The View from The Shard

Experience The View from The Shard with The London Pass®

• Getting in is easy, just use your pass to book a slot.
• Your pass includes entry to the indoor viewing platform on the 68th and 69th floor, the open-air Skydeck on the 72nd floor and a digital photo package, comprising four photos. 
• Once you've had your pass scanned, you'll recieve an exclusive £5 per person retail credit voucher for use in the on-site gift shop (subject to a minimum spend of £20 per person).
• The London Pass® also includes dozens more top attractions, tours and experiences, all for one money-saving price. 

From a 1970s office block to one of the world’s most distinguished buildings, ascend to London's highest viewpoint at The View from The Shard.

The View from The Shard highlights

• Enjoy an indoor viewing gallery offering a panoramic of central London.
• Visit the 72nd floor open-air Skydeck and experience a 360 view across London up to 40 miles.
• Spot iconic London landmarks.
• Take your time and relish the moment with a no time-limit visit. 

About The View from The Shard

Journey to a height of up to 800ft (244m); to the top of London’s tallest observation platform and premium visitor attraction, The View from The Shard. Formerly known as the London Bridge Tower, ‘The Shard’ was designed by famed architect, Renzo Piano. Piano, who is most famous for designing the Pompidou Centre in Paris, France, began designing The Shard in 2000. His design was fuelled by the desire to create a modern building that stood out amongst the London Skyline without appearing too overbearing. As such, the building resembles a large piece of glass pointing out of the ground, and thus, The Shard was aptly named.

Piano’s design has become a symbol of modern architecture in contemporary London. It incorporates both aesthetically and structurally unique features, drawing inspiration from the spires of different London churches. The building’s windows have a special glaze that reacts to light in a very intuitive way. Depending on the season or time of day, the glass can reflect different intensities of light, casting unique luminosity.

The entire building process took over three years to complete. In that time, the structure rose by 10 feet per day. Many of the glass panels were put in place before the building reached its terminal height of 1000 feet. By 2012, it officially became the tallest building in Europe.

The Shard offers a multitude of corporate, entertainment and dining facilities. Floors 2 to 28 of the building are used as office space rental areas. The 31st to 33rd floors are dedicated to restaurants. The five-star hotel, Shangri-La takes up a staggering 18 levels, from the 34th floor to the 52nd floor. Some can even call The Shard their home, as floors 53 to 65 are occupied by residential apartments.

The best viewing spot in The Shard is, of course, its pinnacle. Enjoy unparalleled views over London from the building’s multi-floor observatory on the 68th to 72nd floors.
 

The Shard facts

• The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe - standing 309 metres tall.
• A fox was once found on the 72nd floor by construction workers, it was nicknamed Romeo.
• The Shard is made up of 11,000 glass panels on its exterior, covering a total area of 56,000 sq metres.
• The best toilet views in London: the restrooms are 244m above London with floor-to-ceiling windows.
• The lift moves at 6 metres/second, giving visitors a smooth and speedy journey to the top.

Don’t miss

London’s highest bars – sip and savour the view of the city at one of two bars – the highest in town! Enjoy a glass of champagne, savour the views with a handcrafted cocktail or warm up with a hot drink on a cold day.

Gift shop – commemorate your visit with a miniature model of The Shard, or come away with the perfect gift for your loved ones.

Make the most of your London Pass®

• The Shard is just a short walk away from Borough Market. Once you have finished perusing the hustle and bustle from above, take a leisurely walk through the market and experience everything this cultural hub has to offer.
• Why not make a meal of it? The Shard is home to several distinguished restaurants. Take your pick from Aqua Shard, Oblix, Hutong, Sky Lounge and Ting between the 31st and 35th floors.