The Shard has fast become one of London’s most popular viewpoints, thanks to the highest skyscraper of the city offering unparalleled panoramas over London. Dominating the London skyline, the view of the city from The Shard became a London attraction on its own.
The Shard a.k.a. the top of London.
The Shard is one of the most explored London attractions that is hard to miss. Also, briefly held the top spot for the whole of Europe before two buildings in Moscow overtook it within a year! Rising 309.7-meters above the London Bridge station, it is located in the brick vaulted passage of Joiner Street that threads its way beneath the station.
The Shard in Southwark
The Shard redefines the skyline of the city and has become a symbol of London. The landmark is twice as high as any other vantage point in the city, and happens to be one of the most desirable spots in London for its amazing view.
Interesting facts about The Shard
11,000 glass panels, 44 lifts, 306 flights of stairs and a public gallery 309.7 meters above London. Here are my most interesting facts and useful information about The Shard.
The Design of The Shard
The Shard’s architect Renzo Piano designed the spire-like sculpture emerging from the River Thames. The inspiration for the design came from the railway lines next to the site near London Bridge station, the London spires depicted by the 18th Century Venetian painter Canaletto and the sailing ship masts.
The Shard is the highest building in London.
The building took its name because of its resemblance to a shard of glass. Each facet forms a shard, a plane of glass gently inclined inwards, rising towards the top. The corners of the development are open and the shards do not touch, allowing the building to “breathe”.
Short story of The Shard
The Shard’s construction began in March 2009; it was topped out on 30 March 2012 and inaugurated on 5 July 2012. Practical completion was achieved in November 2012. The tower’s privately operated observation deck, The View from The Shard, was opened to the public on 1 February 2013.
The Shard was inaugurated in 2012
Romeo, the fox of The Shard
Back in 2011, construction workers found a fox near the top on the 72nd floor of The Shard. The animal, nicknamed Romeo by the staff, possibly entered through one of the stairwells and made its way up the building, surviving on scraps of food left by the buildings! Romeo have survived on found food left by construction workers.
6 women climbed to the top of The Shard’s exterior
The Shard was the setting for a Greenpeace protest in July 2013, drawing attention to oil company Shell’s plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. They choose The Shard because it’s visible from Shell’s headquarter so their message couldn’t be ignored.
6 women climbed The Shard
The Shard hosts an ultimate penthouse
The enormous apartment is 224m high, covers two floors, has been compared in size to a 7 bedroom mansion and has a reported price tag of £50 million.
Ultimate penthouse in The Shard
Giant glasshouse
Inspired by a shard of glass, it’s only natural that The Shard is made up of 11,000 glass panels on its exterior. With a total area of the glass facade adding up to 56,000 square meters, that is the equivalent of 8 football pitches!
Journey to the top
The average lift speed in The Shard is 6 meters per second, making it a smooth and speedy journey to the top! There are 44 lifts, including double-decker lifts. Though the lifts are very smooth and entertain passengers with video ceiling panels, bring some chewing gum in case your ears pop!
Get to the top of The Shard in no time
Top of London
The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe, at the moment the fifth tallest building in Europe and the 96th tallest building in the world. Precisely, it’s 309.7 meter (1016 feet) high. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the highest building in the world with 828 meters, around 2.7 times taller than The Shard.
The View From The Shard
The main draw of this landmark is the splendid view it offers. The view from the Shard lets tourists enjoy spectacular views of the city from a significant height. The 1,400 square meter “View From The Shard” viewing platform ascends to 244 meters, offering unparalleled views over London for up to 40 miles.
The view from The Shard
The View from The Shard is taking up the 68th, 69th and 72nd floors which are the public observation galleries, offering a 360 degree panoramic view. With an indoor viewing gallery floor 68 is home to Cloudscape, a feature about the different types of clouds over London and floor 69 hosts interactive multimedia telescopes where you can discover London’s past, present and future; as well as an open-air skydeck on the 72nd floor. The view from the Shard is a can’t-miss attraction when you are visiting London!
Loo With a View
If you’ve ever wanted to answer a call of nature while enjoying a birds-eye-view of the City of London through floor-to-ceiling windows, then you better give a shit about The View from The Shard!
Loo view from the top of The Shard
Best time to visit The Shard
There are pros on visiting during the day or the night too, see what works best for you. However, the visits are not timed which is probably the best aspect of this attraction, stay as long as you can to enjoy changing lights. Also make sure to take advantage of the 12 digital telescopes available, they offer some extra information about what you’re looking at.
During the day you can see up to 40 miles in any direction on a clear day. The River Thames along with its several curves is also easily visible.
Daytime view from The Shard
The night time calls for a more sophisticated atmosphere and you get to see all the city lights.
View from The Shard in the evening
Saving Tips
Save money when visiting The Shard
To experience one of the most spectacular views of London you can end up paying cash big time. If you are on a sightseeing tour in London and The Shard is not the only attraction you want to visit I recommend getting a London Pass.
With The London Pass you can combine visiting The Shard and 80+ other attractions! You can not just save on individual ticket costs, but also save time with the fast track entry at some of the busiest attractions, amongst other benefits.
The London Pass saves money on entry costs.
I suggest visiting nearby attractions the same day with The London Pass so you make the most bang for your buck. With a 1 day pass my itinerary would be:
National Theatre Backstage Tours
These are all included in The London Pass and can be visited within a day for one low price.
There are other free attractions close to the above ones that anyone can visit:
It’s best to book tickets in advance in order to not miss out on a spot. It’s also advisable to check the weather conditions before you plan on going, as low fog can restrict the views.