In the heart of Pudong's financial district, in Shanghai, stands the Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world. Opened in 2015, the tower is 632 metres tall and has 128 floors. On the 118th floor there is an observation deck offering an incredible panoramic view over the city.

Visiting the Shanghai Tower was one of the first things we did, right on our very first day in China. I can honestly say that Shanghai impressed us from the very first moment. It is a huge, modern city, packed with skyscrapers and technology, quite unlike anything we had known until then. Going up to the top of the tower and visiting the observation deck let us see the city from a completely different perspective and truly grasp its scale. In this guide I share all the essential information to help you visit the Shanghai Tower, along with my own experience and a few tips to make the most of your visit.

The Shanghai Tower

The Shanghai Tower is one of Shanghai's most iconic buildings and one of the greatest symbols of the city's rapid transformation over the past few decades. Located in the Pudong financial district, next to the Huangpu River, it is part of the famous trio of skyscrapers that dominates the city's skyline, together with the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Today this cluster is one of Shanghai's most iconic images and one of the most recognisable skylines in the world.

Construction of the Shanghai Tower began in 2008 and took around seven years, with the tower officially opening in 2015. At 632 metres tall and with 128 floors, it became the tallest building in China and joined the list of the most impressive skyscrapers in the world. When it opened it was the second tallest building on the planet, but it currently ranks third, behind only the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Aerial view over the bend of the Huangpu River and the top of the Oriental Pearl, from the observation deckThe top of the Shanghai World Financial Center seen from the Shanghai Tower observation deckStraight-down view over the top of the Jin Mao Tower and the surrounding park, from high up the Shanghai TowerView over the Bund and the historic buildings along the Huangpu RiverThe Shanghai World Financial Center and the neighbourhoods of Puxi by the river, seen from aboveClose-up of the historic Bund buildings - the former customs house and the clock tower - by the Huangpu RiverThe Oriental Pearl Tower and the Huangpu River seen from the Shanghai Tower observation deckThe Oriental Pearl Tower with the Huangpu River and the dense urban sprawl of Puxi behind it

More than just a skyscraper, the Shanghai Tower was designed to embody Shanghai's modernity and innovation. The project was led by the American architecture firm Gensler, which designed a tower with an elegant spiralling shape, easily recognisable on the city's skyline. This shape was not chosen for its looks alone. As the building rises, the façade twists slightly on itself, helping to reduce wind resistance and, in turn, the loads placed on the structure. This solution made it possible to use fewer materials during construction, helping to make the building more efficient and sustainable.

The Shanghai Tower is a mixed-use building that brings together different spaces inside. As well as offices, it houses restaurants, shops, conference rooms and a luxury hotel (J Hotel Shanghai Tower). For visitors, the main point of interest in the Shanghai Tower is the Top of Shanghai, an observatory on the 118th floor, at around 546 metres high.

The ride up to the Top of Shanghai is on one of the fastest lifts in the world, capable of reaching a speed of around 20.5 metres per second and getting to the observatory in less than a minute. The observatory is spacious and surrounded by huge windows offering a 360-degree panoramic view over Shanghai. On clear days, you can make out the Huangpu River, the Bund and much of the city from a privileged vantage point. From up here, you really get a sense of the scale of Shanghai.

Pudong skyline with the Oriental Pearl and the Shanghai Tower, seen from the garden by the Huangpu RiverThe author by the Huangpu River, with the skyscrapers of Pudong blurred behind herThe author walking past a flower bed on the Bund, with the Oriental Pearl and the Shanghai Tower in the backgroundGolden totem 'Top of Shanghai Observatory' at the entrance, with the glass base of the Shanghai Tower behind itAt the entrance exhibition, next to a scale model of the Shanghai Tower in a display caseScreen in the Shanghai Tower lift showing the ascent speed and floor 42Photographing the view over the Huangpu River and the city from the 118th-floor observatoryThe author taking in the view over Shanghai from the Top of Shanghai observation deck

My experience

We visited the Shanghai Tower on the morning of our first full day in Shanghai and in China. We had already bought our tickets on Trip.com for the 10.30h to 12.30h slot, because that made the most sense for our itinerary. When we arrived, everything was fairly quiet and, after showing the QR code from our booking, we were inside in less than five minutes. Right at the entrance there is a small exhibition about the history of the Shanghai Tower. Here you can learn more about how the building was constructed, some fun facts about the tower, and see a list of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, including a few projects still planned for the coming years.

It was only after going through this exhibition that we reached the queue for the lifts, which was pretty short. The ride to the top was very fast and, because of the lift's speed, our ears got a little blocked. Once at the top of the observatory, we were able to take our time, walk around the space two or three times and stop by the windows to admire the view of the city in every direction.

On 19 April, when we went up, there was some fog and a light smog over the city. Fortunately, visibility was still good and we were able to enjoy the view without any problems. After taking our time with the view, it was time to try to photograph the Shanghai Tower itself. And that is where the problem came up... how do you photograph a 632-metre-tall tower without looking like two tiny ants next to it? I confess I still do not know. 😄

The author pointing up at the Shanghai Tower, seen from the base among the skyscrapers of LujiazuiMy partner pointing up at the top of the Shanghai Tower, among the buildings of LujiazuiPudong's trio of skyscrapers - Shanghai World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower - seen from the baseThe Shanghai Tower's spiralling glass façade seen from the base, near the entranceLow-angle selfie of the couple, with the Shanghai Tower rising into the sky

Practical information

  • Address: 501 Yincheng Middle Road, Pudong, Shanghai, China
  • Opening hours: 10.00h to 22.00h
  • Price: around 180 RMB per adult (approximately €23) - book tickets on Trip.com
  • Getting there: metro to Lujiazui station (Line 2) and about a 10-minute walk
  • Duration: 1 to 2 hours is enough to visit the observatory at a relaxed pace

The Shanghai Tower was one of the first big surprises of our trip through China. More than just visiting one of the tallest buildings in the world, going up to the top of the tower helped us feel the true scale of Shanghai and made the experience even more special. For anyone visiting Shanghai for the first time, I think the Shanghai Tower is one of those experiences that is really worth adding to your itinerary. The view over the city is incredible and gives you a much better sense of the scale of this enormous metropolis. 🩷

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