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The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

High-rise Construction

The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Chicago's Willis Tower cracks the top 20 as the Middle East and China dominate the rest of the list compiled by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.


By Mike Chamernik, Associate Editor | October 8, 2015
The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Visitors step out onto the Skydeck at Chicago's Willis Tower. The building's observation deck is on the 103rd floor, which is 1,387 feet from ground level. Photo: David Fulmer/Creative Commons

With many skyscrapers across the globe jostling for the title of the world’s tallest building, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat released a report ranking the world’s highest observation decks.

The list contains 75 prominent buildings, including yet-to-be-completed towers.

Kingdom Tower, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, finished first in the rankings. The thousand-meter-tall (3,280 feet) tower is scheduled to be completed in 2018, and the observation deck will be 2,093 feet high. The deck will be 194 feet higher than No. 2 finisher Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin, China.

Buildings in China round out the top five. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa was sixth, with a height of 1,824 feet. Chicago’s Willis Tower has the United States’ tallest observation deck, finishing 17th at 1,453 feet.

“Often adding an important source of revenue for the structures that have them, observation decks also change the way people view cities, and can potentially elevate their international reputation,” said the authors of the report.

The Eiffel Tower was the oldest structure on the list. Built in 1889, the observation deck at the Paris landmark is 905 feet off of the ground, which is tied for 51st highest in the world. 

 

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