The Shard

architecture · London · skyscraper · record-breaker

Pyramid shaped tower. The Shard looks like a giant glass pyramid reaching 309.6 metres into the sky. Its unique shape makes it one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.

Tallest in the UK. Standing at nearly 310 meters high, The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and all of Western Europe. It's so tall that planes have to be careful flying near it.

Italian architect designed it. A famous Italian architect named Renzo Piano designed The Shard with its distinctive pyramid shape. His bold design made it stand out from all other office buildings.

95 floors of everything. The Shard has 95 stories packed with offices, apartments, restaurants, and a hotel all stacked on top of each other. There's even an observation deck where you can see across London.

Built on old ground. The Shard was constructed on the spot where an older 24-story office building called Southwark Towers once stood. They replaced the old building with this spectacular new landmark in 2012.