Since the days of ancient watchtowers, humankind has been compelled to construct towers. Here we take a look at some of the most incredible towers around the world that you can visit – ranging from historic feats of engineering to cutting-edge contemporary designs, many of which have become buzzing entertainment and tourism hubs. Always remember to check an individual country's COVID-19 restrictions before you travel.
Soaring 2,080 feet (634m) over Tokyo’s skyline, the Tokyo Skytree is the tallest structure in Japan. First opened in 2012, the tower was also the tallest structure in the world at the time of its construction. Its height “634” can be read as “Musashi” in Japanese, which is a nod to the Musashi Province, the historic name of the large region that encompassed Saitama, Kanagawa and part of Tokyo.
Inside, the tower features two observation decks that offer spectacular views across Tokyo. You can walk from the deck on floor 445 along a sloped galleria to floor 450, heading up to its highest viewing spot, Sorakara Point, which sits at 1,480 feet (451.2m). It's one of the highest in the world. On floors 340 and 350, you’ll find the Skytree Cafe while on floor 345 Sky Restaurant 634 serves up delicious cuisine inspired by the flavours of old Tokyo with impressive views. On the same floor, there is a red post box where visitors can send letters or postcards to commemorate their time in the impressive TV tower.
One of Canada’s most famous landmarks, the CN Tower has been towering over Toronto for more than 40 years. Completed in 1976, the tower is 1,815 feet (553.3m) in height, making it the tallest in the Western Hemisphere. Copper strips run through the length of it so that when the tower is struck by lightning, the charge is dispersed safely into the ground. A good thing too, as the tower gets struck by lightning 75 times per year on average.
One of the tower’s many popular attractions is the SkyPod, which at 1,465 feet (447m) is one of the tallest observation decks in the world. There's also the EdgeWalk which is the world’s highest attraction of its kind, where visitors can walk hands-free on a ledge that circles the top of the tower’s main pod. Home to the world's highest wine cellar, 360 The Restaurant also offers top-notch Canadian cuisine which guests can tuck into while rotating to get 360° city views. The Main Observation Level, meanwhile, features a glass floor, with knee-trembling views straight down to the streets below.
Looming 1,207 feet (368m) above Berlin, this TV tower is the tallest structure in Germany. Located on Alexanderplatz, in what was formerly East Berlin, the Berlin TV Tower was completed in 1969. As well as being built for TV broadcasting, the tower's imposing size and design were meant to assert the communist system’s superiority and show that the German Democratic Republic was building a better future. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the tower has become a much-loved landmark on Berlin’s reunified skyline.
Berlin’s most prominent monument is now a must-visit attraction in the German capital, welcoming more than one million visitors each year. At around 666 feet (203m) high, the tower’s viewing deck offers panoramic views across the city and surrounds – steady any nerves at Bar 203. Just above, the revolving Sphere Restaurant sits at 679 feet (207m) above the city. It does a full circle every hour, giving diners plenty of time to drink in the lovely views.
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It’s hard to imagine Seattle without the Space Needle soaring 605 feet (184.4m) above its skyline. The shiny beacon was built for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition, a space age-themed world’s fair, with its futuristic design symbolic of humanity’s space exploration goals. Today, the structure continues to represent the city’s innovative and forward-thinking spirit and is one of the most photographed structures in the world.
Its viewing platform is spread across two floors: the lower one is home to the Loupe Lounge, which has the world’s first and only rotating glass floor, while the upper level has floor-to-ceiling glass windows, providing breathtaking views across the city (pictured here) as well as an outdoor deck and glass benches. The Atmos Café and the Atmos Wine Bar can be found on the upper observation level.
Rising high above New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland, the Sky Tower is an urban adventure and dining hotspot. Completed in 1997, the 1,076-foot-high (328m) structure was built as part of the Sky City entertainment complex which includes hotels, restaurants and a casino. Made using a high-strength concrete, the tower was designed to remain resistant to storms and gusting winds of up to 125 miles per hour (200km/h). It does, however, sway at the top during high winds.
Visitors can experience the Sky Tower’s 360° views, which stretch up to 50 miles (80km) in every direction across the city and beyond, in a variety of ways. As well as the main (and comparatively tame) observation decks, there is the SkyJump. Essentially a base jump by wire, visitors can leap off the tower and fall around 630 feet (192m) below. If that’s a leap too far, how about the SkyWalk? Attached by harness, you can walk along the edge of the tower’s pergola on a four-foot (1.2m) wide platform.
Situated on the banks of the Pearl River in the southern city of Guangzhou, Canton Tower is the tallest tower in China at 1,968 feet (600m) high. First opened in 2010, it was built for both TV broadcasting and recreational use and was at one point the tallest tower on the planet. Its striking modern design features a spiral lattice exterior frame, with its unusual shape apparently inspired by a slim woman twisting her waist to look behind. The shapely structure is now a landmark, drawing tourists to marvel at its views.
Canton Tower's notable attractions include Sky Drop, a 98-foot (30m) freefall, which starts at 1,561 feet (485m) and holds the Guinness World Record for being the highest thrill ride. The Bubble Tram (pictured here) is another highlight, where passengers can get sweeping panoramas from 16 spherical cabins that spin around the main body of the tower. There are also two viewing decks and the Spiral Walk, one of the world's longest spiral staircases, which features a transparent floor and offers views of Guangzhou in all directions.
Located right at the tip of Shanghai's financial district, overlooking the Huangpu River, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower has been a prominent landmark on the city's thrusting skyline since it was completed in 1994. With a design featuring 11 steel spheres (or pearls) in various sizes and supported by three large columns, the tower looks like a rocket straight out of a sci-fi film. Reaching a height of 1,535 feet (468m), it was the tallest structure in China before it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Centre in 2007. It remains one of the tallest TV towers in the world.
The tower consists of three main sightseeing spheres, which allow visitors to enjoy beautiful views of Shanghai at different levels. At 1,148 feet (350m), the highest sphere is known as the Space Module and offers a dizzying bird’s eye view of the city. It has a transparent sky walking experience and virtual reality roller coaster where you can whiz over the city, while the lower sphere features a revolving restaurant at its top level. The tower is also home to the Shanghai History Museum.
The tallest telecommunication tower in southeast Asia, the KL Tower rises out of the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in Malaysia’s capital. Constructed between 1991 and 1994, the structure, also known as the Menara Kuala Lumpur, replaced a steel tower which was too small to meet the city’s rapidly increasing communication network needs. At a height of 1,381 feet (421m), it’s now a prominent city landmark and has won various awards for sustainability, staffing and tourism. It's also a centre for urban base jumping.
The tower goes way beyond being merely functional: the bulb shape at the top contains a revolving restaurant, an indoor observation deck that sits at just over 905 feet (276m) above ground and the open-air Sky Deck at 984 feet (300m) too. Step into the Sky Box, if you dare. Thanks to its hilltop location, the views across Kuala Lumpur are even more elevated. There are plenty of other attractions lower down the tower too, including an aquarium, mini zoo and upside down house.
Located in the New Reclamation Area of Macau West Bay, this pretty tower is one of the most famous landmarks in the city. The tower was dreamed up in the 1990s after Macau businessman Dr Stanley Ho Hung-Sung visited Auckland’s Sky Tower. He was so impressed with it that he decided to build a similar tower in Macau. At around 1,109 feet (338m) tall, Macau Tower now welcomes more than one million visitors each year.
The tower is a mecca for thrill-seekers, offering a plethora of high-octane activities from climbing to bungee jumping. It has the highest commercial bungee jump (from a building) in the world at a jaw-dropping 764 feet (233m) above ground and a sky walk around the outer rim of its deck. Or you could climb to the top of its antennae mast. Alongside all these adventurous activities, the tower features a standard observation deck where you can gaze at serene views of the entire Macau Peninsula and across to China.
Rising over Sydney’s Central Business District, the Sydney Tower has been an integral part of the city’s famous skyline since it opened to the public in 1981. It’s 1,014 feet (309m) tall and is considered one of the safest buildings in the world, with its striking design capable of withstanding earthquakes and extreme weather conditions.
At its base, the tower is home to a Westfield shopping mall, but it’s the Sydney Tower Eye that is the main attraction. Soaring around 820 feet (250m) above Sydney’s streets here visitors can gaze across views of the harbour city and beyond. The SKYWALK sees daredevils step onto the outdoor deck to feel as if they’re walking on air at 879 feet (268m) while having a guided tour of Sydney’s landmarks. It’s the highest outdoor viewpoint in the city. Calm down with a cocktail at the city’s highest bar on level 83 – Bar 83.
One of Britain’s best-loved landmarks, Blackpool’s historic tower has dominated the seaside town’s seafront for more than 150 years. Drawing inspiration from the Eiffel Tower, the structure was built by architects James Maxwell and Charles Tuke and first opened to the public in 1894. Over the years, the tower has become a symbol of the seaside resort and one of England's most iconic attractions, especially when it’s illuminated at night. At 518 feet and 9 inches tall (158m), it can be seen as far away as the Lake District and Wales.
The Blackpool Tower is best known for its ornate ballroom, famed for its stunning 19th-century architecture and sprung dancefloor, which hosts plenty of events including BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. It’s also home to the Blackpool Tower Circus. But for views, it has to be a trip up to the Blackpool Tower Eye, right at the top of the structure. The viewing area has incredible views of Blackpool, the Irish Sea and the sweep of the Fylde Coast from 380 feet (120m) up. Step onto its infamous ‘walk of faith’ glass floor if you dare.
It might not have the same status as the Pyramids of Giza, but the Cairo Tower has been a prominent feature on the skyline of Egypt’s capital since it was completed in 1961. Designed by Egyptian architect Naoum Chebib, its latticed concrete tower opens at the top in a design that resembles a stylised lotus plant. It was conceived as a symbol of modern Egypt. At 613 feet (187m) in height, the tower is the tallest structure in north Africa and has top views.
From its observation deck, visitors can see amazing views of the Nile, the sprawling city and beyond, including the Saladin Citadel, Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara. As the city can get smoggy, the tourist authority recommends time your visit for late morning or late afternoon for the clearest views. The aptly named Revolving Restaurant is the place for an Egyptian feast with unbeatable views. In the evening though, it's best to get to ground level to admire the tower from afar as it's illuminated by colour-changing LED lights.
Overlooking the mesmerising Niagara Falls, the views from Skylon Tower are truly thrilling. The tower was officially opened on 6 October 1965 by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Ontario Premier John Robarts. Rising 755 feet (120m) above the base of Niagara Falls, the tower is now a landmark in its own right with its observation decks, restaurants and tourist attractions drawing visitors from near and far.
Skylon Tower is home to two observation decks, one indoor and one outdoor, which are accessed by its signature Yellow Bug elevators. Views overlook both the American and Horseshoe Falls as well as the wider waterfall area and gorge. You can also drink in views of the city and the Niagara region's wine-growing area. Go at night to see the falls illuminated. The tower's Revolving Dining Room serves up tasty treats with epic views – it does a full rotation every hour.
Commonly known as Namsan Tower, the N Seoul Tower sits at the top of Namsan Mountain surrounded by parkland in the geographical centre of Seoul. Built in 1969, it was South Korea’s first general radio wave tower, providing TV and radio broadcasting across the city. Rising 777 feet (236.7m) from its base, the N Seoul Tower is the highest point in Seoul and draws millions of visitors each year to see its sweeping city views.
The most scenic way to get to the tower is by cable car, which takes passengers straight up the mountain side, offering stunning views of its own across the surrounding parkland. From the tower’s observatory, visitors get a bird’s-eye view of the capital with high-powered telescopes on hand to pinpoint the sights. The tower is especially beautiful at night when it’s lit up with LED lights in a variety of colours and patterns.
Possibly the most famous tower of them all, few structures in the world are as instantly recognisable as Paris’ Eiffel Tower. Constructed between 1887 and 1889, its original 1,024-foot-high (312m) design was selected from a competition with more than 100 entries. Gustav Eiffel’s winning entry was opposed by many prominent Parisians, who worried that the structure would be an eyesore and ruin the skyline. Ironically, it’s now widely regarded as one of the prettiest man-made structures in the world.
Now reaching a height of 1,083 feet (330m) with its antennas, the tower is the number one attraction in Paris. There are numerous ways to enjoy its stunning views: its first floor has some of the prettiest, offering visitors an incredible look at the tower’s base and structure. The second floor provides sweeping vistas across Paris. But, at 905 feet (276m), the top of the tower tops them all. Accessed by glass-walled lifts, there are two levels (one open-air and one indoor) complete with historical reconstructions, panoramic maps of Paris and a beautiful Champagne bar – the very best place to toast your trip to the top.
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