, Gardner was like an all-day human TV for companies. They could reach hundreds of people at once. However, it wasn't all sunshine and butterflies. Multiple times, he faced the worst outcome he could get while climbing. In 1915, he tried to climb the state capital in Columbia, South Carolina. He fell 50 feet, broke his ribs, and damaged the building with his fall. But did it stop him? No. Climbing urban structures became a strange phenomenon in the 20th century, and Gardner inspired many people. Unfortunately, not everyone was as talented as him, and copycats did not succeed in their climbs. They didn't have nine lives. That's why states and cities put official restrictions on urban climbing.

Partner, Gardner disappeared into thin air. It was speculated that he left for Paris. A man was once found at the base of the Eiffel Tower, and people claimed that he fit Gardner's description. Still, how his story ended is a mystery.

Climbing buildings is extremely dangerous, yet it became a new phenomenon over time. Climbing urban structures as Gardner did is called buildering. Most builders are free and solo climbers, which means they climb without a rope or other types of protection. If they fall, they can get severe injuries or worse. Because of that, it's mostly illegal to build high buildings.

You might ask, "Isn't buildering just part of parkour?" Nope, it does have something in common with parkour and free running, yet buildering has a different history and style. Parkour is an athletic training discipline or sport in which people try to pass obstacles by running, vaulting, jumping, climbing, and so on to get from point A to point B in the fastest and most efficient way. Parkour practitioners also don't wear or have any assisting equipment.

Buildering occurs in urban areas, but parkour can take place anywhere. Parkour was popularized in France in the late 1980s, then it got even more popular with the help of the internet. It has acrobatic