Shanghai's Skyscraper Observation Decks

Shanghai offers both ancient historical and traditional sites as well as many modern wonders. Lujiazui is located in Pudong and is often referred to as Shanghai's Manhattan. It is home to three of the city's tallest buildings. Here you can see financial institutions, international hotels, shopping malls, modern architecture, bars and top class restaurants. The Shanghai TV Tower, Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center are all located here. The city as a whole offers breathtaking skyscrapers which dominate the skyline and offer an opportunity to see the city from above at several observation points. Observation decks exist in the tallest of Shanghai's buildings including these ultra-modern skyscrapers:

Oriental Pearl TV Tower – This is the tallest tower in Asia and the 3rd tallest in the world standing at 468 meters high. It is on the bank of the Huangpu River and opposite the historic Bund area. You can see the tower from all over the city as it dominates the Shanghai skyline. It has a transparent panoramic elevator between columns stretching the length of the tower. There are three observation deck floors and outdoor observation levels as well as a revolving restaurant at 267 meters off the ground. The tower holds the Oriental Pearl Science Fantasy World and the Shanghai Municipal History Museum.

Shanghai Tower – Scheduled for completion in 2015 you can already see most of this building which is almost complete. The tower will stand at 632 meters from the ground and be China's tallest building. It will have 121 floors above ground and a total floor space of about 576,000m². Construction of the building was extremely complicated as its height meant it needed an excellent foundation and design to counteract the wind factor and other natural elements. The tower has two glass facades and twists slightly as it rises from the ground. There will be an observation deck on the upper levels at 557 meters which will knock all the other observation decks off the top of the "highest" lists.

World Financial Center – This is the highest multi-purpose skyscraper in China (492.3 meters) at the moment with 101 floors and offers breathtaking panoramic views from its three observation decks. The observation decks are on the 94th floor, 97th floor and 100th floor. The observation decks are open from 8am to 11pm so you have the opportunity to see the city lights at night. The center is home to offices, hotels, conference space, shopping malls and the observation decks on the highest levels.

Jin Mao Tower – This is the 4th tallest building in the world and the 2nd tallest in China at 420.5 meters tall. Its unique design integrates traditional Chinese architectural elements with contemporary styles. The architects were inspired by the Chinese pagoda and the number eight. There are 88 floors above ground and three floors below ground. On the 88th floor is the largest observation deck in China and can hold 1,000 people at one time. High speed elevators whiz you up to the observation levels in 45 seconds. To learn more tourist attractions in Shanghai, this link may help: http://www.eshanghaitour.com/shanghai-travel-guide/shanghai-attractions