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Viewing platform (top right) at Ronda, Spain
Toronto City Hall observation deck in Canada

An observation deck is a platform situated upon a tall architectural structure or natural feature. The decks are usually fitted with railings, and to avoid accidents or suicides, the railings are often high or supplemented with a wire fence. Observation decks can be located in both indoor and outdoor settings. For photography, open observation decks are often preferred, as reflections on glass can occur with flash photography. Closed observation decks, meanwhile, have the advantage of protecting viewers from windy or stormy weather. Many observation decks are equipped with coin operated telescopes, which often offer a superior view of distant features.

Contents

List of observation decks by height

This list contains the highest-elevated observation decks that are accessible to the public. It includes carriageways of bridges and tops of dams. Observation decks situated on natural features, such as mountains, are excluded from the list.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Rank Name Built Type Country Municipality Deck height (m) Total height (m) Notes
1 Shanghai World Financial Center 2008 Skyscraper  People's Republic of China Shanghai &0000000000000474.000000474.0[1] &0000000000000492.300000492.3 100th floor, world's highest observation deck from 2008 - present
2 CN Tower 1976 Concrete tower  Canada Toronto &0000000000000446.500000446.5[2] &0000000000000553.300000553.3 147th floor, world's highest observation deck from 1976-2008. Also two further observation decks at 342 metres (enclosed) and 346 metres (outdoor).
3 Burj Khalifa 2010 Skyscraper  United Arab Emirates Dubai &0000000000000442.000000442[3] &0000000000000828.000000828 124th floor, world's highest outdoor observation deck from 2010 - present
4 Willis Tower 1974 Skyscraper  United States Chicago &0000000000000412.500000412.5[4] &0000000000000527.300000527.3 103rd floor, world's second highest observation deck in a building
5 Taipei 101 2004 Skyscraper Republic of China Taiwan Taipei &0000000000000391.800000391.8[5] &0000000000000509.200000509.2 91st floor, world's second highest outdoor observation deck
6 Empire State Building 1931 Skyscraper  United States New York City &0000000000000369.000000369[6] &0000000000000448.700000448.7 102nd floor, and lower observation deck found on the 86th floor, at 320 m
7 Oriental Pearl Tower 1994 Concrete tower  People's Republic of China Shanghai &0000000000000350.000000350 &0000000000000467.900000467.9 14th floor
8 Jin Mao Tower 1998 Skyscraper  People's Republic of China Shanghai &0000000000000340.100000340.1 &0000000000000420.500000420.5
9 Ostankino Tower 1967 Concrete Tower  Russia Moscow &0000000000000337.000000337 &0000000000000540.100000540.1
10 John Hancock Center 1969 Skyscraper  United States Chicago &0000000000000313.800000313.8 &0000000000000343.500000343.5
11 Eureka Tower 2007 Residential building  Australia Melbourne &0000000000000285.000000285 &0000000000000297.300000297.3 88th floor. Includes The Edge, a glass cube that projects three metres out of the building with up to twelve people inside it.
12 Eiffel Tower 1889 Steel and truss tower  France Paris &0000000000000276.100000276.1 &0000000000000324.000000324 3rd floor
13 Menara Kuala Lumpur 1996 Concrete tower  Malaysia Kuala Lumpur &0000000000000276.000000276 &0000000000000421.000000421
14 Columbia Center 1985 Skyscraper  United States Seattle &0000000000000275.000000275 &0000000000000284.000000284 73rd floor
15 Yokohama Landmark Tower 1993 Skyscraper  Japan Yokohama &0000000000000273.000000273 &0000000000000296.000000296 69th floor
16 Millau Viaduct 2004 Bridge  France Millau &0000000000000270.000000270 &0000000000000343.000000343
17 JPMorgan Chase Tower 1982 Skyscraper  United States Houston &0000000000000268.200000268.2 &0000000000000305.400000305.4 60th floor
18 Stratosphere Tower 1996 Concrete tower  United States Las Vegas &0000000000000266.000000266[7] &0000000000000350.200000350.2 9th floor
19 Vajont Dam 1961 Dam  Italy Erto e Casso &0000000000000261.600000261.6 &0000000000000261.600000261.6 The dam has not been used since a rockfall caused the water to overtop on October 9, 1963
20 GE Building 1933 Skyscraper  United States New York City &0000000000000259.100000259.1[8] &0000000000000259.100000259.1 70th floor, known as "Top of the Rock"
21 Tianjin Radio and Television Tower 1991 Concrete tower  People's Republic of China Tianjin &0000000000000253.000000253 &0000000000000415.200000415.2
22 Lac de Mauvoisin Dam 1957 Dam  Switzerland Fionnay &0000000000000250.000000250 &0000000000000250.000000250 Height was increased by 13 m in 1991
23 Tokyo Tower 1958 Steel and truss Tower  Japan Tokyo &0000000000000249.900000249.9 &0000000000000332.600000332.6 6th floor
24 Central Radio and TV Tower 1992 Concrete tower  People's Republic of China Beijing &0000000000000238.000000238 &0000000000000386.500000386.5
25 Q1 2005 Residential tower  Australia Gold Coast &0000000000000230.000000230 &0000000000000323.000000323 QDeck, the observation deck, is on the 77th floor, with the function room on the 78th
26 Europaturm 1979 Concrete tower  Germany Frankfurt &0000000000000227.000000227 &0000000000000337.500000337.5 Closed at present time
27 Rialto Towers 1986 Office  Australia Melbourne &0000000000000225.000000225 &0000000000000242.300000242.3 Highest observation deck in Australia 1994-2005 over took by Q1
28 Verzasca Dam 1965 Dam  Switzerland Ticino &0000000000000220.000000220 &0000000000000220.000000220
29 Mratinje Dam 1975 Dam  Montenegro Mratinje &0000000000000220.000000220 &0000000000000220.000000220
30 Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel 1973 Skyscraper  United States Atlanta &0000000000000220.000000220[9] &0000000000000220.000000220 73rd floor
31 Prudential Tower 1964 Skyscraper  United States Boston &0000000000000213.000000213[10] &0000000000000228.000000228 50th floor, known as "Prudential Skywalk"
32 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 1977 Skyscraper  United States Detroit &0000000000000212.300000212.3[11] &0000000000000221.500000221.5 70th floor
33 Tour Montparnasse 1972 Skyscraper  France Paris &0000000000000209.000000209 &0000000000000209.000000209
34 Fernsehturm Berlin 1969 Concrete Tower  Germany Berlin &0000000000000207.000000207 &0000000000000368.000000368
35 Almendra Dam 1970 Dam  Spain Almendra &0000000000000202.000000202 &0000000000000202.000000202
36 Kölnbrein Dam 1979 Dam  Austria Malta &0000000000000200.000000200 &0000000000000200.000000200
37 Maintower 1999 Skyscraper  Germany Frankfurt &0000000000000200.000000200 &0000000000000240.000000240
38 Tower of the Americas 1968 Concrete Tower  United States San Antonio &0000000000000176.000000176.0 &0000000000000229.000000229.0
39 La Tour du Stade Olympique 1987 Concrete tower  Canada Montreal &0000000000000175.000000175 &0000000000000175.000000175
40 Carew Tower 1931 Skyscraper  United States Cincinnati &0000000000000171.300000171.3 &0000000000000175.000000175.0[12] The tallest building in Cincinnat at 49 stories. The outdoor observation deck is on the roof where there is a small gift shop.
41 Reunion Tower 1978 Concrete Tower  United States Dallas &0000000000000170.700000170.7 &0000000000000170.700000170.7
42 Space Needle 1962 Steel Tower  United States Seattle &0000000000000158.500000158.5[13] &0000000000000184.400000184.4
43 Calgary Tower 1968 Concrete Tower  Canada Calgary &0000000000000157.500000157.5 &0000000000000190.800000190.8
44 Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas 1999 Steel tower  United States Paradise &0000000000000140.200000140.2[14] &0000000000000164.600000164.6
45 Foshay Tower 1929 Skyscraper  United States Minneapolis &0000000000000136.200000136.2 &0000000000000185.000000185 30th floor
46 Custom House Tower 1915 Skyscraper  United States Boston &0000000000000136.000000136 &0000000000000151.000000151 26th floor
47 Kansas City City Hall 1937 Skyscraper  United States Kansas City &0000000000000135.000000135 &0000000000000151.000000151 30th floor
48 Penobscot Narrows Observatory 2007 Bridge  United States Bucksport, Maine &0000000000000133.000000133[15] &0000000000000136.000000136 3rd level (the 1st and 2nd levels at 122 and 128 m)
49 Edifice Marie-Guyart 1972 Skyscraper  Canada Quebec City &0000000000000126.500000126.5 &0000000000000126.500000126.5 31st floor
50 Smith Tower 1914 Skyscraper  United States Seattle &0000000000000122.000000122 &0000000000000141.000000141 35th floor
51 Kuwait Towers 1979 Concrete Tower  Kuwait Kuwait &0000000000000120.000000120 &0000000000000187.000000187
52 Gatlinburg Space Needle 1970 Steel Tower  United States Gatlinburg &0000000000000104.000000104 &0000000000000124.000000124
53 Liberty Memorial 1926 Concrete Tower  United States Kansas City &0000000000000066.00000066 &0000000000000066.00000066
54 Coit Tower 1933 Concrete Tower  United States San Francisco &0000000000000064.00000064 &0000000000000064.00000064
55 Observation towers on Mt Washington overlooking Golden Triangle 2000 Steel Structure  United States Pittsburgh &0000000000000066.00000066 &0000000000000066.00000066

Notes

Timeline of world's highest observation deck

This is a timeline of the development of world's highest observation deck since inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The list excludes observation decks on natural features, dams, and bridges.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height of highest observation deck (m) Height of highest observation deck (ft) Notes
From To
 1889  1931 Eiffel Tower, Paris, France  1889 275 902 Two further observation decks 57 and 115 metres above ground.
 1931  1973 Empire State Building, New York City, USA  1931 369[16] 1211 A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 metres above ground.
 1973  1976 World Trade Center, New York City, USA (article)  1973 420 1362 Destroyed on September 11, 2001
 1976  2008 CN Tower, Toronto, Canada  1976 446.5 1465 Two further observation decks 342 and 346 metres above ground.
 2008  - Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China  2008 474.0 1555 Two further observation decks on level 94 (skyarena) and level 97 (skywalk with retractable roof).

See also

References

  1. ^ SkyscraperPage - Shanghai World Financial Center, source: Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai.
  2. ^ SkyscraperPage - CN Tower, source: CN Tower official website.
  3. ^ Burj Dubai Facts And Figures, source: Landmark Properties Real Estate.
  4. ^ SkyscraperPage - Sears Tower, source: building blueprints.
  5. ^ SkyscraperPage - Taipei 101, source: architect plans.
  6. ^ "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/esb/. Retrieved 2007-12-23.  
  7. ^ "Stratosphere Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=122. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  8. ^ "GE Building". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=203. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  9. ^ "Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=253. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  10. ^ "Prudential Skywalk Observation Deck & Exhibit". World Travel Guide. http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com/city/16/further_attractions/North-America/Boston.html. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  11. ^ "Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=3523. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  12. ^ {{cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=589}
  13. ^ "Space Needle". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1294. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  14. ^ "Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas". SkyscraperPage.com. http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1099. Retrieved 2008-02-21.  
  15. ^ "Penobscot Narrows Observatory". MaineGuide.com. http://fortknox.maineguide.com/observatory%20faq.html. Retrieved 2008-12-07.  
  16. ^ "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/esb/. Retrieved 2007-12-23.  







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