Since the time of Babylon, people have been rushing up, trying to conquer the heavens. Starting construction in 2009, the new skyscraper soared to 306 meters and since 2013 has been delighting guests of London with a new one.

This is quite a popular place, because everyone should see London from a height, and The Shard offers simply amazing panoramas. "The Shard" is a huge glass pyramidal office building (from 2 to 28 floors) with apartments (from 53 to 65 floors), Shangri-La hotel (from 34 to 52 floors), restaurants (from 31 to 33 floors) and an observation a platform that occupies as many as 4 levels - from 68 to 72.

skyscraper with beautiful name The Shard of London is the tallest building in London. It was built in 2012 on the site of the Southwark Towers office building, which was demolished in 2008.

The project for a new skyscraper was proposed by the architect Piano back in 200, but it caused a heated public discussion. Therefore, he was able to approve only a few years later, when the city authorities came to the conclusion that Shard would bring more benefit to the city than harm.

The shard of london observation deck

350 million pounds were allocated for the construction of the Shard, but then the amount was increased to 435 million. The construction of The Shard of London lasted 4 years. The project has been halted several times due to bad weather.

Lined with thousands of glass panels, this 309-meter skyscraper shines in the sun and is visible from afar. Since its construction, Shard has been in trouble more than once: once it was struck by lightning, and a few days later a fire broke out on the lower floors of the building.

People like the new attraction even more than "". It is said that at this rate of visitation, the Shard will pay for itself in less than 10 years.

Some interesting facts about The Shard

Hotel in The Shard of London

Also on this site you can purchase a visit to the Shard and other attractions.

How to get to The Shard?

Getting to the famous skyscraper is very easy. It is difficult to get lost, because The Shard can be seen from almost anywhere in London, at least Central.

nearest metro: London Bridge

Railway stations: London Bridge Main

Buses: 43, 48, 141, 149, 521

Entrance - from the street joiner street

Hotels near The Shard

The area where the Shard skyscraper is located is very convenient for stopping, because from here it is quite easy to get to all the main attractions.

Precisely by the millennium, in 2000, the Italian architect Renzo Piano provided the Shard project. And it must happen that it was at this time that entrepreneur Irwin Sellar was tormented by the problem of the technically outdated 25-storey business complex Southwark Towers, built in 1975. And as often happens in such cases, when one person wants to sell strongly, and the second just wants to buy it, they meet. It happened this time too - the parties met and agreed on everything.

But as often happens in such cases: the plans of some do not always satisfy others. And in this particular case, public organizations strongly opposed, citing, as usual, that the skyscraper would spoil the panorama of the city. The truth is, in truth, it is difficult to find residents in any city who would agree to the construction of such a hulk at their side. But this is what distinguishes democracy from dictatorship, everyone can express their opinion, after which the discussion process is declared complete and everything goes on as usual. It took some time to agree on the nuances, but at the end of 2003 the project was approved by the authorities.

Further work began on plans for the construction of the Shard, which included the demolition of the old shopping center Southwark Towers. But here, from New York to Los Angeles, a rancid smell of the financial crisis wafted through. And a number of donors, having learned from the lessons of past crises, have decided to pull out of the £350m project. It would seem that everything: the skyscraper was covered with a naked basin. An no. There was a country in which the crisis is not interesting as a phenomenon.

A group of investors from Qatar, led by the Prime Minister of the country, the Sheikh himself and the head of the National Bank of this Sheikhastan. Having first bought 80% of the project, they then increased their share to 95%. When builders are paid money, construction is moving in the right direction at a good pace. It was this trend that the people of London were able to observe with their own eyes. By the beginning of 2009, the dismantling of the old 25-storey business center was completely completed. Immediately, construction of The Shard began without delay. Literally in four years, a 95-storey tower with a height of 309.6 meters was erected. The cost of the project, as often happens in this business, has risen to 450 million pounds. Question: did the sheikh from Qatar notice the difference?

The skyscraper itself is called the Shard because of its shape, which resembles an irregular pyramid and is covered with 11,000 glass panels. The opening of the building took place on July 5, 2012. The premises from the 4th to the 28th floor are occupied by offices with a total area of ​​54,776 square meters. Floors 31 to 33 are rented out to restaurants, while levels 34 to 52 house the five-star Shangri-La Hotel. On floors 53 to 65, the deluxe apartments are the highest-rise housing in the UK. One of these apartments costs about 50 million pounds. The apartments occupy the entire floor and provide a 360-degree view for their residents.

The Shard outdoor observation deck is the highest in the UK. It is located on the 72nd floor, at an altitude of 245 meters. Probably based on such exclusivity, the cost of visiting was formed. But as they say: no hype. So hold your breath, as the famous satirist says, but the entrance to the observation deck costs 25 pounds per visitor and 90 pounds for a family of 4. As for the very view of London from its observation deck, it is certainly amazing, provided that the weather is clear over the city.

If you are lucky twice, i.e. if you find the right amount of pounds in your pocket, and the weather is good, then from the observation tower you can see sights such as Wembley Stadium, Brent Cross Trail Center, Kew Gardens, the Central Tower, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben and Buckingham castle. By the way, the skyscraper is equipped with 44 elevators, which will always be ready to take you to the desired floor.

The opening ceremony of the Shard was attended by the leaders of Qatar, many British politicians, as well as Prince Andrew. At nightfall, the audience was presented with a laser show, accompanied by classical music performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Skyscraper Shard - "shard of ice" in the middle of a cultural city The skyscraper Shard (translated as "Shard") is a striking landmark of England. The building really resembles a kind of piece of ice that fell from the sky. Being built in 2012, the building opened its doors to tourists only on February 1, 2013. Ticket prices were not low, but this did not confuse those wishing to visit the building, which for some time was the first tallest in Europe (it was soon overtaken by its Moscow "brother" Mercury City Tower). As a result, all tickets were sold out a few months before the opening. Now the British proudly call the Shard the tallest building in England, as well as in Western Europe. At the very top of the building, there is an excellent view of the entire city. Shard has a height of 310 meters and includes 72 floors. New York has a large number of skyscrapers, while London has none. This was the main impetus for the authors of the idea, because the building was supposed to stand out among the whole city.

History of CreationShard was built on the site of a 25-storey office building. The official opening took place on July 5, 2012. A mesmerizing laser show could be seen in the night sky, arranged with the help of 20 lasers and 30 powerful spotlights. The skyscraper took 45th place in the ranking of the tallest buildings on the planet. The building was made near the River Thames, near the famous London Bridge. They named the building in honor of the shape made in the form of a piece of ice. Over the creation of a unique modern design worked the famous Italian designer Ranza Piano. He explained such an unusual idea with the desire to build a building that will work around the clock. The initiator and sponsor of the idea is the famous oligarch who made his first fortune on cars, Irwin Sellar. The director of The View From The Shard commented on the idea of ​​building a skyscraper: “Shard is a great building created by a bright mind with an initiative for the future. Perhaps this is one of the best buildings in the world, offering an excellent view of the city. Agree, platforms with a 360-degree view are a very rare and expensive phenomenon.


Shard from the inside The first, largest are for offices, the middle ones are for hotels, restaurants, the topmost are for various galleries, museums and observation decks.Some floors are still empty, and information about what happens on them is not known.On 2-28 floors are offices of various companies. Honorary 6 floors were rented by Transport of London. By the end of 2012, almost all offices were rented. Restaurants and cafes are located on floors 31-33. In the summer of 2013, tourists could already dine in one of the most prestigious establishments and try various forges, for example: Chinese. ???! On the floors there are elite establishments of various styles: "Aqua", "Hutong", "Oblix". The Shangri-La Hotel took over the 34th-54th floors. The hotel includes swimming pools overlooking the city, 200 rooms, as well as a winter garden. 53, 55-56 floors include the highest and most expensive apartments in all of England. It will cost about £50 million to buy a luxury property in a central glass building in London. Observation decks from full view to the city are located on the 68th - 72nd floors. London can be seen for 40 miles. Telescopes and binoculars are provided.

An interesting fact The construction of the Shard caused a lot of controversy and discussion on the part of the inhabitants of London, because the bright geometric building in the form of a shard spoils the atmosphere of one of the oldest cities on the planet, as it stands out sharply from other buildings. However, over time, everything calmed down. Probably, the creators managed to convince everyone that Shard will bring more pluses than minuses.

Address: Joiner St, London SE1 9SP

And so, in London, the tallest building in Europe officially opened with a solemn ceremony and a laser show.

Over the 12 years that the project has been underway, the construction of The Shard skyscraper (“Shard”) has been in jeopardy several times due to public discontent and lack of funding. As a result, a steel tower 309.6 meters high, lined with 11,000 glass panels, was built at the expense of Qatari investors who are actively acquiring real estate in the British capital. At the same time, The Shard may lose its honorary "high-rise" title in the near future.

The history of The Shard began in 2000, when the Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the future champion. At the same time, entrepreneur Irwin Sellar decided to renovate the morally and technically obsolete 25-storey business building complex Southwark Towers, built in 1975 near the London Bridge over the Thames (Southwark area). Having met for lunch in Berlin, Sellar and Piano agreed to build a new skyscraper on this very site (originally The Shard was called London Bridge Tower, and then The Shard of Glass, "Shard of Glass").

Plans for the construction of a skyscraper Londoners perceived ambiguously. In particular, the project was opposed by the administration of Southwark and several large public organizations, who argued that such a tall building would spoil the panorama of the city and overshadow the historical sights. In general, residents of the British capital quite often express dissatisfaction with new skyscrapers, but they do not always succeed in canceling the implementation of projects. The most striking examples of this are the 30 St Mary Ax, nicknamed the "cucumber" by the townspeople, and the Strata SE1, known as the "electric razor" and. It was not possible to cancel the construction of The Shard either - it took some time to coordinate the construction, but at the end of 2003 the project was approved by the authorities.

However, what the Londoners did not cope with, almost came out of the global financial crisis. At the end of 2007, when the developers of the project (CLS Holdings, Sellar Property Group and Halabi Family Trust) were already preparing for the demolition of Southwark Towers, financial markets unrest began and a number of project participants decided not to invest in expensive construction. The project, then estimated at £350 million, was on the brink of cancellation. It was then that a powerful group of investors from Qatar came to the rescue, including, among others, the country's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani and the head of the National Bank, Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani. In January 2008, a Qatari consortium bought 80 percent of the project for £150 million and later increased its stake to 95 percent.

By the beginning of 2009, the dismantling of the old business center was completed, and the active stage of construction of The Shard began. In four years, the builders erected a 95-story tower 309.6 meters high (23 floors are technical). At the same time, in the course of work, the volume of investments in the project increased to 450 million pounds.

The building fully justifies its name - it is made in the form of an irregular pyramid and is covered with 11 thousand glass panels from the outside. Almost all of the materials used in the construction were reported to be recycled products. The Shard will house office and retail space, a five-star Shangri-La hotel with 200 rooms, restaurants and a dozen apartments, each of which costs up to $80 million. One of 44 elevators takes you to floors 68-72, home to the UK's highest public observation deck. It should be noted that only the outer appearance of the skyscraper has been completed, while the interior decoration will continue until 2013. Since the project was financed by Qatari businessmen, a number of "Islamic" restrictions will be placed on The Shard's tenants. For example, companies associated with the gambling or alcohol industry will not be able to place their office in the tower.

Meanwhile, the discussion around The Shard, especially after the arrival of Qatari capital, is only heating up. At the same time, not only the spoiled, according to some, “postcard” view of the capital causes dissatisfaction. So, even accustomed to high prices Londoners were surprised by the cost of tickets to the observation deck of the skyscraper, which will open in February 2013. In order to climb it, adult visitors will have to fork out about 25 pounds and give another 19 pounds for each child.

Not everyone was satisfied with the grand opening ceremony of the building, which, in addition to the leaders of Qatar, was attended by many British politicians and the son of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew. After dark, a laser show began - beams of different colors illuminated the Shard itself and connected it with other London high-rise buildings and attractions. The "soundtrack" of the event was classical works performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The ceremony also divided the Londoners - some considered it unreasonably large and costly, while others, on the contrary, were deceived in their expectations and did not see anything unusual.

Annoying ordinary Britons and the very fact of Qatari expansion into the real estate market in London. Businessmen from the emirate own not only many modern town-planning dominants of the city, like The Shard, but also iconic historical objects. For example, back in 2010, Qatar Holding, which also participated in the financing of Shard, bought the Harrods retail chain, which owns the famous department store of the same name, from the Egyptian billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed.

Almost immediately, the new owners unveiled plans to build a luxury hotel store on the roof. The implementation of this idea, however, was not reported, however, in early July 2012 it became known that the Harrods network would cease to be exclusively trading. Under a well-known brand, it is planned to open hotels around the world, in particular, in Malaysia, the USA, France and China.

sketch by Renzo Piano

Despite all the ups and downs, The Shard managed to get the title of the tallest building in Europe by taking it away from the Moscow Tower of the City of Capitals complex in Moscow City, 302 meters high (buildings like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, 324 meters high, or the British TV towers Emley Moor, 330 meters, are traditionally not taken into account in such ratings). Another thing is that he will not be able to keep this title for a long time. The main competitors are the Moscow 332-meter skyscraper "Mercury City Tower" (in March of this year, the builders passed the mark of 310.8 meters, but the building has not yet been completed), the Moscow 360-meter tower "Vostok" of the Federation complex (with spire - 509 meters) and the 320-meter Hermitage Plaza multifunctional complex in the La Defense business district of Paris, which will be built by the company of Russian businessman Emin Iskenderov. The first facility is expected to be put into operation in 2013, the second - in 2014, the third - by 2017.

Skyscraper Shard in London (UK) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The newest architectural landmark of the British capital - the Shard skyscraper - was erected just in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. The tall glass pyramid immediately firmly established itself in the top ten most popular London attractions, largely due to the observation deck, which occupies floors 68 to 72. On the observation deck, guests rise (or rather, take off) on a high-speed elevator in just half a minute.

The name of the skyscraper The Shard in English means "shard of glass" and is 100% combined with its appearance.

The name of the skyscraper The Shard in English means "shard of glass" and is 100% combined with its appearance. Thousands of glass panels that line the skyscraper shine in the sun, drawing the eye. Inside the skyscraper are offices, apartments, front gardens and even a hotel.

Figures and facts

Building height - 309 m

Number of floors: 72

At the time of completion, the Shard skyscraper became the tallest building in the European Union.

Address: SE1 9SP, London, Southwark, London Bridge Street, 32.

Opening hours: Sunday - Wednesday: 10:00 - 19:00 (entry until 17:30 - 18:00), Thursday - Saturday: 10:00 - 22:00 (entry until 20:30 - 21:00).

Entrance: 30.95 GBP, children (4-15 years old): 24.95 GBP, children under 3 years old: free. Children under 15 must be strictly accompanied by an adult.

Prices on the page are for November 2018.