Welcome to our top 10 real giants showcase, where we explore the awe‑inspiring lives of towering individuals who left an indelible mark on history. These giants weren’t just folklore; they were very real people with remarkable stories, staggering heights, and unforgettable appetites.
10 Fyodor Makhnov
Fyodor Makhnov (also known as Fyodor Machnow or Fedor Machnov) entered the world in Kasciuki, present‑day Belarus, in June 1878. By eight he was already sprouting rapidly, and at fourteen he measured a solid 200 cm (6 ft 7 in). Custom‑made garments and shoes became his daily wear, and even his bed was specially built. His boots were so tall they reached the waists of average‑sized people, turning them into hide‑and‑seek hideouts for curious children.
At fourteen he joined a circus, officially performing from age sixteen. Though sources differ, he ultimately topped out around 250 cm (8 ft 2 in) in adulthood. Scientists repeatedly tried to secure contracts for his corpse, but he refused, fearing fatal betrayal. He married Efrosinja Lebedeva, a woman just 100 cm (3 ft 3 in) shorter than him yet taller than most women, and together they raised a daughter and three sons.
Makhnov’s appetite matched his stature. Each morning he devoured twenty eggs, eight loaves of bread, and two litres of tea. Lunch featured a kilogram of potatoes, two and a half kilograms of meat, and three litres of beer. Dinner consisted of another loaf of bread, fifteen eggs, and a litre of milk. He passed away in 1912 at the age of thirty‑four.
9 Adam Rainer
Adam Rainer holds the unique distinction of being the only documented dwarf who later became a giant. Born in Graz, Austria, in 1899, he was turned away by the army during World War I because he measured a modest 138 cm (4 ft 6 in). At nineteen, he was still only 143 cm (4 ft 8 in). Then, at age twenty‑one, a sudden growth spurt propelled him to 216 cm (7 ft 1 in).
His rapid ascent warped his spine and enlarged his facial features. Surgery was performed to curb his pituitary gland’s hormone output, yet it merely slowed his growth rather than halting it. The strain took a toll: he lost sight in one eye, hearing in one ear, and eventually became bedridden due to his curved spine.
Rainer died at fifty‑one, having reached a final height of 234 cm (7 ft 8 in). His life remains a striking illustration of the extremes of human growth.
8 Anna Haining Bates
Anna Haining Bates was born in Mill Brook, Nova Scotia, in August 1846. Like any other child, she lived an ordinary early life until a sudden growth spurt changed everything. At five, she already stood 142 cm (4 ft 8 in) tall and weighed over 45 kg (100 lb). By twenty‑two, she towered at 229 cm (7 ft 6 in) and tipped the scales at 159 kg (350 lb).
She entered show business at sixteen, often paired with a dwarf for dramatic contrast. In July 1865, a fire at Barnum’s museum threatened her life; the stairs were ablaze, and she was too tall to escape through a window. Workers rescued her by breaking through walls and hoisting her out with a crane. In 1871 she married Martin Van Buren Bates, the “Kentucky Giant,” who measured 221 cm (7 ft 3 in) though some sources claim 234 cm (7 ft 8 in). The couple became famed as the world’s largest married pair, living in a home with 2.6‑meter‑high doors and oversized furniture.
Tragically, both of their children died shortly after birth: a daughter at 69 cm (27 in) and 8 kg (18 lb), and a son at 76 cm (30 in) and 10 kg (23 lb). Anna herself passed away in 1888 at the age of forty‑one.
7 Chang Yu Sing
Born in the 1840s, Zhan Shichai—also known as Chang Woo Gow or Chang Yu Sing—originated from China and grew to a remarkable 236 cm (7 ft 9 in). He earned a position at the emperor’s court before traveling to England for what was meant to be a brief visit, only to stay two years while thousands paid three shillings each to glimpse him.
His European tour often paired him with a dwarf for contrast, and in 1881 he joined P.T. Barnum’s circus, attracting countless admirers. Though many inquired about his marital status, he remained single. He died in 1893, requesting a modest funeral attended by just fifty friends, and his coffin measured 2.6 m (8 ft 5 in) in length.
6 Joseph Edouard Beaupre
Joseph Edouard Beaupre entered the world in Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, on 9 January 1881. His parents were of average stature, and he remained so until the age of three when his growth accelerated dramatically. By nine, he had outgrown his own parents; at twelve he measured 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), and by seventeen he was 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), strong enough to hoist a 363‑kg (800‑lb) horse.
His ascent continued, peaking at 251 cm (8 ft 3 in) in 1904. He wore custom‑made size‑22 shoes and attempted a cowboy career, only to abandon it when his feet touched the ground while riding. At twenty‑one he joined a circus, a decision that plagued his sleep and health; he suffered from tuberculosis, which caused frequent coughing.
Beaupre died on 3 July 1904 at twenty‑three, after a performance left him unconscious from a bout of coughing up blood. The circus refused to cover his burial costs, and his impoverished father could not afford them. His body lingered with undertakers, appearing in store windows and museums. In 1907, his corpse was discovered in an abandoned circus hangar, taken to Montreal University for mummification. A descendant, Ovila Lesperance, located the remains in 1970 and petitioned for burial. After university hesitance, the body was finally released and cremated in September 1989—85 years after his death.
5 Patrick Cotter O’Brien
Patrick Cotter was born in Kinsale, Ireland, on 19 January 1760. He reached an astounding 246 cm (8 ft 1 in), becoming the first of thirteen known individuals to surpass 244 cm (8 ft 0 in). At eighteen, he worked as a bricklayer, never needing a ladder; a simple stretch of his arm sufficed to reach the tops of cottages.
Later, he entered the show world, adopting the moniker “O’Brien” after legendary tall Irish kings. He traveled in a specially‑crafted carriage; on one occasion, a highwayman fled when he saw Cotter inside. His massive weight eventually strained his body, leading to his death on 8 September 1806 at forty‑six.
4 Arthur Caley
Arthur Caley was born in Sulby, Isle of Man, in 1824. He grew normally until his late teens, when a sudden surge catapulted him to 241 cm (7 ft 11 in) and a weight of over 178 kg (392 lb), earning him the nickname “Manx Giant.” Unlike many giants, Caley’s increase was not just in height but also in breadth.
He toured exhibits across Manchester, London, and Paris before vanishing mysteriously. His mother claimed he was dead and buried, but the fact that his life had been insured for £2,000 only weeks earlier fueled speculation of insurance fraud, with rumors that a tree had been interred in his place.
In truth, Caley was alive, having traveled to the United States where he performed with P.T. Barnum’s circus under the name “Colonel Routh Goshen, the Arabian Giant.” He kept his Manx Giant identity concealed until his death in 1889.
3 Robert Wadlow
Robert Wadlow arrived on 22 February 1918. Though a normal‑sized infant, he began growing rapidly; by five he measured 163 cm (5 ft 4 in) and already needed teenage clothing. At eight, he out‑tallied his 180‑cm (5 ft 11 in) father and could even carry him up the stairs.
When he joined the Boy Scouts at thirteen, his uniform, tent, and sleeping bag were custom‑made. By seventeen, Wadlow stood 245 cm (8 ft 1 in), earning the title of tallest teenager ever. He entered the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1936 as a curiosity, consuming an astounding 8,000 calories daily. However, he struggled with mobility, relying on leg braces and a walking stick.
A poorly fitted brace in 1940 caused a blister on his ankle, which quickly infected and led to his death on 15 July 1940 at twenty‑two. His final measurement on 27 June 1940 recorded him at 272 cm (8 ft 11 in). His coffin measured 3.3 m (10.8 ft) long, 81 cm (32 in) wide, and 76 cm (30 in) deep. His hands and feet measured 32.3 cm (12.7 in) and 47 cm (18.5 in) respectively—the longest ever recorded.
2 Angus Mac: Askill
Angus MacAskill was born on the Isle of Berneray, Scotland, in 1825. Guinness World Records now recognises him as the tallest “true giant” because his extraordinary height stemmed from no growth disorder. Remarkably, he was so tiny at birth that physicians feared he would not survive.
He ultimately reached 236 cm (7 ft 9 in) but boasted the world’s largest chest at 203 cm (80 in). His feet measured 41 cm (16 in) long and 20 cm (8 in) wide; his shoulders spanned 112 cm (44 in); his palms were 20 cm (8 in) wide. Weighing a hefty 227 kg (500 lb), he could hoist a 1,270‑kg (2,800‑lb) ship’s anchor, carry two 159‑kg (350‑lb) barrels beneath his arms, and lift a 45‑kg (100‑lb) weight for ten minutes using only two fingers.
People frequently challenged him to wrestle, with one persistent suitor eventually fleeing after MacAskill’s handshake bled him. He joined the circus in 1849, touring Cuba, the East Indies, Europe, and North America. After retiring, he opened a store and ventured into real‑estate. He succumbed to brain fever in 1863.
1 Bernard Coyne
Bernard Coyne, dubbed “Bernard the Giant,” was born in Anthon, Iowa, on 27 July 1897. His exact height remains debated: some record 249 cm (8 ft 2 in), others 254 cm (8 ft 4 in), and still others 264 cm (8 ft 8 in). Regardless, he exceeded 244 cm (8 ft 0 in), leading to his rejection from military service during World I.
Unlike many exceptionally tall individuals whose stature stems from pituitary anomalies, Bernard’s height resulted from eunuchoidal‑infantile gigantism, a rare syndrome. His parents initially exhibited him for money but ceased fearing divine retribution.
As an adult, Bernard declined further exhibition offers, preferring a quiet existence. He wore massive size‑24 shoes and weighed 136 kg (300 lb). He passed away on 20 May 1921 at the age of twenty‑three.