Overview
Shanghai Tower dominates the Lujiazui skyline at 632 meters, making it the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world. Completed in 2015, its distinctive twisting form is not merely aesthetic: the 120-degree spiral reduces wind load by 24 percent compared to a flat-sided tower, saving hundreds of millions of dollars in structural steel. The building is organized into nine cylindrical zones stacked vertically, each containing offices, hotels, retail, and sky gardens within a double-skin glass curtain wall. Visitors ride the world's fastest elevators, reaching 74 kilometers per hour, to the observation deck on the 118th floor at 561 meters above street level. On clear days the view extends across the entire Yangtze River Delta. From this height, The Bund's colonial buildings look like ornate dollhouses, and the classical rooftops of Yu Garden are visible to the south, all part of the sprawling Shanghai panorama.
Engineering Facts
118th-floor observation: Floor-to-ceiling glass walls at 561 meters provide an uninterrupted 360-degree panorama of greater Shanghai. World's fastest elevator: Three Mitsubishi lifts rocket from the basement to the 118th floor in under 55 seconds. Twisting architecture: Watch the building's signature spiral from inside - the double-skin glass creates cathedral-like atrium spaces. Sunset spectacle: The transition from daylight to the sprawling sea of city lights below is mesmerizing from this altitude. Supertall trio: Stand beside the Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center to appreciate three generations of Chinese engineering ambition. Sky garden atriums: The building's interior gardens between zones create unexpected green spaces floating hundreds of meters above the ground
When to Visit
Observation deck: Daily 8:30 AM - 9:30 PM (last entry 9:00 PM). Best: Late afternoon (4:00 - 6:00 PM) to watch sunset paint the city gold then dissolve into neon. Clearest skies: Autumn and winter mornings after rain, when pollution clears and visibility stretches to the horizon. Avoid: Hazy summer days when smog limits visibility to a few kilometers
Admission and Costs
Observation deck ticket: ¥180. Online advance booking: Often ¥160 (discounted). Children under 1 meter: Free. Combined ticket with other Pudong towers: Occasionally available for ¥250-300
Tips for Visitors
Check air quality first: Use an AQI app before buying tickets - anything above 150 means limited views and wasted money. Book online to skip lines: The ground-floor ticket queue can stretch to 30 minutes on busy days. Combine with Pudong walk: After descending, walk between the three supertall towers and through the Lujiazui pedestrian bridge for ground-level perspectives. Bring a camera with zoom: The height reveals fascinating details - ships on the Huangpu, The Bund's rooftop sculptures, even planes approaching Hongqiao airport. Evening alternative: If you miss sunset, the nighttime city lights view is equally spectacular and lines are shorter after 8 PM