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10 must-see viewpoints in iconic towers and skyscrapers of the world

2023-05-28T11:01:03.468Z

Highlights: With revolving restaurants and glass floors, the observation decks allow you to peer into large cities.. The world at the feet. From the famous "At the Top" viewpoint on the 124th floor of the tallest building unfolds a miniature Dubai, with skyscrapers and highways that are lost between the sea mist and the sand. And once we reach the top, we use the powerful telescopes, take pictures of the 360-degree panoramas and walk – with vertigo and some fear – on those square meters in which the floor is glass.


With revolving restaurants and glass floors, the observation decks allow you to peer into large cities.


The world at the feet. From the observation decks of some of the tallest towers and most iconic buildings, cities are reduced to models that are crossed by highways, bridges and miniature rivers.

And once we reach the top, we use the powerful telescopes, take pictures of the 360-degree panoramas and walk – with vertigo and some fear – on those square meters in which the floor is glass.

Perhaps the sunset is the most precious moment for visitors, when the clarity of the day becomes a bath of golden and pink light on the horizon to give way to the stars and the night lighting of the metropolises.

In all the tourist viewpoints of the planet we repeat certain rituals of rigor: after passing through the security controls -similar to those of the airports-, we climb more than 100 floors in a few seconds with super fast elevators, and we are surprised with the technical data of the structure and construction.

While the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world with elevators that rise 10 meters per second, each building in the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur weighs 300,000 tons and, according to claims in Malaysia, is the equivalent of 42,857 elephants!

In turn, for the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, 7,300 tons of iron and 60 tons of paint were needed.

And all the figures of the Empire State Building in New York (from 3400 workers who built an average of four and a half floors per week in just one year and 45 days, to their own zip code) are eclipsed by memories of movies like King Kong, An affair to remember or Sleepless in Seattle.

The most famous skyscrapers usually also offer attractions such as revolving restaurants, guided tours while drinking "champagne in the sky", walks with harnesses and other extreme proposals, souvenir shops, outdoor terraces and light shows.

Next, a selection of 10 unmissable viewpoints to play Gulliver for a few hours.

One World Observatory is the highest viewpoint in the Western Hemisphere. Photo Shutterstock

1) One World Trade Center, United States of America

Glass and steel. One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and is part of the WTC complex, which symbolizes the resurgence of Ground Zero after the 2001 attacks.

A few meters from the 9/11 Museum, a large Memorial was built on the site of the foundations of the Twin Towers and, permanently, two waterfalls fall into the fountains where the names of the victims are read.

At 541 meters, the main building was opened to the public in 2014 in Lower Manhattan. Its One World Observatory viewpoint has 360-degree views, offering several covered and heated spaces starting from the 100th floor.

The tour begins at the Global Welcome Center: each visitor can see their city of origin on the digital map of the "world's largest indoor curved LED". Then 102 floors are climbed in 47 seconds and the elevators surprise with an immersive video about the evolution of NYC from the sixteenth century to the present.

The covered viewpoint One World Observatory, in New York. Photo Shutterstock

Already at the top, there are entertainment options such as the See Forever Theater, the Sky Portal with virtual images of the streets, and the City Pulse, a disc with screens next to which a guide tells stories of the districts of the metropolis. Of course, there are souvenir shops, snacks, bars and a restaurant to "dine and drink in heaven".

General admission is US$ 44 and US$ 38 for children from 6 to 12 years old. Prices vary according to the experiences chosen.

2) Burj Khalifa, Dubai

The top of the world. From the famous "At the Top" viewpoint on the 124th floor of the tallest building unfolds a miniature Dubai, with skyscrapers and highways that are lost between the sea mist and the sand.

The Burj Khalifa is 828 meters and has several unbeatable records since its inauguration in 2010: it is the freestanding structure with the largest number of floors and has the highest outdoor observation deck and occupied floor on the planet. In turn, the elevator rises 10 meters per second and travels the longest distance.

Dubai's Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Photo Shutterstock

In the hundred levels of the must-see tower in the United Arab Emirates, offices, luxury residences, restaurants, bars, the suites of the Armani hotel and the glazed observation areas on levels 124 and 125 are happening. For a more exclusive experience and with personalized guides, there is an outdoor terrace at 555 meters, and a VIP viewpoint with luxury gastronomy on the 148th floor.

At night, a show of dancing waters unfolds every half hour, with music, lights and great convocation in the artificial lake of the base of the Burj Khalifa. The entrance costs about US$ 46.

3) Empire State Building, United States

From King Kong to Tune of Love, the Empire State Building (ESB) was the setting for so many movies that from the entrance hall one feels that it was already there.

In Midtown Manhattan, the "World's Most Famous Building" was honored as "America's No. 1 Attraction" in 2022 by the Tripadvisor community's Travelers' Choice Awards.

Icon of New York, the Empire State Building. Photo Shutterstock

Counting the spire and antenna, the skyscraper reaches 443 meters in height. With 73 elevators and 1872 steps to the 102nd floor viewpoint, the tower was completed in 1931, in just one year and 45 days after construction and at a rate of 4 <>/<> floors per week.

The place receives more than 4 million visitors per year from all over the world who take photos in the art deco hall, pass security checks and tour the exhibition on the 80th floor, where documents and photos summarizing the history of construction and its design are exhibited, as well as the memories of more than 3,400 workers.

Then, they arrive on the 86th floor to enjoy the 360-degree panoramas of the outdoor viewpoint and claim that on a clear day you can see six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Delaware.

But of course, everyone is more than satisfied with observing Central Park, the East and Hudson rivers, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, among other NYC emblems.

The outdoor observation deck of the Empire State Building. Photo Shutterstock

In honor of the bicentennial of the United States, in 1976 the building was illuminated in red, white and blue, inaugurating the "Lighting Partners" program with which it changes color at night to celebrate different events. National Historic Landmark, the ESB received its own zip code: 10118.

You can enter between 9.15 and 22.45. To go up to the 86th floor you have to pay from US $ 44 and the boys, US $ 38. On the other hand, the prices to go to the 102nd floor start at US $ 79. Of course, there are VIP tickets, which combine day and night experiences, express visits and for all tastes and budgets.

4) Shanghai Tower, China

It is the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world, after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur. With 632 meters high, the Shanghai Tower was built around 2015 for hotel and offices in the financial district of Pudong, and years later opened a viewpoint at 546 meters.

Shanghai Tower is the tallest in China. Photo Shutterstock

Visitors get there in elevators that rise at 65 kilometers per hour and can see some of the skyscrapers that the city has in the world ranking, such as Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl and Jin Mao.

From the 118th floor, which they call "Top of Shanghai", you can see much of the city and the Huangpu River, through the glass panels. The hours of the tower are from 9 to 18 and costs from US $ 25.

5) CN Tower, Canada

Pride of Canada. On a clear day, up to 160 kilometers can be seen from the CN Tower's Sky-Pod observatory.

In Toronto, Canada, on a clear day you can see up to 160 km from the CN Tower. Photo Shutterstock

Next to Lake Ontario, the 553-meter silhouette of the CN stands out in the Toronto skyline. Although it was inaugurated in 1976, it began to be built three years earlier by the Canadian National Railway to solve communication problems caused by skyscrapers in the financial center.

They assure that it rocks in the wind: in the SkyPod level it can oscillate almost half a meter!

The glass elevator climbs 346 meters in less than a minute to an indoor observation deck where you can have a coffee. But going down one level you access the main viewpoint, which has an outdoor space with a striking glass floor. Nearby, visitors who do not suffer from vertigo can walk with harnesses on the "Edge Walk".

To enjoy without haste (rotation takes 72 minutes), the revolving restaurant offers views of Niagara Falls. Admission starts at US$ 32.

6) Edge, USA

"The sky is not the limit. It's just the beginning." With these words they encourage at Edge, the highest outdoor platform in New York and the entire Western Hemisphere, located in the brand new 30 Hudson Yards area.

At 345 meters high, with a unique design and views found nowhere else in Manhattan, it seems that the instagrammable triangular-shaped sky deck was suspended in the air and visitors floated.

Those who dare to stand on the glass floor, can feel the vertigo of looking down 100 floors and peeking over the city, between angled glazed walls that can be reached in less than a minute in the elevators.

The Edge viewpoint is located in Hudson Yards, the newest area of Manhattan. Photo Shutterstock

Never before has the great metropolis been experienced in this way: "Drink champagne in the sky," reads another slogan.

Edge NYC offers tickets starting at $40 for adults and starting at $35 for children ages 6 to 12.

Before or after visiting the viewpoint, it is worth touring Hudson Yards. Located at the top of the High Line, West Side Manhattan's newest neighborhood is home to more than 100 shops and restaurants, as well as cultural and public art institutions. And of course, the famous Vessel structure with 154 interconnected stairs, which is currently closed, is only accessed on the main floor.

In Taiwan, the Taipei 101 building has an open-air observatory on the 91st floor. Photo Shutterstock

7) Taipei 101, Taiwan

"Taipei at a glance." The proposal of the large building of the capital of Taiwan includes an observation deck on the 89th floor, in a covered and glazed space at 382 meters in a tower measuring 508 meters.

In high-speed elevators that rise 1,010 meters per minute, the office center and mall offers multimedia guided tours, snacks, souvenirs and an outdoor observatory on the 91st floor that provides a fascinating experience. The entrance costs about US$ 32.

8) Petronas Towers, Malaysia

They are the twin towers of the Argentine César Pelli. Because the 452-meter twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were designed by this architect and became the tallest in the world when they opened in 1999.

The Petronas Towers are called the "twin towers" of Malaysia. Photo Shutterstock

With a futuristic look, the elevators take visitors up 170 meters and the Skybridge appears: weighing 750 tons, the highest two-story airlift on the planet acts as a connector between the two towers on levels 41 and 42.

In both towers, the observation decks are located on level 86, where the stunning views of the city unfold, have a coffee and buy a souvenir in the gift shop. Visitors will also be able to discover the history of the twin towers in detail through digital displays and exhibits.

Among the curiosities are the designs and patterns that cover the entrance hall, as they reflect the traditional craftsmanship of Malaysia and the "songket" or weaving. And the floor designs are based on intricate motifs of "pandan" fabrics and "bertam" palm wall mats.

The entrance is about 22 dollars.

9) Sky Tower, New Zealand

A must-see in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city located in the North Island. At 328 meters high, the Sky Tower has two circular levels of observation for the public: Sky Deck and Main Observation Level.

On a clear day you can see 82 km from the top, where the elevators arrive in just 40 seconds and at 18 km per hour. In turn, there are 1,267 steps from the base to the Sky Deck, and it is estimated that climbing on foot takes 29 minutes.

The Sky Tower stands out in the "skyline" of Auckland, New Zealand. Photo Shutterstock

As New Zealand is a mecca of adventure tourism and extreme practices such as bungy (launching from above with an elastic rope tied to the ankle or waist), the tower offers the SkyJump experience: not only is it the highest jump in the country but it allows you to fall at speeds of up to 85 km per hour.

Also not recommended for people with vertigo, the SkyWalk proposes to walk along the outer ring of the building at 192 meters. For visitors who just want good views there are viewpoints, a revolving restaurant and several cafes.

Admission costs NZ$35 (US$22).

10) Eiffel Tower, France

The icon of Paris. With 330 meters, the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated in 1889, thanks to the design of Gustave Eiffel on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition that also coincided with the centenary of the French Revolution.

Object of discord and fascination at the same time, the great structure was erected in 2 years, 2 months and 5 days, on four pillars that form a square of 125 meters on each side.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower lights up gold at night. Photo Shutterstock

During the visit you can see the reconstruction of Eiffel's original office at the top of the tower, for whose construction 7,300 tons of iron and 60 tons of paint were used.

He himself wrote around 1900 in his work La Tour de 300 mètres: "We must insist on the importance of painting in the conservation of a metal work and that the more meticulous the painting work, the longer its useful life".

Since 1968 it has sported the "brown Eiffel Tower", which resembles bronze and is a color especially for exclusive use that degrades in three shades: from the lightest at the top to the darkest at the base, to create a visual effect of uniformity and give the monument a slender appearance in the sky.

However, several times it has changed color, going from ochre-yellowish in 1899 to reddish-brown in the 50s.

The Eiffel Tower is famous for its restaurants and bars. Photo Shutterstock

At night, the tower is illuminated in gold and its flashes twinkle for 5 minutes every hour, while the lighthouse radiates its light over the city.

In addition to bars (such as the champagne bar at the top) and places that offer snacks, the Eiffel Tower has two restaurants (Jules Verne and Madame Brasserie) with great call.

Open from 9.30 to 23. The entrance to the second floor costs 18.10 euros by elevator and, by the stairs, 11.30 euros. For the top, 28.30 euros.

See also

The five most beautiful wooden bridges in the world

15 dazzling palaces of the world

Source: clarin

All life articles on 2023-05-28

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