[Photo from chinadaily.com.cn]

The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a TV tower in Shanghai. Its location at the tip of Lujiazui in Pudong District, along the Huangpu River opposite of the Bund, makes it a distinct landmark in the area.

[Photo from chinadaily.com.cn]

Standing 468 metres tall, it is the tallest tower in Asia and the second tallest one in the world.

It was designed by the Shanghai Modern Architectural Design Co. Ltd. Principal designers were Jiang Huan Chen, Lin Benlin and Zhang Xiulin. Construction began in 1990 and the tower was completed in 1994. At 468 metres high, it was the tallest structure in China from 1994–2007, when it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center. It is classified as a 5A scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration. The tower is brightly lit with different LED sequences at night.

The tower features 11 spheres, big and small. The two largest spheres, along the length of the tower, have diameters of 50 metres for the lower and 45 metres for the upper. They are linked by three columns, each 9 metres in diameter. The highest sphere is 14 metres in diameter.

The designers magically set the eleven beautiful spheres of various sizes up from the green grassland to the blue sky with two giant spheres shining like two rubies. The whole design is rich in poetic and pictorial splendor, which gives tourists the impression that pearls of various sizes are dropping onto the emerald plate.

The Oriental Pearl Tower consists of three big columns, which are 9 metres in diameter, the space module, the upper sphere, the lower sphere, five small spheres, the tower base and the square. In the tower, there is a double-decked elevator that can hold fifty people at a time and two speed elevators, which can run at a speed of 7 metresper second. These two elevators are the only ones of their kind in China. The tower is equipped with three-dimensional lighting installation, which makes the whole tower very colourful and beautiful.

The sightseeing floor in the brilliant upper sphere is 263 metres high and 45 metres in diameter. It is the best place to get a bird's-eye view of Shanghai. When it is sunny, it is really relaxing and happy to take in the distant views of Sheshan and Chongming Islands and the Changjiang River. In the upper sphere, there are also the Revolving Restaurant, the Disco Hall, the Piano Bar (which are 267 metres high) and twenty KTV rooms (which are 271 metres high), The restaurant revolves around the circle once an hour.

The Space Module, which towers into the sky, has the sightseeing floor, the conference hall and coffee bar in it. They are at the height of 350 metres. They are elegant and luxurious, enjoying exceptional advantages.

The Oriental Pearl Science Fantasy World has many wonderful and exciting entertainment items for both the young and the old.

The entertainment list includes Journey through the Forest, Trip on the South Pole, Travel in Fantasy, Disney Theatre, Laser Theatre, Bliss Square, Three-Dimensional Movie and Hot Air Balloon. The Oriental Pearl Emporium Super-Store Co. Ltd. has an area of 18,000 square metres. It sells clothes, arts and crafts products, gold and silver articles, leather goods and food items. Tourists can have the fun of going shopping and tasting various foods while they are enjoying the sights.

The Oriental Pearl Tower is a multifunctional body with sightseeing, restaurant, shopping, entertainment, hotel, radio and TV transmissions. It has already become one of the symbolic buildings and tourism resorts in Shanghai and it is honoured as one of the ten best views in Shanghai. Among famous towers in the world, the Oriental Pearl Tower is the most popular one, second only to France’s Eiffel Tower in terms of the number of tourists and tourism income.

Address: No.1 Century Boulevard, Pudong District, Shanghai

Tel: 021-5879-1888