the Travel Enthusiast
- 19 Sep
evike14 in Travel Planning | NO COMMENTSThe greatest observation decks in the world
Observation decks are great inventions – if you have a really tall building towering over everything else around it, built for whatever purpose, why not make the most of it? Put an observation deck on any building tall enough, and you go yourself a pretty good attraction, not only for the tourists who are thirsty for panoramas, but for the locals as well.
If you don’t have any problems with heights and you like to take a good, leisurely look at the urban sprawl, then you should consider visiting some of the greatest observation decks in the world.
Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan
Up until 2010, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world. Today, it is ‘only’ the second, standing at an astounding 101 floors above ground and 5 underground. The observation deck is located on the 91th floor, which guarantees that you get a good (and perhaps a bit scary) view of Taipei sprawling seemingly infinitely in every direction.
Willis Tower, Chicago
Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) is not the only observation deck in Chicago (in fact, John Hancock is increasingly popular), but nothing can replicate the feeling of standing on one of the tower’s famous glass-bottomed viewing decks. Looking down at your feet and seeing the ant-sized people of the city going about their business is positively priceless.
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Ireland
The Guinness Storehouse is not your regular observation deck, because in the first place it isn’t very tall, only 7 stories up. But then again, the other buildings in Dublin aren’t much taller either, so you can get a good view of the city, and besides, you also get a complimentary pint of beer, and there’s no better way of seeing the Irish capital from above.
Top of the Rock, GE Building, New York
New York is an amazing city, and leaving it without taking in the amazing view from the Top of the Rock is a huge mistake. The city skyline is plainly visible from the Top, as is the green sprawl of the Central Park. Since the walls of the observation deck are made entirely of glass, there’s nothing obstruct your view of the city.
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Sagrada Familia is a masterpiece of Gaudi’s despite not having been finished (at least half the project is still to be finished), and you’re probably not going to visit it for the view, but for the church’s architectural magnificence. But if you’ve stared enough at Gaudi’s genial construction, you should definitely climb to the top of one of the towers and on to the connecting bridge, and see the vast expanse of Barcelona before you.
- Flights
- Hotels
- Packages
- Cars
- Cruises
travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)You might also like