Observation deck

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An observation deck is a platform situated upon a tall architectural structure or natural feature. The decks are usually fitted with railings, and to avoid accidents or suicides, the railings are often high or supplemented with a wire fence. Observation decks can be located in both indoor and outdoor settings. For photography, open observation decks are often preferred, as reflections on glass can occur with flash photography. Closed observation decks, meanwhile, have the advantage of protecting viewers from windy or stormy weather. Many observation decks are equipped with coin operated telescopes, which often offer a superior view of distant features.

1 List of observation decks by height
2 Timeline of world's highest observation deck
3 See also
4 References

[edit] List of observation decks by height

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This list contains the highest-elevated observation decks that are accessible to the public. It includes carriageways of bridges and tops of dams. Observation decks situated on natural features, such as mountains, are excluded from the list.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Name	Built	Type	Country	Municipality	Deck height	Total height	Notes
CN Tower	1976	Concrete tower	Canada	Toronto	446.5 m^[1]	553.3 m	147th floor, world's highest observation deck
Sears Tower	1974	Skyscraper	United States	Chicago	412.4 m^[2]	442.3 m	103rd floor, world's highest observation deck in a skyscraper
Taipei 101	2004	Skyscraper	Taiwan	Taipei	391.8 m^[3]	509.2 m	91st floor, world's highest outdoor observation deck
Empire State Building	1931	Skyscraper	United States	New York City	369 m^[4]	381 m	102nd floor; second, lower observation deck found on the 86th floor, at 320 m
Oriental Pearl Tower	1994	Concrete tower	People's Republic of China	Shanghai	350 m	467.9 m	14th floor
Jin Mao Tower	1998	Skyscraper	People's Republic of China	Shanghai	340.1 m	420.5 m
Ostankino Tower	1967	Concrete Tower	Russia	Moscow	337 m	540.1 m	Closed at present time
John Hancock Center	1969	Skyscraper	United States	Chicago	313.8 m	343.5 m
Grande Dixence Dam	1961	Dam	Switzerland	Hérémence	285 m	285 m
Eiffel Tower	1889	Steel and truss tower	France	Paris	276.1 m	324 m	3rd floor
Menara Kuala Lumpur	1996	Concrete tower	Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	276 m	421 m
Columbia Center	1985	Skyscraper	United States	Seattle	275 m	284 m	73rd floor
Yokohama Landmark Tower	1985	Skyscraper	Japan	Yokohama	273 m	296 m	69th floor
Millau Viaduct	2004	Bridge	France	Millau	270 m	343 m
JPMorgan Chase Tower	1982	Skyscraper	United States	Houston	268.2 m	305.4 m	60th floor
Stratosphere Tower	1996	Concrete tower	United States	Las Vegas	266 m^[5]	350.2 m	9th floor
Vajont Dam	1961	Dam	Italy	Erto e Casso	261.6 m	261.6 m	The dam has not been used since a rockfall caused the water to overtop on October 9, 1963
GE Building	1933	Skyscraper	United States	New York City	259.1 m^[6]	259.1 m	70th floor, known as "Top of the Rock"
Tianjin Radio and Television Tower	1991	Concrete tower	People's Republic of China	Tianjin	253 m	415.2 m
Lac de Mauvoisin Dam	1957	Dam	Switzerland	Fionnay	250 m	250 m	Height was increased by 13 m in 1991
Tokyo Tower	1958	Steel and truss Tower	Japan	Tokyo	249.9 m	332.6 m	6th floor
Central Radio and TV Tower	1992	Concrete tower	People's Republic of China	Beijing	238 m	386.5 m
Europaturm	1979	Concrete tower	Germany	Frankfurt	227 m	337.5 m	Closed at present time
Luzzone Dam	1963	Dam	Switzerland	Olivone	225 m	225 m	Height increased by 17 m in 1998
Verzasca Dam	1965	Dam	Switzerland	Ticino	220 m	220 m
Mratinje Dam	1975	Dam	Montenegro	Mratinje	220 m	220 m
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel	1973	Skyscraper	United States	Atlanta	220 m^[7]	220 m	73rd floor
Prudential Tower	1964	Skyscraper	United States	Boston	213 m^[8]	228 m	50th floor, known as "Prudential Skywalk"
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center	1977	Skyscraper	United States	Detroit	212.3 m^[9]	221.5 m	70th floor
Tour Montparnasse	1972	Skyscraper	France	Paris	209 m	209 m
Fernsehturm Berlin	1969	Concrete Tower	Germany	Berlin	207 m	368 m
Almendra Dam	1970	Dam	Spain	Almendra	202 m	202 m
Kölnbrein Dam	1979	Dam	Austria	Malta	200 m	200 m
Maintower	1999	Skyscraper	Germany	Frankfurt	200 m	240 m
La Tour du Stade Olympique	1987	Concrete tower	Canada	Montreal	175 m	175 m
Reunion Tower	1978	Concrete Tower	United States	Dallas	170.7 m	170.7 m
Space Needle	1962	Steel Tower	United States	Seattle	158.5 m^[10]	184.4 m
Calgary Tower	1968	Concrete Tower	Canada	Calgary	157.5 m	190.8 m
Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas	1999	Steel tower	United States	Paradise	140.2 m^[11]	164.6 m
Custom House Tower	1915	Skyscraper	United States	Boston	136 m	151 m	26th floor
Edifice Marie-Guyart	1972	Skyscraper	Canada	Quebec City	126.5 m	126.5 m	31st floor
Smith Tower	1914	Skyscraper	United States	Seattle	122 m	141 m	35th floor

World's highest observation deck is situated on CN Tower, Toronto, Canada at a height of 446.5 metres.
World's highest outdoor observation deck is situated on Taipei 101, Taipei, Republic of China at a height of 391.8 metres.

[edit] Timeline of world's highest observation deck

This is a timeline of the development of world's highest observation deck since inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The list excludes observation decks on natural features, dams, and bridges.

Held record		Name and Location	Constructed	Height of highest observation deck (m)	Height of highest observation deck (ft)	Notes
From	To	Name and Location	Constructed	Height of highest observation deck (m)	Height of highest observation deck (ft)	Notes
1889	1931	Eiffel Tower, Paris, France	1889	275	902	Two further observation decks 57 and 115 metres above ground.
1931	1973	Empire State Building, New York City, USA	1931	369^[12]	1211	A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 metres above ground.
1973	1976	World Trade Center, New York City, USA	1973	420	1378	Destroyed on September 11th, 2001
1976		CN Tower, Toronto, Canada	1976	446.5	1398	Two further observation decks 342 and 346 metres above ground.