Observation deck
An observation deck, observation platform or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure such as a skyscraper or observation tower. Observation decks are sometimes enclosed from weather, and a few may include coin-operated telescopes for viewing distant features.
Contents
1 List of public observation decks
2 List of highest observation decks by type
3 Timeline of world's highest observation decks
3.1 Under construction
4 Observation deck gallery
5 See also
6 References
List of public observation decks
Rank | Name | Completion Date | Type | Location | Deck height (m) | Total height (m) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Shanghai Tower | 2015 | Skyscraper | Shanghai | 7002562000000000000♠562[1] | 7002632000000000000♠632 | 118th floor |
2 | Ping An Finance Centre | 2017 | Skyscraper | Shenzhen | 7002562000000000000♠562[2] | 7002599000000000000♠599 | The observation deck is on the 116th floor and opened on February 10, 2018 |
3 | Burj Khalifa | 2010 | Skyscraper | Dubai | 7002555000000000000♠555[3] | 7002829800000000000♠829.8 | 148th floor (opened October 2014[4]) decks are also on 124th floor |
4 | Canton Tower | 2010 | Steel Tower | Guangzhou | 7002488000000000000♠488 | 7002604000000000000♠604 | |
5 | Lotte World Tower | 2017 | Skyscraper | Seoul | 7002486000000000000♠486 | 7002555000000000000♠555 | |
6 | Abraj Al Bait | 2011 | Skyscraper | Mecca | 7002484400000000000♠484.4 | 7002601000000000000♠601 | |
7 | Shanghai World Financial Center | 2008 | Skyscraper | Shanghai | 7002474000000000000♠474[5] | 7002492300000000000♠492.3 | 100th floor, decks also on levels 94 & 97 |
8 | Tokyo Skytree | 2012 | Steel Tower | Tokyo | 7002451200000000000♠451.2 | 7002634000000000000♠634 | Three additional observation decks at 340 m, 345 m, and 350 m |
9 | CN Tower | 1976 | Concrete tower | Toronto | 7002446700000000000♠446.7 | 7002553290000099999♠553.3 | Two additional observation decks at 342 m (outdoor) & 346 m (indoor). |
10 | Willis Tower | 1974 | Skyscraper | Chicago | 7002412700000000000♠412.7 | 7002527290000099999♠527.3 | 103rd floor, it is the highest observation deck in the United States |
11 | Sky100, International Commerce Centre | 2011 | Skyscraper | Hong Kong | 7002393000000000000♠393 | 7002484000000000000♠484 | 100th floor 360-degree indoor observatory |
12 | Taipei 101 | 2004 | Skyscraper | Taipei | 7002391600000000000♠391.6 | 7002509200000000000♠509.2 | 91st-floor outdoor observatory, it's the previous record of highest outdoor observatory in the world. The 89th floor indoor observatory is 383.2 metres (1,257 ft). |
13 | One World Trade Center | 2014 | Skyscraper | New York City | 7002386600000000000♠386.6 | 7002541290000099999♠541.3 | Observatory on the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors |
14 | Petronas Towers | 1998 | Skyscraper | Kuala Lumpur | 7002370000000000000♠370 | 7002452900000000000♠452.9 | Observatory on 86th floor of tower 2, in addition there is the skybridge between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors at 170 meters. |
15 | Empire State Building | 1931 | Skyscraper | New York City | 7002369000000000000♠369[6] | 7002448700000000000♠448.7 | 102nd floor, additional 86th floor deck (320 m) |
16 | Oriental Pearl Tower | 1994 | Concrete tower | Shanghai | 7002351000000000000♠351 | 7002467900000000000♠467.9 | 15 observation levels, the highest one being outdoors |
17 | Tuntex Sky Tower | 1997 | Skyscraper | Kaohsiung | 7002341000000000000♠341 | 7002347500000000000♠347.5 | 74th floor |
18 | Jin Mao Tower | 1998 | Skyscraper | Shanghai | 7002340100000000000♠340.1 | 7002420500000000000♠420.5 | 88th floor |
19 | Ostankino Tower | 1967 | Concrete tower | Moscow | 7002340000000000000♠340 | 7002540100000000000♠540.1 | Indoor deck is at 337 m |
20 | John Hancock Center | 1969 | Skyscraper | Chicago | 7002313800000000000♠313.8 | 7002343500000000000♠343.5 | Observation deck |
21 | Milad Tower | 2007 | Concrete tower | Tehran | 7002312000000000000♠312 | 7002435000000000000♠435 | Top level |
22 | China World Trade Center Tower III | 2010 | Skyscraper | Beijing | 7002311800000000000♠311.8 | 7002330000000000000♠330 | 81st floor |
23 | Shun Hing Square | 1996 | Skyscraper | Shenzhen | 7002298100000000000♠298.1 | 7002384000000000000♠384 | |
24 | US Bank Tower | 1989 | Skyscraper | Los Angeles | 7002297000000000000♠297 | 7002310000000000000♠310 | 70th floor |
25 | Abeno Harukas(Abenobashi Terminal Building) | 2014 | Skyscraper | Osaka | 7002288000000000000♠288 | 7002300000000000000♠300 | 58th-60th floor (top floor) |
26 | Zifeng Tower | 2010 | Skyscraper | Nanjing | 7002287000000000000♠287 | 7002450000000000000♠450 | |
27 | Eureka Tower | 2007 | Skyscraper | Melbourne | 7002285000000000000♠285 | 7002297300000000000♠297.3 | Skydeck 88 is at a height of 285 m |
28 | Eiffel Tower | 1889 | Wrought iron lattice tower | Paris | 7002276100000000000♠276.1 | 7002324000000000000♠324 | 3rd floor |
29 | Menara Kuala Lumpur | 1996 | Concrete tower | Kuala Lumpur | 7002276000000000000♠276 | 7002421000000000000♠421 | |
30 | Columbia Center | 1985 | Skyscraper | Seattle | 7002275000000000000♠275 | 7002284000000000000♠284 | 73rd floor |
31 | Yokohama Landmark | 1993 | Skyscraper | Yokohama | 7002273000000000000♠273 | 7002296000000000000♠296 | 69th floor |
32 | One Liberty Place | 1987 | Skyscraper | Philadelphia | 269 | 288 | 57th Floor |
33 | Bank of America Plaza (Dallas) | 1985 | Skyscraper | Dallas | 7002268390000099999♠268.4 | 7002281000000000000♠281 | 71st floor, additional 70th floor 264.6 metres (868 ft). |
34 | JPMorgan Chase Tower | 1982 | Skyscraper | Houston | 7002268200000000000♠268.2 | 7002305390000000000♠305.4 | 60th floor |
35 | Sydney Tower | 1981 | Steel Tower | Sydney | 7002268000000000000♠268 | 7002309000000000000♠309 | |
36 | GE Building | 1933 | Skyscraper | New York City | 7002259100000000000♠259.1 | 7002259100000000000♠259.1 | 70th floor ("Top of the Rock") |
37 | Tianjin Tower | 1991 | Concrete tower | Tianjin | 7002257000000000000♠257 | 7002415200000000000♠415.2 | |
38 | 40 Wall Street | 1929 | Skyscraper | New York City | 7002255000000000000♠255 | 7002283000000000000♠283 | |
39 | Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building | 1995 | Skyscraper | Osaka | 7002252000000000000♠252 | 7002256000000000000♠256 | |
40 | 63 Building | 1985 | Skyscraper | Seoul | 7002249000000000000♠249 | 7002250000000000000♠250 | 60th floor |
41 | Midland Square | 2007 | Skyscraper | Nagoya | 7002247000000000000♠247 | 7002247000000000000♠247 | 47th floor |
42 | The Shard | 2013 | Skyscraper | London | 7002244800000000000♠244.8 | 7002306000000000000♠306 | 72nd floor Observatory Deck |
43 | Central Radio & TV Tower | 1992 | Concrete tower | Beijing | 7002238000000000000♠238 | 7002405000000000000♠405 | |
44 | Sunshine 60 | 1978 | Skyscraper | Tokyo | 7002237600000000000♠237.6 | 7002239800000000000♠239.8 | |
45 | Federation Tower (Tower West) | 2008 | Skyscraper | Moscow | 7002235000000000000♠235[7] | 7002252000000000000♠252 | 62nd Floor |
=46 | Q1 | 2005 | Skyscraper | Gold Coast | 7002230000000000000♠230 | 7002323000000000000♠323 | 77th floor (SkyPoint), with the function hall on the 78th[specify] |
=46 | West Pearl Tower | 2006 | Concrete tower | Chengdu | 7002230000000000000♠230 | 7002339000000000000♠339 | |
47 | Roppongi Hills Mori Tower | 2003 | Skyscraper | Tokyo | 7002229300000000000♠229.3 | 7002238000000000000♠238 | 52nd floor (indoor) & 54th floor (roof-deck) |
48 | Europaturm | 1979 | Concrete tower | Frankfurt | 7002227000000000000♠227 | 7002337500000000000♠337.5 | Since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public--> |
49 | Tokyo Tower | 1958 | Steel truss tower | Tokyo | 7002223500000000000♠223.5 | 7002332600000000000♠332.6 | 6th floor |
50 | Macau Tower | 2001 | Concrete tower | Macau | 7002223000000000000♠223 | 7002338000000000000♠338 | |
51 | Sky Tower | 1997 | Concrete tower | Auckland | 7002220000000000000♠220 | 7002328000000000000♠328 | |
52 | Tour Montparnasse | 1972 | Skyscraper | Paris | 7002209000000000000♠209 | 7002209000000000000♠209 | |
53 | Fernsehturm Berlin | 1969 | Concrete tower | Berlin | 7002207000000000000♠207 | 7002368000000000000♠368 | |
54 | Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building | 1990 | Skyscraper | Tokyo | 7002202000000000000♠202 | 7002243400000000000♠243.4 | |
=55 | Main Tower | 1999 | Skyscraper | Frankfurt | 7002200000000000000♠200 | 7002240000000000000♠240 | |
=55 | Marina Bay Sands | 2010 | Skyscraper | Singapore | 7002200000000000000♠200 | 7002200000000000000♠200 | |
56 | Olympiaturm | 1968 | Concrete tower | Munich | 7002192000000000000♠192 | 7002291000000000000♠291 | |
57 | Vysotsky | 2011 | Skyscraper | Yekaterinburg | 7002186000000000000♠186 | 7002188300000000000♠188.3 | Observation deck was opened on 3 May 2012[8] |
58 | Bitexco Financial Tower | 2010 | Skyscraper | Ho Chi Minh City | 7002181000000000000♠181 | 7002262500000000000♠262.5 | 47th floor |
59 | Tower of the Americas | 1968 | Concrete tower | San Antonio | 7002176000000000000♠176 | 7002229000000000000♠229 | |
=60 | Umeda Sky Building | 1993 | Skyscraper | Osaka | 7002170000000000000♠170 | 7002173000000000000♠173 | |
=60 | Tallinn TV Tower | 1980 | Tower | Tallinn | 7002170000000000000♠170 | 7002314000000000000♠314 | |
61 | Donauturm | 1964 | Concrete tower | Vienna | 7002169400000000000♠169.4 | 7002252000000000000♠252 | |
62 | N Seoul Tower | 1975 | Steel tower | Seoul | 7002168300000000000♠168.3 | 7002236700000000000♠236.7 | Tower sits atop Namsan Mountain |
63 | Vilnius TV Tower | 1980 | Tower | Vilnius | 165 | 326.5 | |
64 | Space Needle | 1962 | Steel tower | Seattle | 7002158500000000000♠158.5 | 7002184400000000000♠184.4 | |
65 | Calgary Tower | 1968 | Concrete tower | Calgary | 7002157500000000000♠157.5 | 7002190800000000000♠190.8 | |
66 | Fernsehturm Stuttgart | 1956 | Concrete tower | Stuttgart | 7002153000000000000♠153 | 7002216600000000000♠216.6 | |
67 | Avala Tower | 2009 | Concrete tower | Belgrade | 7002135000000000000♠135 | 7002204500000000000♠204.5 | |
68 | Fukuoka Tower | 1989 | Tower | Fukuoka | 7002123000000000000♠123 | 7002234000000000000♠234 | |
69 | Kuwait viewing sphere | 1979 | Concrete tower | Kuwait City | 7002120000000000000♠120 | 7002187000000000000♠187 | (1990 Liberation Tower of ~300 m is not open to public) |
70 | Spinnaker Tower | 2005 | Tower | Portsmouth | 7002110000000000000♠110 | 7002170000000000000♠170 | |
-71 | Kyoto Tower | 1964 | Tower | Kyoto | 7002100000000000000♠100 | 7002131000000000000♠131 | |
=71 | Nagoya TV Tower | 1954 | Tower | Nagoya | 7002100000000000000♠100 | 7002180000000000000♠180 | |
72 | Kobe Port Tower | 1963 | Tower | Kobe | 7001908000000000000♠90.8 | 7002108000000000000♠108 | |
73 | Sapporo TV Tower | 1957 | Tower | Sapporo | 7001900000000000000♠90 | 7002147190000000000♠147.2 | |
74 | Tsūtenkaku | 1956 | Tower | Osaka | 7001875000000000000♠87.5 | 7002108000000000000♠108 |
List of highest observation decks by type
Type | Name and Location | Constructed | Height | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Enclosed | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China | 2015 | 583 m (1,913 ft) | |
Outdoor | Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China | 2011 | 488 m (1,601 ft) | |
On Skyscraper | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China | 2015 | 583 m (1,913 ft) | |
On Tower | Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China | 2011 | 488 m (1,601 ft) | |
Bridge | Royal Gorge Bridge | 1929 | 291 m (955 ft) | Above water level. |
Dam | Grande Dixence Dam | 1964 | 285 m (935 ft) |
Timeline of world's highest observation decks
This is a timeline of the development of world's highest observation decks since the inauguration of the Washington Monument in 1885.
Held record | Name and Location | Constructed | Height of highest observation deck | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | ||||
1885 | 1889 | Washington Monument, Washington D.C., United States | 1889 | 152.3 m (500 ft) | Was the world's tallest structure when completed. |
1889 | 1931 | Eiffel Tower, Paris, France | 1889 | 275 m (902 ft) | Two further observation decks 57 & 115 m. |
1931 | 1973 | Empire State Building, New York City, United States | 1931 | 369 m (1,211 ft)[6] | A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 metres above ground. |
1973 | 1974 | World Trade Center, New York City, United States (article) | 1973 | 399.4 m (1,310 ft) | Measured from sea level, street level was 10 feet above sea level. Indoor observatory on the 107th floor of South Tower opened on April 4, 1973. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. |
1974 | 1975 | Sears Tower (since renamed Willis Tower), Chicago, United States | 1974 | 412.4 m (1,353 ft) | Measured from the Franklin Street entrance, 103rd floor observation deck opened on June 22, 1974 |
1975 | 1976 | World Trade Center, New York City, United States (article) | 1973 | 419.7 m (1,377 ft) | Measured from sea level, street level was 10 feet above sea level. Outdoor observatory on rooftop of the South Tower opened on December 15, 1975. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. |
1976 | 2008 | CN Tower, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 1976 | 446.5 m (1,465 ft) | Two further observation decks 342 and 346 metres above ground. |
2008 | 2011 | Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai, People's Republic of China | 2008 | 474 m (1,555 ft) | Other observation decks are at 423 m (1,388 ft) and 439 m (1,440 ft). |
2011 | 2014 | Canton Tower, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China | 2011 | 488 m (1,601 ft) | The outdoor rooftop observation deck opened in December 2011. There are also several other indoor observation decks in the tower, the highest at 433.2 m (1,421 ft). |
2014 | 2016 | Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE | 2010 | 555 m (1,821 ft) | Opened on October 15, 2014 on the 148th floor. There is another observation deck at 452.1 m (1,483 ft) on the 124th floor, which has been open since the building was opened to the public. |
2016 | present | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China | 2015 | 562.1 m (1,844 ft) | Opened on July 1, 2016. there are also 2 more observation decks on the 118th and 119th floor, at 546 and 552 meters respectively. |
Under construction
- 2019 (est.) Wuhan Greenland Center, People's Republic of China. 610 m (2,000 ft), Level 126
- 2022 (est.) Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia. 644 m (2,113 ft), Level 157
See also List of tallest buildings and structures in the world#World's highest observation deck
Observation deck gallery
The 10-m observation deck of Ronda, Spain, overlooks the Depression of Ronda plain over 100 m below.
A multi-level tree house in Cape Town, South Africa, with an observation deck on top
A observation deck place in Rokko Garden Terrace, Mount Rokko, Kobe, Japan
Observation deck in West Berlin with a view of Potsdamer Platz on the other side of the Berlin Wall, 1977. At the bottom of the steps a placard shows what the square looked like in 1929.
Brooklyn Bridge as viewed from the One World Observatory in New York City
Night View of the Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong from sky100
See also
- Observation wheel
References
^ "Shanghai Tower The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercentre.com. Retrieved 2018-11-12..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ "Ping An Finance Center The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercentre.com. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
^ "Burj Khalifa The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercentre.com. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
^ Willett, Megan (17 October 2014). "Dubai's Burj Khalifa Now Has The Highest Observation Deck In The World At 1,821 Feet, decks are also on 124th floor And It Looks Incredible". businessinsider.com. Business Insider. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^ "Skyscraper Page". Retrieved 2010-03-27.
Atlanta,
Cincinnati,
CN,
Detroit,
Eiffel,
GE,
Las Vegas,
Sears,
Seattle,
Shanghai,
Tianjin
^ ab "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
^ "Смотровая площадка Башня Федерация".
^ "Открытие смотровой площадки в БЦ "Высоцкий"".
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