When picturing Shanghai, chances are that you are immediately seeing this incredible structure in your mind’s eye: the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower, situated at the tip of Lujiazui on the eastern shore of the Huangpu River of Shanghai. The tower’s unique architectural design, consisting of eleven steel spheres, make it a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction and one of the national AAAAA level scenic spots. The famous landmark stands tall at 468 meters (1,536 feet), making it China’s second tallest radio and TV tower and currently the world’s sixth.
Construction started on July 30th, 1991, and was completed on October 1st, 1994. The inauguration took place on November 18th – exactly 28 years ago today. The tower, consisting of eleven steel spheres and three columns, was designed with the idea that if one looks up and sees the tower between the blue sky and the green grass, with the different sizes of spheres in between, that one would be reminded of pearls falling into a jade plate.
The tower consists of six main parts and three sightseeing floors, filled with the most amazing activities one could imagine. Guests can take the high-speed transparent panoramic elevators to travel up and down the Oriental Pearl at seven meters per second. The completely transparent elevators were the first of their kind and offer a most impressive view over the city. The Space Capsule (the third sphere) is located at 351 meters (1,152 feet) and is the main observation deck, completely dedicated to space travel and learning about outer space. At 267 meters (876 feet), guests can enjoy a nice meal with the best view in town in the rotating restaurant, rotating once every two hours, which happens to be the second highest dining area in Asia! At 263 meters (863 feet) the Sky Galleria offers guests a trip to another world through enchanting light exhibitions, taking them on a journey through famous impressionist paintings of the 19th century. At 259 meters (850 feet) the thrill continues as the 150 m / 492 ft long glass floor viewing deck awaits. The transparent sightseeing ring covers an area of about 415 square meters and offers a most impressive 360-degree view of both sides of the Huangpu River. The fun goes on at Game City, an area in the first sphere (at 90m & 98m / 295ft & 322ft) filled with games, a 5D cinema and even a complete VR roller coaster. At 78 meters (256 feet) guests can enjoy a ”Future Shanghai” Multimedia Show, dedicated to the future of the city, and in the Shanghai History Museum guests can learn about the past of the city through a wonderful collection of relics, equipment and audio-visual material. There are also two outdoor viewing decks, one in the second sphere at 259 meters (849 feet), and another in the first sphere at 90 meters (295 feet).
Although the tower is famous for its design and the various activities and entertainments it offers including sightseeing, catering, shopping, exhibitions, etc. the radio and TV tower tower is operational and broadcasts about nine television channels and ten FM radio channels.
Sources:
- https://www.orientalpearltower.com/
- https://www.great-towers.com/tower/shanghai-oriental-pearl-radio-tv-tower
- https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shanghai/oriental_pearl.htm
- http://origin-www.shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-sightseeing/oriental-pearl-tv-tower.htm
- https://www.trip.com/blog/oriental-pearl-radio-television-tower-facts-and-tips/
- https://www.chinatourstar.com/shanghai-attraction/oriental-pearl-tower.html