The View from The Shard
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The View from The Shard is an observation deck located between the 68th and 72nd floors of The Shard, the tallest building in London. The View from The Shard consists of a triple level indoor gallery on the 69th floor and a partially outdoor gallery on the 72nd floor. It was opened on 1 February 2013 by the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. In its first year of opening, it was visited by 900,000 people and made a profit of over £5 million.[1]
Indoor Viewing Gallery
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The triple-height main viewing gallery on the 69th floor allows for 360-degree viewing up to 40 miles (60 km). On hand are a team of “London Experts” who engage with guests and have a thorough knowledge of the view and London in general. They also provide tours throughout the day.
Partially Outdoor Viewing Gallery
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The gallery on the 72nd floor is the highest public level of the building at a height of 800 ft (244 m).[2][3] This gallery is partially open-air, allowing visitors views of the pinnacle of the building, as well as 360-degree views around the building.
Amenities
[edit]The lifts travel at 6 meters per second (approximately 18mph).[4] Including a transfer of lifts on the 33rd floor, the ride from the lobby to the 68th floor takes approximately 1 minute.
The visitor toilets feature panoramic windows with views over the River Thames and the City of London, with optional electric blinds.
As of 2023 the venue contains a champagne and cocktail bar, gelato bar and coffee shop on Level 69 and a further champagne bar on Level 72.
References
[edit]- ^ "Shard rakes in £5million from visitors to viewing platform in first year". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "The View from The Shard Media Briefing" (PDF). The View From The Shard. Baron Phillips, Baron Phillips Associates. March 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
(page 1)"The View from The Shard:...At a maximum height of 244m (800ft), provides spectacular 40-mile (64km) 360 degree views of the city" (Page 5) "Level 72 open-air viewing gallery Guests can go even higher to the viewing gallery on Level 72 (800ft/244m) which is open-air and exposed to the elements."
- ^ "The Shard". LBQ. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
It is 95 storeys tall, with level 72 the highest habitable floor.
- ^ "The world's fastest elevators - 20 metres per second - are coming soon to China". The Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
External links
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