Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai
From the day I landed in Shanghai, a needle pointing to the sky grabbed my attention. Every evening, the needle’s illumination was ever-changing and colourful. We know the Shanghai skyline for its high rise. This specific structure, Oriental Pearl Tower, was towering above them all. It fascinated me. So much that I couldn’t resist visiting the needle. And sure enough, one evening, I landed up there.
Only when I reached there did I realise how massive it was. The tower’s height of 1536 feet (468 Metres) makes it the sixth tallest TV tower in the world, and the second tallest in China. Three seven-meter wide slanting stanchions support the base of the tower. Three massive spheres called the space modules, punctuate the tower elevation. Overall, there are 11 spheres across the tower. Perhaps that’s what gives the tower its name – Oriental Pearl.
Inside Oriental Pearl Tower
As you walk across the sprawling lobby and reach the elevators, you realise the elevators are double-deckers and can carry up to 50 people. These elevators move at a speed of 7 metres per second and take you up a quarter of a mile. This base floor houses a science fantasy city. After soaking it in, we took our elevator ride.
The first level is the larger sphere with a diameter of 50 metres and is at a height of 90 metres. It houses a futuristic space city and a sightseeing hall. In fact, the tower has fifteen observatory levels. The next major one, at the height of 263 metres, also has a revolving restaurant. Further up, the highest observatory level is at the height of 351 metres and it has an outside area that has a glass floor to look straight down. The thought of walking out onto a glass floor 351 metres above the ground is scary. But, once you overcome the fear, the experience is magical.
Multiple floors here, house commercial establishments, restaurants, shopping complexes, a hotel, and more. And the glitz and liveliness all across is fascinating. In fact, the variety of recreational activities available there amazed me. At the same time, I realised its purpose is to beam out TV and Radio signals.
The Highlight
Shanghai is a spread-out city covering an area of over 6,000 sq km. It is on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River. Towards the end of the 20th century, its redevelopment has helped attract foreign businesses, leading to the mushrooming of spanking-new, glitzy commercial and residential high rise. That too, on both banks of the Huangpu River. The observation decks of the Oriental Pearl Tower offer fabulous vantage to appreciate this landmark city. So, I’d say a tour up the tower is a must-do during your trip to Shanghai.
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