Shanghai Tower, at 632 meters and 128 stories high, is China’s tallest building, and the second tallest in the world.  It was opened to public in 2015, and is currently a premier Shanghai landmark, ranked at #3 out of more than 1,000 things to do in Shanghai.

Located in the epicenter of the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, Shanghai Tower is part of the troika of super tall iconic skyscrapers including Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center.

Race To The Top

Shanghai Tower was designed to become the tallest building in China. Before its construction, there were already two super tall skyscrapers in the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone. In 1994, Jin Mao Tower was built to a height of 420 meters. In 1997, construction of the Shanghai World Financial Center began, and it overtook Jin Mao Tower by its height of 492 meters. In 2016, the construction of Shanghai Tower to a height of 632 secured its current place of tallest building in China.

Ultra-Modern Green Design

Shanghai Tower’s signature helical shape symbolizes a dragon twisting and spiraling upward, signifying its own supremacy and the dynamic economic rise of modern China. The innovative helix form is aerodynamic, so it also offsets the wind effect on the super tall building to withstand Shanghai’s frequent typhoons.

To counter the sandy river delta base, earthquakes, and typhoons, it has a thick concrete core instead of a simple steel girder framework skeleton. It is built on 70-meter-long concrete piles. For insulation, the building is built like a thermos bottle, with a transparent outer skin made of two-layer glass facades wrapped around it, to save energy and provide extra protection from heat and cold.

Wind turbines and solar panels in the building produce energy, whilst rainwater is caught and recycled, making it one of the most sustainable green buildings in Shanghai, and earning it a China Green Building Three Star rating, and a LEED® Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Shanghai Tower’s Functional Areas

The multi-use financial icon tower has five main functional areas, creating a  sustainable lifestyle grouped into nine vertical zones that rise from sky lobbies and light-filled garden atrium, to bring people together throughout the day, even after work hours, like traditional town plazas, courtyards, and squares.

• 24-hour offices and financial services for MNCs;
• super luxury 5-star hotels, with personalized services, and support facilities and amenities;
• high end retail shops, a mall, and cafes and restaurants;  
• recreational zones, entertainment venues, a museum, observatories, and sightseeing rooms to create cultural amenity spaces;
• meeting rooms, a multi function conference center, and a multi function banquet hall

Basic Information

Height: 632 m
Floors:128 floors; 5 podium floors; 5 basement floors
Ticket for Observation Deck:
Adult: CNY 180
Children: CNY 90
Free for children under 1 meter
Opening Hours:  8:30 – 22:00; last entry at 21:30
Best Time to Visit: In the late afternoon, so you can catch the outside daylight views, the dusk sunset scenes, and the night lights. Avoid rainy and foggy weather with little visibility.

7 Things to Do in Shanghai Tower

1. Go up to the Shanghai Tower Observation Deck on the 118th Floor. At 546 meters, it is the world’s highest indoor observation deck, and also the highest point in Shanghai, offering unique panoramic 360-degree views of the Huangpu River, the Bund, and other skyscrapers like the Jin Mao Tower and the World Financial Center, and especially the beautiful evening views of Shanghai when it is lit up.
2. Visit the exhibition hall on Floor B1 to enjoy various exhibits held through the year.
3. Take a joyride in Shanghai Tower Elevators, the world’s second fastest elevators.  There are 149 elevators, of which 108 are lifts, and three are super-fast elevators. Three of the lifts go from street level up to 546 meters high within 55 seconds only, which is a world record first.  
4. See the ‘Shanghai Eye’ exhibition on the 125th and 126th floors. Shanghai Eye is located on the 125th and 126th floors. It is nearest to the sky than any other place in Shanghai. There is a 1,000-ton damper that stabilizes the tower. Tourists can explore it through the interactive hi-tech device.
5. Write postcards to deliver to the world’s highest mailbox and send good wishes to the world by hanging wishing cards on the wishing tree.
6. Enjoy a luxurious stay at J Hotel, the world’s third highest hotel located on the 84th to 110th floors.
7. Check out the other recreational areas on the 37th floor, such as the highest indoor Chinese-style garden, Half Garden, and Shanghai Guanfu Museum which showcases Chinese civilization artifacts including gold ware, ceramics and porcelain, and Buddhist statues.

Tips for Capturing The Best Shots

• From the 118th floor inside Shanghai Tower, you can capture great views the Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower from a high angle.
• In front of Jin Mao Tower’s gateway, opposite Shanghai Tower, you can get the three super-tall skyscrapers standing shoulder to shoulder in one frame.
• From Zhapulu Bridge, you can see the whole skyline of the Lujiazui area skyscrapers.

Recommended Hotels Near Shanghai Tower

Location

How to get to Shanghai Tower

By Metro
Take Metro Line 2; get off at Lujiazui Station; get out from Exit 4 or 6
By Bus
1. Take Lujiazui Financial City Line 2 or Lujiazui Financial City Loop Line
2. By City Sightseeing Bus: Take Line 2; get off at Jin Mao Tower
By Ferry
Take Dongjin Line or Dongfu Line; get off at Dongchang Road