Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai (must see)
The Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai is one of the city's tallest structures, offering breathtaking views of the Huangpu River and the Bund. This architectural marvel draws inspiration from a Tang Dynasty poem by Bai Juyi, which evokes the imagery of pearls gently falling onto a jade plate.
Standing at an impressive height of 468 meters, the tower features a distinctive design comprising a series of interconnected spheres supported by slanted columns. It is set amidst a lush green lawn reminiscent of the jade plate depicted in the poem that served as its muse. These spheres house various commercial and recreational spaces. The tower is equipped with double-decker elevators capable of carrying up to fifty passengers at a swift speed of 7 meters per second.
Within the Oriental Pearl Tower, you'll find a revolving restaurant, a hotel, a shopping area, facilities for children's entertainment, as well as radio and TV stations. The observation deck is particularly notable, featuring a glass floor that allows visitors to peer down to the ground below. Additionally, it houses the Shanghai Municipal History Museum.
As an iconic symbol of modern Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl Tower holds a distinguished place among the World Federation of Great Towers due to its remarkable fusion of Chinese traditions and cutting-edge technology in its design.
Tip:
The lines to go up the tower are long. Forget going on the Chinese New Year Holiday or the first week of October – National Holiday week.
View it from the Bund which is across the river. It is most beautiful at night when the lights are on but be reminded all lights go out at 10 pm.
Standing at an impressive height of 468 meters, the tower features a distinctive design comprising a series of interconnected spheres supported by slanted columns. It is set amidst a lush green lawn reminiscent of the jade plate depicted in the poem that served as its muse. These spheres house various commercial and recreational spaces. The tower is equipped with double-decker elevators capable of carrying up to fifty passengers at a swift speed of 7 meters per second.
Within the Oriental Pearl Tower, you'll find a revolving restaurant, a hotel, a shopping area, facilities for children's entertainment, as well as radio and TV stations. The observation deck is particularly notable, featuring a glass floor that allows visitors to peer down to the ground below. Additionally, it houses the Shanghai Municipal History Museum.
As an iconic symbol of modern Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl Tower holds a distinguished place among the World Federation of Great Towers due to its remarkable fusion of Chinese traditions and cutting-edge technology in its design.
Tip:
The lines to go up the tower are long. Forget going on the Chinese New Year Holiday or the first week of October – National Holiday week.
View it from the Bund which is across the river. It is most beautiful at night when the lights are on but be reminded all lights go out at 10 pm.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Shanghai. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Oriental Pearl Tower on Map
Sight Name: Oriental Pearl Tower
Sight Location: Shanghai, China (See walking tours in Shanghai)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Shanghai, China (See walking tours in Shanghai)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Shanghai, China
Create Your Own Walk in Shanghai
Creating your own self-guided walk in Shanghai is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Shanghai Introduction Walking Tour
Perhaps more than any other Chinese city, Shanghai deserves to be called the “face of modern China.” Despite modern look, the city emerged on a map as far back as 751 AD. Shanghai County was established under the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century, although the city character, as we know it today, began to take shape in the aftermath of the first Opium War in 1842. The post-war treaty opened... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.2 Km or 3.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.2 Km or 3.9 Miles
Souvenirs Shopping Walk
Leaving Shanghai without calling local shops and procuring something truly original to bring home as a souvenir would be a pity. Indeed, souvenir shopping in Shanghai is an exciting experience.
Nanjing Road, commonly known as Nanjing Lu – Asia's longest and perhaps most famous thoroughfare – is a popular destination in Shanghai. Here, you can find a plethora of shops and boutiques... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Nanjing Road, commonly known as Nanjing Lu – Asia's longest and perhaps most famous thoroughfare – is a popular destination in Shanghai. Here, you can find a plethora of shops and boutiques... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Shanghai Old Town Walking Tour
The Old Town of Shanghai, historically the heart of the city, is a part of Shanghai's urban core. Shanghai's importance as a trade hub led to its elevation to county status in 1292. In 1554, during the Ming Dynasty, the area was surrounded by protective walls to safeguard against Japanese pirate raids and remained so until 1912, when the walls were dismantled.
During the colonial era,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
During the colonial era,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
The Bund Sightseeing Tour
The Bund is a waterfront area and a protected historical district in central Shanghai. The term "bund" was borrowed into English from Hindi and originally referred to a dyke or embankment. The Chinese name for the Bund is unrelated in origin: it literally means "outer bank", and distinguishes this part of the riverfront from the "inner bank" adjacent to the Old Town... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
15 Uniquely Chinese Things to Buy in Shanghai
Prepare a Shanghai surprise for your loved ones back home! Bring them a piece of exciting China from one of the country's most iconic destinations. Luckily, the choice of things fit to do the job is enormous. All you need is a knowledgeable advice on where to go to get a fair price and decent...