Earlier this week I attended a press preview for The View from The Shard, the new tourist attraction at the top of London's latest landmark, which opens to the public on 1 February 2013.
Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Shard is the jewel in the crown of the £2bn regeneration project London Bridge Quarter and is a vertical town of residences, offices, the five star Shangri-La Hotel and restaurants.
The new, state-of-the-art visitor experience on level 72 is the highest vantage point from any building in Western Europe and offers 360 degree views of the capital city.
Standing at 244 metres (800ft) above ground, The View from The Shard offers a fantastic vantage point to see London all at once. On a good day, visitors can see as far as 40 miles away (unfortunately, as you can see, grey skies were out in force when I visited so this was limited to 20 miles) and the free, interactive telescopes enable visitors to zoom in on over 200 landmarks, like the Olympic Stadium, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, the Thames Barrier, St Paul’s, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, BT Tower, Buckingham Palace, Battersea Power Station, The Oval cricket ground, Wembley Stadium and Alexandra Palace.
The new, state-of-the-art visitor experience on level 72 is the highest vantage point from any building in Western Europe and offers 360 degree views of the capital city.
triple-height, light-filled, main viewing gallery at level 69
My only criticism is the cost; adult tickets are £24.95 (£18.95 for children) but if you've been fascinated by the building of London's iconic new building as I have - I've watched it grow from the ground to 310m tall over the past few years from my flat - it'll be worth it. Just choose a clear, sunny day.
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