A View From The Top – Skyscrapers and Observation Decks

Towers. Whether seen as monuments to mankind, or as a tribute to just… men, towers are without doubt one of our greatest engineering feats. Sure, the same could be said for bridges, but whereas bridges have a practical nature, towers are built for one simple reason, “Because we can.”

Taipei 101

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Located in Taipei, Taiwan – construction of this tower was completed in 2004. It has 101 floors and reaches a height of 1670.60 ft. It has been named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World by Newsweek Magazine.

Petronas Towers

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Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia they were the world’s tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. With 88 floors and a height of 1482.6 feet, the towers are connected by a Skybridge, which is positioned between the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors.

Eifel Tower

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As one of the most famous landmarks in the world, this structure reaches a height of 1063 feet. Completed in 1889, it is uses as a observation tower and a radio broadcasting tower. The Tower has two restaurants and offers fabulous view of Paris.

Shanghai World Financial Center

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World’s Highest observation deck, on 100th floor of Tower. Total Height is 1614.2 ft (492 meters). Opened to public on August 28, 2008. Observation deck offers views from three levels. Highest view is 1555 ft above ground level. Building is second tallest in the world – the skyscraper has offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks and a shopping mall. Located in Shanghai, China.

CN Tower

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Located in Canada it’s used for communications and as an observation tower. It was constructed between 1973 and 1976. It is 1815 ft 5 inches tall. Over two million people visit this attraction each year.

Stratosphere

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This Las Vegas attraction is a hotel, casino and tower. The tower itself is 1149 feet tall – the tallest free standing observation tower in the U.S. The top of the tower has two observation decks, a revolving restaurant and three thrill rides.

Space Needle

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Major landmark located in Seattle Washington, It is 605 feet tall and weighs 9550 tons. Its observation deck is located at 520 feet.

Sears Tower

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This second largest free standing structure in America is located in Chicago IL. Overall height is 1640 feet. It is used as office space, communications and as an observation attraction. Its restrooms on the 103rd floor (1353 feet) are the highest in the world.

Oriental Pearl Tower

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Completed in 1995, this TV tower is located in Shanghai, China. It is 1535 feet high. It is the third tallest tower in the world. It is used for communications, as a hotel and restaurant and has 15 observation levels.

Eureka Tower

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At a height of 984 feet this skyscraper towers above the city of Melbourne, Australia. It opened in October of 2006, as a residential building. The entire 88th floor is used as an observation deck, offering views from 940 feet in the air. Part of the observation level is a glass cube called The Edge, which extracts from the building to hang over the edge of the tower.

Kuala Lumpur Tower

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Also known as the KL Tower was built in 1995. Located in Malaysia, it is used for communications. It reaches 1381 feet. It also contains a revolving restaurant, and an observation area.

photo credit: 1. KL Tower in Dusk, 2. KL Tower, 3. hdr kl tower, 4. KL Tower

Skylon Tower

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Niagara Falls, Canada 520 feet tall. Its revolving restaurant inside offers diners a spectacular view of the Falls.

Today, towers span across the globe. From ancient Babylon, to Paris and Dubai one could easily spend their lives learning their history, and traveling to witness them with their own eyes.

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