Top 10 Tallest Buildings in London
London is a city that never sleeps – which is great news for tourists and businesspeople alike! As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, London is always bustling with people and activity. That makes it the perfect city to explore on foot, thanks to its abundance of tall buildings. Here are 10 of London’s tallest buildings.
1. The Shard
The Shard is the tallest building in London, and it’s also the eleventh-tallest building in the world. It was officially opened on Feb 1st, 2013. The Shard is a supertall skyscraper, which means that it has a height greater than 1,000 feet. Supertalls are defined as buildings that rise above 309.6 meters (1,312 feet) in height. The Shard is thus two meters taller than New York’s Empire State Building and four meters taller than Chicago’s Willis Tower. What makes The Shard even more impressive is the fact that it was built without using any mechanical supports or pillars.
Instead, it features an innovative structural system that uses an artificial web of cables and rods to support its weight. This system ensures that The Shard doesn’t experience any wobbles or movements when the wind blows around it or during storms. So if you’re ever in London and want to see one of the most impressive buildings around – make sure to visit The Shard!
2. One Canada Square | London Skyscrapers
One Canada Square is the second-tallest building in London, and it’s also the eighteenth-tallest building in the world. It was officially opened in 1991. One Canada Square is a skyscraper designed by architects César Pelli and Adamson associates. The tower features a unique glass curtain wall that runs along its entire height. This wall allows people to enjoy stunning views of London from every direction – even from inside the tower!
One Canada Square has 100 floors spread out over 263 meters (864feet) of height – making it one of London’s tallest buildings by far! If you’re ever in London and want to see one of the most impressive buildings around – make sure to visit One Canada Square!
3. Heron Tower / Salesforce Tower, 110 Bishopsgate
Heron Tower is the tallest building in London and the third-tallest building in London. It was inaugurated on the year 2011 and has 108 floors spread out over 230meters (755 feet) of height. Heron Tower is also known as Salesforce Tower because it’s home to the company Salesforce – one of Silicon Valley’s most popular companies! The sheer size of Heron Tower will take your breath away – even from a distance! And if that wasn’t enough, you can also admire its beautiful glass facade from various angles thanks to its distinctive angled roof.
So if you’re ever in London and want to see one of the most impressive buildings, make sure to visit Heron Tower!
4. 122 Leadenhall Street/ Leadenhall Building
122 Leadenhall Street is the fourth-tallest building in London and the twenty-second-tallest building in the world. It was officially inaugurated in 2009 and has 101 floors spread out over 257 meters (846 feet) of height. The Leadenhall Building is a sleek skyscraper designed by architects Foster+Brown. The tower features a distinctive glass curtain wall that runs along its entire height – allowing people to enjoy stunning views of London from every direction!
122 Leadenhall Street also boasts some impressive specs: it’s among the fastest elevators in the world, and it has the world’s largest green roof! Combine all of this with its imposing stature and you’ve got one impressive building – 122 Leadenhall Street is definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in London!
5. 25 Canada Square/ Citigroup Centre
25 Canada Square is the fifth-tallest building in London and it’s also the second-tallest building in Europe. It was officially inaugurated in 2000 and has 45 floors spread out over 201 meters (656 feet) of height. The Citigroup Centre is a sleek skyscraper designed by architect Norman Foster, and its facade features a distinctive teardrop shape that reflects both its corporate namesake – Citigroup – and London’s historically significant Canary Wharf district.
25 Canada Square also boasts some impressive specs: it’s one of the fastest elevators in the world, it has an integrated escalator system, and it has the world’s largest LED lighting system! Combine all of this with its imposing stature and you’ve got one impressive building – 25 Canada Square is definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in London!
6. 8 Canada Square/ HSBC Tower
8 Canada Square is the sixth-tallest building in London and it’s also the third-tallest building in Europe. It was officially inaugurated in 2004 and has 44 floors spread out over 199.5 meters (656 feet) of height. The HSBC Tower is a sleek skyscraper designed by architect Norman Foster, and its facade features a distinctive teardrop shape that reflects both its corporate namesake – HSBC – and London’s historically significant Canary Wharf district.
8 Canada Square also boasts some impressive specs: it has an integrated escalator system, it has the world’s largest LED lighting system, and it has the world’s fastest elevators! Combine all of this with its imposing stature and you’ve got one impressive building – 8 Canada Square is definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in London!
7. The Scalpel/ 52 Lime Street
The Scalpel is a sleek skyscraper designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. 52 Lime Street is also one of the tallest buildings in London, standing at an impressive 190 meters (623 feet) of height. The Scalpel is definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the city!
8. Tower 42/ NatWest Tower
Tower 42 is a sleek skyscraper designed by architects Seifert & Partners. It’s also the eighth-tallest building in London and was officially inaugurated in 2018. The NatWest Tower has 38(+2 basement floors) spread out over 190 meters (623 feet) height, making it one of the tallest buildings in Europe!
9. St George Wharf Tower, Vauxhall Tower
St George Wharf Tower, also known as Vauxhall Tower, is a sleek skyscraper designed by Broadway Malyan. It’s the ninth-tallest building in London and it was officially inaugurated in 2008. The St George Wharf Tower has 44 floors spread out over 181 meters (594 feet) of height and its facade features a distinctive “butterfly” shape that reflects both its corporate namesake – St George Wharf Investments Group – and London’s historically significant in London.
10. 30 St. Mary Axe
St. Mary Axe, known simply as 30 St. Mary Axe, is a sleek skyscraper designed by Foster + Partners. It’s the tenth-tallest building in London and it was inaugurated on 28 April 2004. The 30 St. Mary Axe has 41 floors spread out over 180 meters (591 feet) of height and its facade features a distinctive “twisted” ribbon design that reflects its corporate namesake – Safra Group – as well as London’s historically significant financial district!
Conclusion
When it comes to making the list of tallest buildings, London is hard-pressed to beat this fan favorite. As far as we know, there are still new high rises going up in the city. So check back next time to see how they measure against each other! If you’re already familiar with these buildings, share your thoughts and experiences with us.
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