Information
Landmark: Oriental Pearl TowerCity: Shanghai
Country: China
Continent: Asia
Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, China, Asia
Overview
Rising above the Huangpu River, the Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠塔, Dōngfāng Míngzhū Tǎ) stands as one of Shanghai’s most recognizable landmarks.With its sleek, futuristic curves catching the afternoon light, the tower rises as a bold symbol of Shanghai’s modern spirit and breakneck growth.It used to be the tallest building in China, and you can still spot it instantly among the city’s skyline, its glass panels flashing in the afternoon sun.The Oriental Pearl Tower stands in Shanghai’s Pudong district, right in the heart of Lujiazui, where glass towers rise like steel-blue shards above banks and trading floors.The tower rises beside the Huangpu River, where you can see Pudong’s glassy skyline on one side and Puxi’s bustling streets on the other.Rising 468 meters, or 1,535 feet, the Oriental Pearl Tower claimed the title of China’s tallest building when it opened in 1994, its gleaming spheres catching the sun.It’s still among the tallest television towers on the planet, its steel frame soaring high enough to vanish into the morning haze.The tower holds eleven spheres of different sizes, each linked by slender, gleaming columns.Three broad pedestal columns hold up the spheres, their smooth surfaces catching the light.The design echoes pearls strung on silk, a nod to traditional Chinese art, and reflects Shanghai’s rise into a bustling global metropolis.Construction and design: Architect Zhang Kang drew up the plans, and the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Company brought them to life, piece by piece, in steel and glass.They broke ground in 1991, and by 1994 the last beam was in place.In the early 1990s, the tower stood at the heart of Shanghai’s urban development plan, a bold statement of the city’s ambition to showcase sleek modern lines and cutting-edge technology.The tower’s design blends traditional Chinese details-like sweeping rooflines-with a sleek, futuristic style.The Oriental Pearl Tower isn’t just for broadcasting-it also draws visitors with its observation decks, shimmering at night like a string of pearls.Visitors can take in sweeping views of the city skyline, catch a live performance, and wander through exhibits that bring Shanghai’s history to life.The tower has two main observation decks, each giving sweeping views of the city-rooftops, winding streets, and glints of glass catching the sun.From 350 meters up on the Upper Observation Deck, you can see the Pudong district spread out below and the Huangpu River winding like a silver ribbon.Perched 350 meters up, the Space Module Observation Deck lets you step onto a glass floor and peer straight down to the streets far below.From these decks, you can take in sweeping views of Shanghai, with its skyline crowned by the Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and the gleaming Shanghai World Financial Center.Glass Floor: Visitors flock to the Oriental Pearl Tower for its glass floor, where you can peer straight down at the tiny cars moving far below.Perched 259 meters above the ground, it lets visitors step onto a clear glass floor and gaze straight down at the busy streets of Shanghai, where taxis weave through the traffic like bright beads on a string.The tower’s upper sphere, perched 267 meters high, holds a revolving restaurant where the view slowly shifts with every sip of your coffee.In the 360-degree rotating restaurant, you can linger over dinner as the skyline slowly shifts-lights flicker on in distant towers while the whole city turns beneath you.They offer a mix of flavors, from sizzling Chinese stir-fries to hearty Western fare, along with dishes from around the globe.History and Culture Museum: Tucked at the tower’s base, the Shanghai History Museum offers a vivid journey through the city’s past, from ancient jade carvings to the bustle of 1930s Nanjing Road.You’ll find exhibits on Shanghai’s ancient history, its bustling colonial era, and the sleek skylines of its modern growth.The museum traces Shanghai’s rise into an economic powerhouse, showing why it matters in China and beyond.You can almost hear the buzz of trading floors in its exhibits.Broadcasting and telecommunications: the Oriental Pearl Tower still beams out radio and TV signals, its antennas flashing against the night sky.It’s a key landmark for Shanghai’s media and communication scene, but most people come for the sweeping city views, not the tower’s broadcasting role.Shopping: The tower’s packed with shops where you can pick up souvenirs, quirky gifts, and tower-themed keepsakes-maybe even a silk scarf patterned with Shanghai’s skyline.These shops offer miniature models of the tower, Shanghai-themed keepsakes, and traditional Chinese crafts, from painted fans to hand-carved tea cups.Entertainment and Light Shows: After dark, the Oriental Pearl Tower bursts to life, its lights rippling like ribbons of color across the night sky.LED lights wash the tower in shifting colors, casting deep blues and sudden bursts of gold against the city skyline.Crowds pack in for the light show during Chinese New Year, and it draws big audiences at other major festivals too.The tower often shows up in Shanghai’s cultural events and public celebrations-lanterns glowing at its base during festivals-cementing its place as a focal point of the city’s skyline.Just across the river, the Lujiazui district rises with Shanghai’s tallest landmarks, from the twisting Shanghai Tower to the sharp-edged World Financial Center and the gleaming Jin Mao Tower.From the Oriental Pearl Tower, you can take in a sweeping view of this striking skyline-often called Shanghai’s Manhattan-its glass towers catching the afternoon light.Take a Huangpu River cruise and watch the Oriental Pearl Tower rise above the skyline, its glass spheres catching the afternoon light from a fresh angle.The river cruise glides past the waterfront, where you can see The Bund’s stately colonial facades on one side and Pudong’s gleaming skyline on the other, with the tower rising like a silver needle above it all.Just a short walk away, the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium ranks among the largest in China, with glass tunnels that curve overhead like waves frozen in midair.You’ll find all kinds of marine life here-sleek sharks gliding past, penguins bobbing in the water, and countless other fascinating creatures.The aquarium features an underwater tunnel where you can stroll through a clear passage and watch stingrays and fish glide silently overhead.Century Park sits just a short walk away, a sprawling stretch of green that ranks among Shanghai’s largest city parks.After visiting the Oriental Pearl Tower, you can wander shaded paths, pause by still lakes, and breathe in the scent of blooming gardens-a quiet, easy place to let the day slow down.The Oriental Pearl Tower now stands as a striking emblem of Shanghai’s rise into a global metropolis, its glass spheres catching the light like jewels over the Huangpu River.It captures the city’s push for fresh ideas, sleek design, and a thriving economy you can see in its glass towers.Soaring high above the city, it’s one of the tallest towers on Earth-a sharp, glass-and-steel marker of Shanghai’s bold urban vision and the breakneck growth that’s reshaped its skyline in just a few decades.More than just an architectural landmark, the Oriental Pearl Tower stands as one of Shanghai’s cultural icons, its gleaming spheres often flashing across movie scenes, glossy ads, and city promos that capture the metropolis’s cosmopolitan spirit.One of Shanghai’s most photographed landmarks, it’s shown up everywhere from glossy travel magazines to major international news sites.The Oriental Pearl Tower draws huge crowds, making it one of Shanghai’s top stops for visitors, who often snap photos of its gleaming pink spheres against the skyline.Every year, it draws millions of visitors, filling the air with the buzz of conversations and camera shutters.
