The Shard
Originally known as London Bridge Tower, The Shard is a 1,020-foot tall skyscraper that, since it opened in July 2012, has transformed London’s skyline permanently.
The Skyscraper
Of its 87 floors, only 72 are habitable. The Shard is made up mostly of offices (floors 2 to 28), but also includes restaurants (31 to 33), the luxury 5-star Shangri-La Hotel (34 to 52), apartments (53 to 65), an observation deck (68 to 73) and lastly, the spire (75 to 87).
A curious and hair-raising fact is that the private apartments in The Shard, of which there are only 10, one per floor, cost between 30 and 50 million pounds each.
Observation deck
The Shard’s observation deck is known as “The View” and has become, along with London Eye, one of the best places to see the city’s skyline.
The View is divided into three floors, two are covered and one is an open-air deck. The building offers a 360° stunning view of the city and it is possible to see the horizon as far as 40 miles away. The Shard stands nearly twice as high as the London Eye.
A must-see
The architecture of this skyscraper is spectacular and it is definitely worthwhile visiting the building, as is climbing to its observation deck or visiting one of its restaurants. The only drawback is that it is very expensive.
Schedule
Thursday – Saturday: 10 am to 10 pm (access until 8:30 pm).
Sunday – Wednesday: 10 am to 7 pm (access until 5:30 pm).
Closed on 25 December.
Price
Adults: £ 28.50 (US$ 35.90)
Children aged 4-15: £ 18 (US$ 22.70)
Children under 4 years old: free entry
Admission included with London Pass
Nearby places
The Old Operating Theatre (90 m) HMS Belfast (446 m) London City Hall (545 m) The Monument (629 m) Tower Bridge (782 m)
