Observation deck

Elevated sightseeing platform

Not to be confused with Scenic viewpoint or Deck (building).

The Edge at 30 Hudson Yards in Midtown Manhattan, containing optically transparent flooring, looking toward Lower Manhattan, opened in 2020

An observation deck, observation platform, or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure, such as a skyscraper or observation tower. Observation decks are sometimes enclosed from weather, and a few may include coin-operated telescopes for viewing distant features.[citation needed]

## List of public observation decks

[edit]

Further information: List of tallest buildings in the world and List of tallest towers in the world

List of public observation decks  Rank  | Name  | Completion Year  | Type  | City  | Deck height (m)  | Total height (m)  | Notes

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1  | Burj Khalifa | 2010  | Skyscraper  |  Dubai | 585[1] | 829.8 | Floors 152-154 (opened 2019). Additional decks on floor 148 (555m, opened 2014, which was the world's highest observation deck at its opening) and floors 124-125 (452m).
2  | Shanghai Tower | 2015  | Skyscraper  |  Shanghai | 562[2] | 632  | 121st floor; decks are also on 118th and 119th floors.
3  | Ping An Finance Centre | 2017  | Skyscraper  |  Shenzhen | 562[2] | 599.1  | 115th floor (opened on February 10, 2018).
4  | Merdeka 118 | 2022  | Skyscraper  |  Kuala Lumpur | 510 | 678.9 |
5  | Canton Tower | 2010  | Steel tower |  Guangzhou | 488 | 604 |
6  | Lotte World Tower | 2017  | Skyscraper  |  Seoul | 486 | 555 |
Abraj Al Bait | 2011  | Skyscraper |  Mecca | 486 | 601 |
8  | Shanghai World Financial Center | 2008  | Skyscraper |  Shanghai | 474[3] | 492.3 | 100th floor, decks also on levels 94 & 97\.
9  | Tokyo Skytree | 2012  | Steel tower |  Tokyo | 451.2 | 634 | Three additional observation decks at 340m, 345m, and 350m.
10  | Taipei 101 | 2004  | Skyscraper  |  Taipei | 449.2 | 508.2 | The 101st floor indoor/outdoor rooftop observation deck opened to the public on June 14, 2019.[4] Two additional observation decks, outdoor on the 91st-floor and indoor on the 89th floor at 383.2 metres (1,257 ft)..
11  | CN Tower | 1976  | Concrete tower |  Toronto | 446.7 | 553.3 | Two additional observation decks at 342 m (outdoor) & 346 m (indoor).
12  | Willis Tower | 1974  | Skyscraper  |  Chicago | 412.7 | 527.3 | 103rd floor; it is the highest observation deck (skydeck) and highest skywalk (skydeck glass balconies) in the United States [5][6][7][8]
13  | Sky100, International Commerce Centre | 2011  | Skyscraper  |  Hong Kong | 393 | 484 | 100th floor; 360-degree indoor observation deck.
14  | One World Trade Center | 2014  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 386.6 | 541.3 | Observation deck on the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors.
15  | Landmark 81 | 2019  | Skyscraper  |  Ho Chi Minh City | 382 | 461 | Observation decks on 79th, 80th and 81st floors.
16  | Autograph Tower | 2025  | Skyscraper  |  Jakarta | Observation deck on 99th floor, it has the world’s highest outdoor pool and the highest skydeck in Southern Hemisphere
17  | Petronas Towers | 1998  | Skyscraper  |  Kuala Lumpur | 370 | 451.9 | Observation deck on 86th floor of tower 2; in addition there is the skybridge between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors at 170 m.
18  | Empire State Building | 1931  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 369[9] | 448.7 | 102nd floor; additional 86th floor deck (320 m).
19  | Iconic Tower | 2023  | Skyscraper  |  New Administrative Capital | 360 | 394 | Observations on 74th, 75th and 76th floors.
20  | Lakhta Center | 2021  | Skyscraper  |  Saint Petersburg | 357 | 462 | Observations on 84th, 85th 86th and 87th floors.
21  | Oriental Pearl Tower | 1994  | Concrete tower  |  Shanghai | 351 | 467.9 | 15 observation levels, the highest one being outdoors
22  | The Strat | 1996  | Concrete Tower  |  Paradise | 350 | 350.2 | Tallest observation tower in the U.S.
23  | Tuntex Sky Tower | 1997  | Skyscraper  |  Kaohsiung | 341 | 347.5 | 74th floor.
24  | Jin Mao Tower | 1998  | Skyscraper  |  Shanghai | 340.1 | 420.5 | 88th floor.
24  | 30 Hudson Yards | 2020  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 340 | 387 | Observation decks on 100th and 101st floors.
Ostankino Tower | 1967  | Concrete tower  |  Moscow | 340 | 540.1 | Indoor deck is at 337 m.
26  | John Hancock Center | 1969  | Skyscraper  |  Chicago | 313.8 | 343.5 | 94th floor.
27  | Milad Tower | 2007  | Concrete tower  |  Tehran | 312 | 435 | Top level.
28  | China World Trade Center Tower III | 2010  | Skyscraper  |  Beijing | 311.8 | 330 | 81st floor.
29  | One Vanderbilt | 2021  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 310 | 427 | Observations on 62nd and 63rd floors.
Ciel Tower | 2024  | Skyscraper  |  Dubai | 310 | 366 | Observation deck on 81nd, 82rd floors, 76th floor (290 m) and 60th floor (248 m).
31  | Shun Hing Square | 1996  | Skyscraper  |  Shenzhen | 298.1 | 384 |
32  | US Bank Tower | 1989  | Skyscraper  |  Los Angeles | 297 | 310 | 69th (indoor and outdoor observation) and 70th floors (skyslide and events) CLOSED.
33  | Kingdom Centre | 2002  | Skyscraper  |  Riyadh | 290 | 302 | 41st floor.
34  | Abeno Harukas | 2014  | Skyscraper  |  Osaka | 288 | 300 | 58th–60th floor (top floor).
35  | Zifeng Tower | 2010  | Skyscraper  |  Nanjing | 287 | 450 |
36  | Eureka Tower | 2007  | Skyscraper  |  Melbourne | 285 | 297.3 | Skydeck 88 is at a height of 285 m.
37  | King Power MahaNakhon | 2018  | Skyscraper  |  Bangkok | 281.6 | 314 | Observation deck on 74th, 76th, and 78th floors.
Etihad Towers (Tower 2) | 2011  | Skyscraper  |  Abu Dhabi | 281.6 | 305.3 | Observation deck at 300 is located on 75th floor.
39  | Eiffel Tower | 1889  | Wrought iron lattice tower |  Paris | 276.1 | 330 | 3rd floor.
40  | Menara Kuala Lumpur | 1996  | Concrete tower  |  Kuala Lumpur | 276 | 421 |
41  | Columbia Center | 1985  | Skyscraper  |  Seattle | 275 | 284 | 73rd floor.
42  | Yokohama Landmark | 1993  | Skyscraper  |  Yokohama | 273 | 296 | 69th floor.
43  | One Liberty Place | 1987  | Skyscraper  |  Philadelphia  | 269  | 288  | 57th floor.
44  | Bank of America Plaza (Dallas) | 1985  | Skyscraper  |  Dallas | 268.4 | 281 | 71st floor; additional on 70th floor at 264.6 metres (868 ft).
45  | JPMorgan Chase Tower | 1982  | Skyscraper  |  Houston | 268.2 | 305.4 | 60th floor.
46  | Sydney Tower | 1981  | Steel Tower  |  Sydney | 268 | 309 | Main indoor observation deck; outdoor skywalk attraction on roof is located at 279 meters.
47  | Gran Torre Santiago | 2013  | Skyscraper  |  Santiago | 261 | 300 | Observation deck named Sky Costanera is located on floors 61 and 62.
48  | GE Building | 1933  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 259.1 | 259.1 | 70th floor ("Top of the Rock").
49  | Tianjin Tower | 1991  | Concrete tower  |  Tianjin | 257 | 415.2 |
50  | 40 Wall Street | 1929  | Skyscraper  |  New York City | 255 | 283 |
51  | 22 Bishopsgate | 2020  | Skyscraper  |  London | 254  | 278  | Tallest free observation deck in Europe on the 58th floor.
52  | Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building | 1995  | Skyscraper  |  Osaka | 252 | 256 |
53  | Etihad Towers (Tower 1)[10] | 2011  | Skyscraper  |  Abu Dhabi | 251.2 | 277.6 |
54  | 63 Building | 1985  | Skyscraper  |  Seoul | 249 | 250 | 60th floor.
55  | Midland Square | 2007  | Skyscraper  |  Nagoya | 247 | 247 | 47th floor.
56  | Lotus Tower | 2019  | Concrete tower  |  Colombo | 245 | 356 |
57  | The Shard | 2013  | Skyscraper  |  London | 244.8 | 306 | 72nd floor.
58  | Central Radio & TV Tower | 1992  | Concrete tower  |  Beijing | 238 | 405 |
59  | Sunshine 60 | 1978  | Skyscraper  |  Tokyo | 237.6 | 239.8 |
60  | Federation Tower (Tower West) | 2008  | Skyscraper  |  Moscow | 235[11] | 252 | 62nd floor.
61  | TK Elevator Test Tower | 2017  | Concrete tower  |  Rottweil | 232[12] | 246  | 30th floor (indoor and outdoor).
62  | Q1 | 2005  | Skyscraper  |  Gold Coast | 230 | 323 | 77th floor (SkyPoint), with the function hall on the 78th[specify].
West Pearl Tower | 2006  | Concrete tower  |  Chengdu | 230 | 339 |
Varso Tower | 2023  | Skyscraper  |  Warsaw | 230 | 310 | 50th and 53rd floor.
65  | Roppongi Hills Mori Tower | 2003  | Skyscraper  |  Tokyo | 229.3 | 238 | 52nd floor (indoor) and 54th floor (roof-deck).
66  | Taipei Nan Shan Plaza | 2018  | Skyscraper  |  Taipei | 228.5 | 272 | 46th floor (indoor).
67  | Europaturm | 1979  | Concrete tower  |  Frankfurt | 227 | 337.5 | Since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public.
68  | Tokyo Tower | 1958  | Steel truss tower  |  Tokyo | 223.5 | 332.6 | 6th floor.
69  | Macau Tower | 2001  | Concrete tower  |  Macau | 223 | 338 |
70  | Sky Tower | 1997  | Concrete tower  |  Auckland | 220 | 328 | Skydeck observation deck on 60th floor.
71  | Tour Montparnasse | 1972  | Skyscraper  |  Paris | 209 | 209 |
72  | Fernsehturm Berlin | 1969  | Concrete tower  |  Berlin | 207 | 368 |
73  | Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building | 1990  | Skyscraper  |  Tokyo | 202 | 243.4 |
74  | Main Tower | 1999  | Skyscraper  |  Frankfurt | 200 | 240 |
Marina Bay Sands | 2010  | Skyscraper  |  Singapore | 200 | 200 |
76  | Olympiaturm | 1968  | Concrete tower  |  Munich | 192 | 291 |
77  | Mohammed VI Tower | 2023  | Skyscraper  |  Salé | 190 | 250 | Observation deck on 54th and 55th floor.
78  | Vysotsky | 2011  | Skyscraper  |  Yekaterinburg | 186 | 188.3 | Observation deck was opened on 3 May 2012.[13]
79  | Bitexco Financial Tower | 2010  | Skyscraper  |  Ho Chi Minh City | 181 | 262.5 | 47th floor.
80  | Tower of the Americas | 1968  | Concrete tower  |  San Antonio | 176 | 229 |
81  | Rheinturm | 1979  | Concrete tower  |  Düsseldorf | 170 | 240.5 |
Umeda Sky Building | 1993  | Skyscraper  |  Osaka | 170 | 173 |
Tallinn TV Tower | 1980  | Tower  |  Tallinn | 170 | 314 |
84  | Donauturm | 1964  | Concrete tower  |  Vienna | 169.4 | 252 |
85  | N Seoul Tower | 1975  | Steel tower  |  Seoul | 168.3 | 236.7 | Tower sits atop Namsan Mountain.
86  | Vilnius TV Tower | 1980  | Tower  |  Vilnius | 165  | 326.5  |
87  | Space Needle | 1962  | Steel tower  |  Seattle | 158.5 | 184.4 |
89  | Calgary Tower | 1968  | Concrete tower  |  Calgary | 157.5 | 190.8 |
90  | Fernsehturm Stuttgart | 1956  | Concrete tower  |  Stuttgart | 153 | 216.6 |
Çamlıca Tower | 2020  | Concrete tower  |  Istanbul | 153 | 369 |
92  | Avala Tower | 2009  | Concrete tower  |  Belgrade | 135 | 204.5 |
93  | Fukuoka Tower | 1989  | Tower  |  Fukuoka | 123 | 234 |
94  | Kuwait viewing sphere | 1979  | Concrete tower  |  Kuwait City | 120 | 187 | (1990 Liberation Tower of ~300 m is not open to public).
95  | Palace of Culture and Science | 1955  | Multi-function  |  Warsaw | 114 | 237 | Observation deck on 30th floor.
96  | Spinnaker Tower | 2005  | Tower  |  Portsmouth | 110 | 170 |
97  | Millennium Center 2 office tower restaurant  | 2016  | Skyscraper  |  Sofia | 105 | 108 |
98  | Kyoto Tower | 1964  | Tower  |  Kyoto | 100 | 131 |
Nagoya TV Tower | 1954  | Tower  |  Nagoya | 100 | 180 |
100  | Tashkent Tower | 1985  | Tower  |  Tashkent | 97 | 375 |
101  | Snezhanka Tower, Pamporovo, Bulgaria | 1978  | Concrete tower  |  Pamporovo | 93 | 156 |
102  | Kobe Port Tower | 1963  | Tower  |  Kobe | 90.8 | 108 |
103  | Sapporo TV Tower | 1957  | Tower  |  Sapporo | 90 | 147.2 |
104  | Tsūtenkaku | 1956  | Tower  |  Osaka | 87.5 | 108 |
105  | City-Hochhaus Leipzig | 1972  | Skyscraper  |  Leipzig | 120 | 142.5 | 31st floor.
106  | Nebraska State Capitol | 1930  | Skyscraper  |  Lincoln | 75 | 120 | 14th floor.
107  | Arc de Triomphe | 1836  | Monument  |  Paris | 50 | 50 | Rooftop terrace.

## List of highest observation decks by type

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Type  | Name and Location  | Constructed  | Height  | Notes

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Observation Skywalk over vertical cliff free drop  | Grand Canyon Skywalk, United States | 2007  | 1,100 m (3,609 ft)  |
Observation deck inside a spire | Merdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia[2] | 2023  | 566 m (1,857 ft)  |
Enclosed observation deck on high-rise building | Shanghai Tower, Shanghai and Ping An Finance Centre, Shenzhen, China [2][disputed - discuss] | 2015 and 2017  | 562 m (1,844 ft)  |
Outdoor observation deck on high-rise building  | Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE[2][disputed - discuss] | 2014  | 555.7 m (1,823 ft)  |
Skywalk over (artificial) waterfall free drop  | Sky Corridor Waterfall Walkway, Huangteng Gorge, Guangdong, China [14] | 2018  | 500 m (1,640 ft)  |
Observation deck on tower[2] | Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China  | 2011  | 488 m (1,601 ft)  |
Skywalk over high-rise building  | Skydeck (The Ledge) observation deck glass balconies, Willis Tower, Chicago, USA [2] | 2009  | 412.4 m (1,353 ft)  |
Up at Thamrin Nine | Autograph Tower, Jakarta, Indonesia  | 2025  | 385 m (1,263 ft)  |
Skywalk over bridge | Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie, China [15] | 2016  | 300 m (984 ft)  |
Skywalk over glacier | Glacier Skywalk, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada [16] | 2014  | 280 m (919 ft)  |

## Under construction

[edit]

* 2028 (est) Burj Azizi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 649 m, Level 130
* 2028 (est) Jeddah Tower, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 637 m, Level 157
* Unknown[17] Goldin Finance 117, Tianjin, China. 578.1 m, Level 116
* 2023 (est.) Merdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 517.7 m, Level 117 (Spire observation level at 566 m)[18]
* 2026 (est) Torre Rise, Monterrey, Mexico. 354 m, Level 93 and 365 m, Level 96
* 2028 (est.) Torch Tower, Tokyo, Japan. 352 m, Level 55
* 2027 (est) Taipei Twin Towers, Taipei, Taiwan. 347 m, Level 73

Approved

* 2025 (est.) Signature Tower Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. 515.8 m, Level 111
* 2030 (est.) Millennium Tower, Frankfurt, Germany. 280 m, Level 67[19]

## Destroyed

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* 2 World Trade Center (South tower), outdoor observation deck on top of building, 1,362 feet (415 m), Original World Trade Center, New York, United States \- Destroyed during the September 11 attacks

## Gallery

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* General view of Paris from the rooftop terrace of the Arc de Triomphe, c. 1840.

* The 10 m observation deck of Ronda, Spain, overlooks the Depression of Ronda plain over 100 m below.

* A multi-level tree house in Cape Town, South Africa, with an observation deck on top.

* An observation deck place in Rokko Garden Terrace, Mount Rokkō, Kobe, Japan.

* An observation deck in West Berlin with a view of Potsdamer Platz on the other side of the Berlin Wall, 1977. At the bottom of the steps a placard shows what the square looked like in 1929.

* Brooklyn Bridge as viewed from the One World Observatory in New York City.

* Night View of the Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong from sky100.

* View from the Shanghai Tower observation deck.

* Visitors on the observation deck of the Skylon Tower, which overlooks Niagara Falls.

* The observation deck from the TK Elevator Test Tower, which overlooks Germany's Black Forest and the Alps.

* Glass balconies attached to the St Eusebius Church in Arnhem, Netherlands.

* Footage of the panoramic views during an 1898 ascent of the Eiffel Tower by the Lumière brothers.

* View of Manhattan, NYC from the former 2 World trade Center observation deck, 1999

## See also

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* Observation car
* Observation wheel
* Timeline of world's highest observation decks

## References

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1. ^ "Burj Khalifa Observation Deck". Retrieved 4 May 2025.
2. ^ a b c d e f g ctbuh. "World's Highest Observation Decks". www.ctbuh.org. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
3. ^ "Shanghai World Financial Center -SWFC- | Official site of Shanghai Financial Center". www.swfc-shanghai.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
4. ^ "Taipei 101 to open top floor to public for the first time". YouTube. 14 June 2019. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
5. ^ "Sears Tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies", USA Today, July 1, 2009.
6. ^ "The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011. SOM.com Project Page.
7. ^ BJ Lutz (30 May 2014). "Coating on Willis Tower Skydeck's Ledge Cracks Under Tourists". Nbcchicago.com. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
8. ^ Sophie Lewis (12 June 2019). "Protective layer of Willis Tower's SkyDeck cracks under visitors' feet". cbsnews. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
9. ^ "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
10. ^ "Etihad Towers T1 - The Skyscraper Center". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013.
11. ^ "Смотровая площадка Башня Федерация". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
12. ^ "thyssenkrupp Elevator". TK Elevator (in German). Retrieved 6 April 2021.
13. ^ "Открытие смотровой площадки в БЦ "Высоцкий"".
14. ^ "Visit Guangdong's Highest Sky Corridor Waterfall Walkway in China | the Asian Magazine".
15. ^ "World's tallest and longest glass bridge closes after just two weeks". Dezeen. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
16. ^ "Jasper National Park Glacier Skywalk Travel Information". Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
17. ^ China has banned the construction of skyscrapers in 2021.
18. ^ Watch the livestream to the Merdeka 118 Tower Spire Completion Ceremony here!, retrieved 4 December 2021.
19. ^ "Millennium-Tower: So grün wird Frankfurts neuer Rekord-Wolkenkratzer". Top Magazin Frankfurt (in German). 15 December 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

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