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Observation deck
Elevated sightseeing platform

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.

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List of public observation decks

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

List of public observation decks
RankNameCompletion YearTypeCityDeck height (m)Total height (m)Notes
1Burj Khalifa2010Skyscraper Dubai5851829.8Floors 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).
2Shanghai Tower2015Skyscraper Shanghai5622632121st floor; decks are also on 118th and 119th floors.
3Ping An Finance Centre2017Skyscraper Shenzhen5623599.1115th floor (opened on February 10, 2018).
4Merdeka 1182022Skyscraper Kuala Lumpur510678.9
5Canton Tower2010Steel tower Guangzhou488604
6Lotte World Tower2017Skyscraper Seoul486555
Abraj Al Bait2011Skyscraper Mecca486601
8Shanghai World Financial Center2008Skyscraper Shanghai4744492.3100th floor, decks also on levels 94 & 97.
9Tokyo Skytree2012Steel tower Tokyo451.2634Three additional observation decks at 340m, 345m, and 350m.
10Taipei 1012004Skyscraper Taipei449.2508.2The 101st floor indoor/outdoor rooftop observation deck opened to the public on June 14, 2019.5 Two additional observation decks, outdoor on the 91st-floor and indoor on the 89th floor at 383.2 metres (1,257 ft)..
11CN Tower1976Concrete tower Toronto446.7553.3Two additional observation decks at 342 m (outdoor) & 346 m (indoor).
12Willis Tower1974Skyscraper Chicago412.7527.3103rd floor; it is the highest observation deck (skydeck) and highest skywalk (skydeck glass balconies) in the United States 6789
13Sky100, International Commerce Centre2011Skyscraper Hong Kong393484100th floor; 360-degree indoor observation deck.
14One World Trade Center2014Skyscraper New York City386.6541.3Observation deck on the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors.
15Landmark 812019Skyscraper Ho Chi Minh City382461Observation decks on 79th, 80th and 81st floors.
16Autograph Tower2025Skyscraper JakartaObservation deck on 99th floor, it has the world’s highest outdoor pool and the highest skydeck in Southern Hemisphere
17Petronas Towers1998Skyscraper Kuala Lumpur370451.9Observation 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.
18Empire State Building1931Skyscraper New York City36910448.7102nd floor; additional 86th floor deck (320 m).
19Iconic Tower2023Skyscraper New Administrative Capital360394Observations on 74th, 75th and 76th floors.
20Lakhta Center2021Skyscraper Saint Petersburg357462Observations on 84th, 85th 86th and 87th floors.
21Oriental Pearl Tower1994Concrete tower Shanghai351467.915 observation levels, the highest one being outdoors
22The Strat1996Concrete Tower Paradise350350.2Tallest observation tower in the U.S.
23Tuntex Sky Tower1997Skyscraper Kaohsiung341347.574th floor.
24Jin Mao Tower1998Skyscraper Shanghai340.1420.588th floor.
2430 Hudson Yards2020Skyscraper New York City340387Observation decks on 100th and 101st floors.
Ostankino Tower1967Concrete tower Moscow340540.1Indoor deck is at 337 m.
26John Hancock Center1969Skyscraper Chicago313.8343.594th floor.
27Milad Tower2007Concrete tower Tehran312435Top level.
28China World Trade Center Tower III2010Skyscraper Beijing311.833081st floor.
29One Vanderbilt2021Skyscraper New York City310427Observations on 62nd and 63rd floors.
Ciel Tower2024Skyscraper Dubai310366Observation deck on 81nd, 82rd floors, 76th floor (290 m) and 60th floor (248 m).
31Shun Hing Square1996Skyscraper Shenzhen298.1384
32US Bank Tower1989Skyscraper Los Angeles29731069th (indoor and outdoor observation) and 70th floors (skyslide and events) CLOSED.
33Kingdom Centre2002Skyscraper Riyadh29030241st floor.
34Abeno Harukas2014Skyscraper Osaka28830058th–60th floor (top floor).
35Zifeng Tower2010Skyscraper Nanjing287450
36Eureka Tower2007Skyscraper Melbourne285297.3Skydeck 88 is at a height of 285 m.
37King Power MahaNakhon2018Skyscraper Bangkok281.6314Observation deck on 74th, 76th, and 78th floors.
Etihad Towers (Tower 2)2011Skyscraper Abu Dhabi281.6305.3Observation deck at 300 is located on 75th floor.
39Eiffel Tower1889Wrought iron lattice tower Paris276.13303rd floor.
40Menara Kuala Lumpur1996Concrete tower Kuala Lumpur276421
41Columbia Center1985Skyscraper Seattle27528473rd floor.
42Yokohama Landmark1993Skyscraper Yokohama27329669th floor.
43One Liberty Place1987Skyscraper Philadelphia26928857th floor.
44Bank of America Plaza (Dallas)1985Skyscraper Dallas268.428171st floor; additional on 70th floor at 264.6 metres (868 ft).
45JPMorgan Chase Tower1982Skyscraper Houston268.2305.460th floor.
46Sydney Tower1981Steel Tower Sydney268309Main indoor observation deck; outdoor skywalk attraction on roof is located at 279 meters.
47Gran Torre Santiago2013Skyscraper Santiago261300Observation deck named Sky Costanera is located on floors 61 and 62.
48GE Building1933Skyscraper New York City259.1259.170th floor ("Top of the Rock").
49Tianjin Tower1991Concrete tower Tianjin257415.2
5040 Wall Street1929Skyscraper New York City255283
5122 Bishopsgate2020Skyscraper London254278Tallest free observation deck in Europe on the 58th floor.
52Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building1995Skyscraper Osaka252256
53Etihad Towers (Tower 1)112011Skyscraper Abu Dhabi251.2277.6
5463 Building1985Skyscraper Seoul24925060th floor.
55Midland Square2007Skyscraper Nagoya24724747th floor.
56Lotus Tower2019Concrete tower Colombo245356
57The Shard2013Skyscraper London244.830672nd floor.
58Central Radio & TV Tower1992Concrete tower Beijing238405
59Sunshine 601978Skyscraper Tokyo237.6239.8
60Federation Tower (Tower West)2008Skyscraper Moscow2351225262nd floor.
61TK Elevator Test Tower2017Concrete tower Rottweil2321324630th floor (indoor and outdoor).
62Q12005Skyscraper Gold Coast23032377th floor (SkyPoint), with the function hall on the 78th[specify].
West Pearl Tower2006Concrete tower Chengdu230339
Varso Tower2023Skyscraper Warsaw23031050th and 53rd floor.
65Roppongi Hills Mori Tower2003Skyscraper Tokyo229.323852nd floor (indoor) and 54th floor (roof-deck).
66Taipei Nan Shan Plaza2018Skyscraper Taipei228.527246th floor (indoor).
67Europaturm1979Concrete tower Frankfurt227337.5Since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public.
68Tokyo Tower1958Steel truss tower Tokyo223.5332.66th floor.
69Macau Tower2001Concrete tower Macau223338
70Sky Tower1997Concrete tower Auckland220328Skydeck observation deck on 60th floor.
71Tour Montparnasse1972Skyscraper Paris209209
72Fernsehturm Berlin1969Concrete tower Berlin207368
73Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building1990Skyscraper Tokyo202243.4
74Main Tower1999Skyscraper Frankfurt200240
Marina Bay Sands2010Skyscraper Singapore200200
76Olympiaturm1968Concrete tower Munich192291
77Mohammed VI Tower2023Skyscraper Salé190250Observation deck on 54th and 55th floor.
78Vysotsky2011Skyscraper Yekaterinburg186188.3Observation deck was opened on 3 May 2012.14
79Bitexco Financial Tower2010Skyscraper Ho Chi Minh City181262.547th floor.
80Tower of the Americas1968Concrete tower San Antonio176229
81Rheinturm1979Concrete tower Düsseldorf170240.5
Umeda Sky Building1993Skyscraper Osaka170173
Tallinn TV Tower1980Tower Tallinn170314
84Donauturm1964Concrete tower Vienna169.4252
85N Seoul Tower1975Steel tower Seoul168.3236.7Tower sits atop Namsan Mountain.
86Vilnius TV Tower1980Tower Vilnius165326.5
87Space Needle1962Steel tower Seattle158.5184.4
89Calgary Tower1968Concrete tower Calgary157.5190.8
90Fernsehturm Stuttgart1956Concrete tower Stuttgart153216.6
Çamlıca Tower2020Concrete tower Istanbul153369
92Avala Tower2009Concrete tower Belgrade135204.5
93Fukuoka Tower1989Tower Fukuoka123234
94Kuwait viewing sphere1979Concrete tower Kuwait City120187(1990 Liberation Tower of ~300 m is not open to public).
95Palace of Culture and Science1955Multi-function Warsaw114237Observation deck on 30th floor.
96Spinnaker Tower2005Tower Portsmouth110170
97Millennium Center 2 office tower restaurant2016Skyscraper Sofia105108
98Kyoto Tower1964Tower Kyoto100131
Nagoya TV Tower1954Tower Nagoya100180
100Tashkent Tower1985Tower Tashkent97375
101Snezhanka Tower, Pamporovo, Bulgaria1978Concrete tower Pamporovo93156
102Kobe Port Tower1963Tower Kobe90.8108
103Sapporo TV Tower1957Tower Sapporo90147.2
104Tsūtenkaku1956Tower Osaka87.5108
105City-Hochhaus Leipzig1972Skyscraper Leipzig120142.531st floor.
106Nebraska State Capitol1930Skyscraper Lincoln7512014th floor.
107Arc de Triomphe1836Monument Paris5050Rooftop terrace.

List of highest observation decks by type

TypeName and LocationConstructedHeightNotes
Observation Skywalk over vertical cliff free dropGrand Canyon Skywalk, United States20071,100 m (3,609 ft)
Observation deck inside a spireMerdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia152023566 m (1,857 ft)
Enclosed observation deck on high-rise buildingShanghai Tower, Shanghai and Ping An Finance Centre, Shenzhen, China 16[disputed – discuss]2015 and 2017562 m (1,844 ft)
Outdoor observation deck on high-rise buildingBurj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE17[disputed – discuss]2014555.7 m (1,823 ft)
Skywalk over (artificial) waterfall free dropSky Corridor Waterfall Walkway, Huangteng Gorge, Guangdong, China 182018500 m (1,640 ft)
Observation deck on tower19Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China2011488 m (1,601 ft)
Skywalk over high-rise buildingSkydeck (The Ledge) observation deck glass balconies, Willis Tower, Chicago, USA 202009412.4 m (1,353 ft)
Up at Thamrin NineAutograph Tower, Jakarta, Indonesia2025385 m (1,263 ft)
Skywalk over bridgeZhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie, China 212016300 m (984 ft)
Skywalk over glacierGlacier Skywalk, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada 222014280 m (919 ft)

Under construction

Approved

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Observation decks.

References

  1. "Burj Khalifa Observation Deck". Retrieved 4 May 2025. https://www.burjkhalifadubaitickets.com/observation-deck.html ↩

  2. ctbuh. "World's Highest Observation Decks". www.ctbuh.org. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028225620/http://www.ctbuh.org/Publications/CTBUHJournal/InNumbers/TBINObservationDecks/tabid/7043/language/en-US/Default.aspx ↩

  3. ctbuh. "World's Highest Observation Decks". www.ctbuh.org. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028225620/http://www.ctbuh.org/Publications/CTBUHJournal/InNumbers/TBINObservationDecks/tabid/7043/language/en-US/Default.aspx ↩

  4. "Shanghai World Financial Center -SWFC- | Official site of Shanghai Financial Center". www.swfc-shanghai.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022. http://www.swfc-shanghai.com/building.php ↩

  5. "Taipei 101 to open top floor to public for the first time". YouTube. 14 June 2019. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6giBlnP-fNo ↩

  6. "Sears Tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies", USA Today, July 1, 2009. https://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-07-01-sears-tower-glass-balconies_N.htm ↩

  7. "The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011. SOM.com Project Page. https://web.archive.org/web/20110608034757/http://www.som.com/content.cfm/sears_tower_observation_deck ↩

  8. BJ Lutz (30 May 2014). "Coating on Willis Tower Skydeck's Ledge Cracks Under Tourists". Nbcchicago.com. Retrieved 26 August 2014. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-willis-tower-sky-deck-ledge-crack-261079001.html ↩

  9. Sophie Lewis (12 June 2019). "Protective layer of Willis Tower's SkyDeck cracks under visitors' feet". cbsnews. Retrieved 12 June 2019. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/willis-towers-skydeck-chicago-cracks-protective-layer-under-visitors-feet-2019-06-12/ ↩

  10. "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. Retrieved 23 December 2007. http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/esb/ ↩

  11. "Etihad Towers T1 - The Skyscraper Center". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130801075610/http://skyscrapercenter.com/abu-dhabi/etihad-towers-t1/ ↩

  12. "Смотровая площадка Башня Федерация". http://www.intomoscow.ru/modules.php?name=Contentp&pa=showpage&pid=842&cid=c ↩

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  17. ctbuh. "World's Highest Observation Decks". www.ctbuh.org. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028225620/http://www.ctbuh.org/Publications/CTBUHJournal/InNumbers/TBINObservationDecks/tabid/7043/language/en-US/Default.aspx ↩

  18. "Visit Guangdong's Highest Sky Corridor Waterfall Walkway in China | the Asian Magazine". https://www.theasianmagazine.in/2020/05/21/visit-guangdongs-highest-sky-corridor-waterfall-walkway-in-china/ ↩

  19. ctbuh. "World's Highest Observation Decks". www.ctbuh.org. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028225620/http://www.ctbuh.org/Publications/CTBUHJournal/InNumbers/TBINObservationDecks/tabid/7043/language/en-US/Default.aspx ↩

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  21. "World's tallest and longest glass bridge closes after just two weeks". Dezeen. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2018. https://www.dezeen.com/2016/09/05/zhangjiajie-grand-canyon-glass-bridge-worlds-tallest-longest-closes-china/ ↩

  22. "Jasper National Park Glacier Skywalk Travel Information". https://canadaskywalk.com/jasper-skywalk/jasper-national-park-glacier-skywalk-travel-information/ ↩

  23. China has banned the construction of skyscrapers in 2021. ↩

  24. Watch the livestream to the Merdeka 118 Tower Spire Completion Ceremony here!, retrieved 4 December 2021. https://www.facebook.com/precinct118/videos/1705024919702670/ ↩

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