<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-019282
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030818
<FILING-DATE>20030819
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GILES ROBERT E
<CIK>0001157963
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16441
<FILM-NUMBER>03855357
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>510 BERING DRIVE SUITE 500
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77057
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP
<CIK>0001051470
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4899
<IRS-NUMBER>760470458
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>510 BERING DRIVE
<STREET2>SUITE 500
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77057
<PHONE>7135703000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>510 BERING DRIVE
<STREET2>SUITE 500
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77057
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd16303.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-18</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001051470</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CCI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001157963</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GILES ROBERT E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>510 BERING DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77057</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Exec. VP - Strategic Bus. Unit</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>320</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>10.26</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>400</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>96209</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of these securities for Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Robert E. Giles</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
