- Observation deck
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Observation deck 
The 1793 Puente Nuevo bridge allows viewing from 120 m above the floor of El Tajo canyon.Main article: Deck (building)For other uses, see Deck.
The 10 m observation deck of Ronda, Spain, overlooks the Depression of Ronda plain over 100 m below.
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. Fitted with railings or fencing for safety, observation decks are sometimes enclosed from weather, as many skyscraper decks, and may include coin operated telescopes for viewing distant features.
Contents
List of public observation decks
Further information: List of tallest buildings in the world and List of tallest towers in the worldNotable public observation decks include the following:
List of public observation decks Name Built Type Location (sorts by nation) Deck ht (m) Total ht(m) Notes 1 Shanghai World Financial Center 2008 Skyscraper 
Shanghai474[1] 492.3 100th floor, decks also on levels 94 & 97 2 Canton Tower 2011 Steel Tower Guangzhou459.2 600 Additional deck at 433.3m. 3 Burj Khalifa 2010 Skyscraper 
Dubai452.1[2] 828 124th floor, outdoor 4 CN Tower 1976 Concrete tower 
Toronto446.6 553.3 Two additional observation decks at 342 m (outdoor) & 346 m (indoor). 5 Willis Tower 1974 Skyscraper 
Chicago412.5 527.3 103rd floor 6 Sky100, International Commerce Centre 2011 Skyscraper 
Hong Kong393 484 100th floor 360 degree indoor observatory, it's the highest observation deck in Hong Kong. 7 Taipei 101 2004 Skyscraper 
Taipei391.6 509.2 91st floor's outdoor observatory, it's the previous record of highest outdoor observatory in the world. The 89th floor indoor observatory is 383.2 metres (1,257 ft). 8 Empire State Building 1931 Skyscraper New York City369[3] 448.7 102nd floor, additional 86th floor deck (320 m) 9 Oriental Pearl Tower 1994 Concrete tower Shanghai350 468.9 14th floor[clarification needed] 10 Jin Mao Tower 1998 Skyscraper Shanghai340.1 421.5 11 Ostankino Tower 1967 Concrete tower 
Moscow337 540.1 12 John Hancock Center 1969 Skyscraper Chicago313.8 343.5 13 Eureka Tower 2007 Skyscraper 
Melbourne285 297.3 Skydeck 88 is at a height of 285 m 14 Royal Gorge Bridge 1929 Bridge Colorado291 321 spans Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River 15 1-Altitude Gallery, OUB Centre 2010 Skyscraper 
Singapore280 280 Rooftop gallery opened in 2010 as a part of 1-Altitude establishment 16 Eiffel Tower 1889 Steel truss tower 
Paris276.1 324 3rd floor 17 Menara Kuala Lumpur 1996 Concrete tower 
Kuala Lumpur276 421 18 Columbia Center 1985 Skyscraper Seattle275 284 73rd floor 19 Yokohama Landmark 1993 Skyscraper 
Yokohama273 296 69th floor 20 Millau Viaduct 2004 Bridge Millau270 343 270 m clearance[clarification needed] 21 JPMorgan Chase Tower 1982 Skyscraper Houston268.2 305.4 60th floor 22 Stratosphere Tower 1996 Concrete tower Las Vegas266 350.2 9th floor 23 Vajont Dam 1961 Dam 
Erto e Casso261.6 261.6 "disused"[specify] 24 GE Building 1933 Skyscraper New York City259.1 259.1 70th floor ("Top of the Rock") 25 Tianjin Tower 1991 Concrete tower Tianjin253 415.2 "observation pod" 26 Mauvoisin Dam 1957 Dam 
Bagnes250 250 raised 13.5 m in 1991[clarification needed] 27 Tokyo Tower 1958 Steel truss tower Tokyo249.9 332.6 6th floor 28 CCTV Tower 1992 Concrete tower Beijing238 386.5 29 Q1 2005 Skyscraper Gold Coast230 323 77th floor (SkyPoint), with the function hall on the 78th[specify] 31 Rialto Towers 1986 Office Melbourne225 242.3 32 Sky Tower 1997 Concrete tower 
Auckland220 328 33 Verzasca Dam 1965 Dam Ticino220 220 34 Mratinje Dam 1975 Dam 
Mratinje220 220 in Plužine municipality[1] 35 Westin Peachtree 1973 Skyscraper Atlanta220 220 73rd floor 36 Prudential Tower 1964 Skyscraper Boston213[4] 228 50th floor ("Prudential Skywalk") 37 Detroit Marriott 1977 Skyscraper Detroit212.3 221.5 70th floor 38 Tour Montparnasse 1972 Skyscraper Paris209 209 39 Fernsehturm Berlin 1969 Concrete tower 
Berlin203.78 368.03 40 Almendra Dam 1970 Dam 
Almendra202 202 41 Kölnbrein Dam 1979 Dam 
Malta200 200 42 Maintower 1999 Skyscraper Frankfurt200 240 43 Olympiaturm 1968 Concrete tower Munich192 291 44 Gateway Arch 1965 steel/concrete St Louis~185 192 [citation needed] 45 Bitexco Financial Tower 2010 Skyscraper 
Ho Chi Minh City181 262.5 47th floor 46 Tower of the Americas 1968 Concrete tower San Antonio176.0 229.0 47 Olympic Stadium 1987 Concrete tower Montreal175 175 48 Rheinturm 1982 Concrete tower Düsseldorf174.5 240.5 49 Carew Tower 1931 Skyscraper Cincinnati171.3 175.0 roof observation deck 50 Reunion Tower 1978 Concrete tower Dallas170.7 170.7 51 Petronas Tower 1998 Steel tower Kuala Lumpur170.0 452.9 skybridge between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors 52 Space Needle 1962 Steel tower Seattle158.5 184.4 53 Calgary Tower 1968 Concrete tower Calgary157.5 190.8 54 Las Vegas Eiffel Tower 1999 Steel tower Paradise140.2 164.6 ½ scale (originally to be full-sized)[citation needed] 55 Foshay Tower 1929 Skyscraper Minneapolis136.2 185 30th floor 56 Custom House Tower 1915 Skyscraper Boston136 151 26th floor 57 Avala Tower 2009 Concrete tower 
Belgrade135 204.5 58 Kansas City City Hall 1937 Skyscraper Kansas City135 151 30th floor 59 Penobscot Observatory 2007 bridge tower Penobscot R133[5] 136 3rd level (1st & 2nd levels @ 122 & 128 m) 60 Edifice Marie-Guyart 1972 Skyscraper Quebec City126.5 126.5 31st floor 61 Smith Tower 1914 Skyscraper Seattle122 141 35th floor 62 Kuwait viewing sphere 1979 Concrete tower 
Kuwait City120 187 (1990 Liberation Tower of ~300 m is not open to public) 63 National Monument (Indonesia) 1975 Obelisk Monument 
Jakarta115 132 64 KölnTriangle 2006 Skyscraper Cologne103.2 103.2 29th floor[6] 65 Faro de Moncloa 1992 Concrete Tower Madrid90 110 66 Statue of Liberty 1886 Statue Liberty Island80 93[7] crown level (~90 m torch level closed to public in 1916)[2] 67 Liberty Memorial 1926 Concrete tower Kansas City66 66 68 Coit Tower 1933 Concrete tower San Francisco64 64 69 Mt Washington towers[original research?] 2000 Steel Structure Pittsburgh66 66 towers overlook Downtown Pittsburgh 70 John Hancock Tower 1976 Skyscraper Boston60 241 Closed to the public since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.[8] List of highest observation decks by type
Type Name and Location Constructed Height Notes Enclosed Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China 2008 474 m (1,555 ft) Outdoor Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2010 452.1 m (1,483 ft) On skyscraper Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China 2008 474 m (1,555 ft) On tower Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China 2011 459.2 m (1,507 ft) Bridge Royal Gorge Bridge 1929 291 m (955 ft) Above water level. Dam Vajont Dam 1959 262 m (860 ft) Dependant on weather and whether open to the public. Demolished One & Two World Trade Center (article), New York City, USA 1972 & 1973 420 m (1,378 ft) Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. Timeline of world's highest observation decks
This is a timeline of the development of world's highest observation decks since inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
Held record Name and Location Constructed Height of highest observation deck Notes From To 1889 1931 Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 1889 275 m (902 ft) Two further observation decks 57 & 115 m. 1931 1973 Empire State Building, New York City, USA 1931 369 m (1,211 ft)[3] A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 metres above ground. 1973 1974 World Trade Center, New York City, USA (article) 1973 399.4 m (1,310 ft) Indoor observatory on the 107th floor of South Tower opened on April 4, 1973. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. 1974 1975 Willis Tower, Chicago, USA 1974 412.4 m (1,353 ft) 103rd floor observation deck opened on June 22, 1974 1975 1976 World Trade Center, New York City, USA (article) 1973 420 m (1,378 ft) Outdoor observatory on rooftop of the South Tower opened on December 15, 1975. Destroyed during the September 11 attacks. 1976 2008 CN Tower, Toronto, Canada 1976 446.5 m (1,465 ft) Two further observation decks 342 and 346 metres above ground. 2008 - Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai, People's Republic of China 2008 474 m (1,555 ft) Other observation decks are at 423 m (1,388 ft) and 439 m (1,440 ft). - Note: Higher observation decks have existed on mountain peaks or cliffs, rather than on tall structures. For example, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Cañon City, Colorado, USA, was constructed in 1929 spanning the Royal Gorge at a height of 321 m (1,053 ft) above the Arkansas River. See also List of tallest buildings and structures in the world#World's highest observation deck
See also
References
- ^ "Skyscraper Page". http://skyscraperpage.com. Retrieved 2010-03-27. Atlanta, Cincinnati, CN, Detroit, Eiffel, GE, Las Vegas, Sears, Seattle, Shanghai, Tianjin
- ^ Burj Dubai Facts And Figures, source: Landmark Properties Real Estate.
- ^ a b "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/esb/. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
- ^ "Prudential Skywalk Observation Deck & Exhibit". World Travel Guide. http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com/city/16/further_attractions/North-America/Boston.html. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
- ^ "Penobscot Narrows Observatory". MaineGuide.com. http://fortknox.maineguide.com/observatory%20faq.html. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ Fact and Figures koelntrianglepanorama.de
- ^ "Statue of Liberty Facts". http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/libertyfacts.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
- ^ "Boston.com / US under attack". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/daily/14/attacks_hancock.htm.
Categories:- Buildings and structures by type
- Architectural elements
- Lists of tallest structures
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