Modern China is growing and developing at a rapid pace. This is especially true of the city of Shanghai, in connection with which it is often called the Paris of the East. Over the past few decades, it has acquired the status of a major financial and economic center not only in China, but throughout the world. In one of its business districts, dozens of modern skyscrapers with offices and banks have grown like mushrooms after rain, each of which can be safely called a real architectural masterpiece. Be that as it may, one building that has become a local symbol stands out against their background - the Shanghai television tower, known as the "Oriental Pearl". Among all other similar buildings in Asia, it has the highest height.
General Description
The construction of the facility, designed by Chinese engineer Jia Huangchen, lasted four years. The Shanghai Tower is located in the heart of the business district, on the east bank of Huangpu and is surrounded by bridges. Their silhouettes are somewhat reminiscent of gigantic reptiles. The building was commissioned in 1995year. Its highest point is at around 468 meters, and the estimated weight is 120 thousand tons.
Be that as it may, it is not so much the dimensions of the building that amaze the imagination, but its architectural design, which is not repeated anywhere else on the planet. The exterior of the skyscraper blends traditional Chinese concepts with modern technology. At its base are reinforced concrete cylinders, the diameter of which is nine meters. Eleven huge spheres, which are meant as pearls, seem to be strung on the tower. The three largest balls among them have a functional purpose.
Building
The lowest floor of the skyscraper is dedicated to the Shanghai History Museum. Its amazing interior and wax figures located inside very clearly and vividly reflect the life of local people. Genre episodes from real life are recreated with emeralds, agates, pearls, jade and jasper on a huge screen made of natural stone.
In each of the spheres, which are one of the main structural elements, there are galleries and shops. At the lowest among them, there is Space City, an entertainment center where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of science fiction and appreciate what advanced technological successes modern China has achieved. The middle part of the building is allocated for a business hotel complex, which includes conference rooms and 25 rooms. Above the second sphere is the restaurant "Pearl of the East", which is the highest in terms of location.institution of its kind in Asia. Another feature of it is that it rotates around its own axis (one revolution per hour). The third sphere is set at a height of 267 meters. It is mainly used as an observation deck. Along with this, there is a concert hall, a club and shops.
Functional Purpose
Like other television towers in the world, the Oriental Pearl must first of all provide television and radio broadcasting. She copes with this task flawlessly. It currently broadcasts programs from nine TV channels and ten radio stations. The signal propagation radius is approximately 44 miles.
Immediately after its construction, the tower became the main symbol of the city. In this regard, it is not surprising that the skyscraper is of great tourist importance, which attracts an average of 2.8 million travelers annually. Optimal conditions have been created for visitors inside: there is a museum, shops, souvenir shops, restaurants and other establishments that allow you to have a great time.
The highest observation deck
As noted above, the Shanghai Tower has several viewing platforms. The highest of them is at around 360 meters. Unforgettable impressions can be obtained even from the very process of lifting. Only three elevators out of six functioning rise here. Two of them are capable of simultaneously transporting no more than 30 people. The speed of their movement is 7 m / s. The last of the elevators, called the space module,is two-storied and develops 4 m/s. Its two decks can accommodate 50 passengers in total.
From the highest point offers a unique, bewitching view of the city of Shanghai. According to the reviews of tourists, the metropolis looks much more beautiful in the evening. Along with this, one cannot fail to note the fact that in cloudless and clear weather, you can clearly see the Yangtze River.
Interesting facts
The cost of the entrance ticket, which gives the right to visit all observation decks on the tower, is 200 yuan.
When visiting the building, it is forbidden to carry not only piercing and cutting objects, but also water and lighters.
Initially, the Shanghai Tower was supposed to be done in pale green. Later, the designers rejected this idea due to the fact that the city itself is bright and dynamic. In other words, the building would look dull and would be lost in its background.
Depending on the time of day, the color of the building can change from light pink to pearly, and at night its backlight turns on.
All six elevators are accompanied by flight attendants.
When riding an elevator, you can just look at the ceiling. There is a monitor broadcasting a video about the rise to a height.
