The View from the Shard

The View from the Shard is the new public viewing platform, occupying the highest habitable levels of The Shard.

Shard Fact File:

309.6 metres (1,016ft) high.

11,000 glass panels.

54,000 m3 of concrete.

The total piles supporting the building would measure 13.7km if laid end to end.

44 lifts, including double-decker lifts.

306 flights of stairs.

95% of the construction materials are recycled.

There are 72 habitable floors.

The top 9 floors in the 'Spire' are open to the elements.

The Shard is the tallest building in Europe.

Spread over 3 floors, 69 through to 72, the viewing gallery allows awe-inspiring panoramic views over London. Floor to ceiling windows allow a 35-40 mile viewing range on a clear day.

The journey to level 69, is comprised of two lift journeys. The first is to level 33 and from the their you travel the remaining distance. Both lifts travel at about 6 metres per second, meaning the entire time to get to the top is around 2-3 minutes, pretty impressive!

When the lift doors open you are faced with a Western view of London.

The view from the lifts

Image Credit: Ryan Holland, 2013

Level 69
Image Credit: Ryan Holland 2013

When you are satisfied that you've worked out were the most famous of London's landmarks are, it is time to take the 3 flights of stairs up to the 72nd floor. When you reach this floor you may be surprised to find that it is open to the elements, not a room as you may have imagined. This is lovely on a summers day, but otherwise...