So, you’re standing on London Bridge, looking up, and you see that massive glass spike piercing the clouds. That’s the Shard. It’s been sitting there since 2012, and honestly, nothing has managed to knock it off its pedestal yet. If you're looking for the tallest building in England, this is it. It’s 309.6 meters of steel and glass, which is basically about 1,016 feet for those who still think in old-school measurements.
The Shard: What Most People Get Wrong
People often think "tallest building" means the most floors. That’s not really how it works. The Shard has 95 floors in total, but only 72 of them are actually habitable. The rest? It’s basically just a giant, hollow spire made of glass shards—hence the name. Renzo Piano, the Italian architect behind the design, wanted it to look like a "vertical city."
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Kinda poetic, right? But the reality is a bit more functional.
The bottom floors are all offices. Then you hit the Shangri-La Hotel, which is probably where you'd stay if you just won the lottery. Above that, you’ve got these insanely expensive private apartments. We’re talking £30 million to £50 million. Imagine paying that much and still having to wait for the lift.
Does it have the best view?
Actually, this is a bit of a controversial take. While the Shard is the tallest, it doesn't actually have the highest public viewing platform anymore. That title recently got snatched by 22 Bishopsgate (also known as Horizon 22).
Their platform sits at 254 meters.
The Shard’s "View from the Shard" is at 244 meters.
So, if you want to be physically higher up without being in a helicopter, you actually go to the second-tallest building in the City. Life is weird like that. However, the Shard is "supertall" (a technical term for anything over 300 meters), making it the only building in the UK to officially hit that bracket.
The Contenders: Is the Shard’s Reign Ending?
For a long time, the Shard didn’t have much competition. Before it showed up, One Canada Square in Canary Wharf was the king for 22 years. It’s that one with the pyramid roof you see in every 90s British spy movie. It stands at 235 meters, which feels tiny now that the Shard is around.
But there's a new kid on the block. Or there will be soon.
One Undershaft just got the green light. It’s planned to be exactly 309.6 meters tall. Yes, exactly the same height as the Shard. Why? Because the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) basically told developers, "If you go any higher, you’re going to hit a plane." There is a hard cap on how high you can build in London.
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- 22 Bishopsgate: 278 meters (The current runner-up)
- One Canada Square: 235 meters (The former champ)
- Landmark Pinnacle: 233 meters (Mostly residential)
It’s worth noting that Manchester is currently having a massive growth spurt. For the longest time, London had a monopoly on heights. Now, the Deansgate Square South Tower in Manchester has broken the 200-meter mark (it’s 201 meters). There’s even talk of a 78-storey tower at Regent Retail Park in Salford that could hit 272 meters.
A Vertical City or Just a Big Mirror?
The Shard isn't just a trophy. It’s a beast of engineering. They used a "top-down" construction method, which was a first for the UK. They actually built the first few stories of the core while they were still digging the basement. It saved months of time.
The glass—all 11,000 panes of it—is "low-iron" glass. That means it doesn't have that murky green tint you see on old windows. It’s crystal clear. On a sunny day, the building basically disappears into the sky. On a gray London day? It looks like a jagged ice sculpture.
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Why does height even matter?
Honestly, it’s mostly about prestige and land value. In London, you can't build out, so you build up. But there's a lot of pushback. Organizations like Historic England often argue that these "glass giants" ruin the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are actually protected "viewing corridors" where you aren't allowed to build anything that blocks the sightline of the cathedral from certain hills around London. That’s why some buildings in the City have such weird, slanted shapes—like the "Cheesegrater" (122 Leadenhall Street). They're literally leaning back to stay out of the way of the history.
What You Should Actually Do
If you're planning a visit, don't just book the first ticket you see.
- Check the weather. If it’s foggy, you’ve just paid £30 to look at a white wall.
- Try the restaurants. Sometimes, booking a table at Oblix or Aqua Shard is better than buying a ticket to the observation deck. You get a drink, some food, and the same view.
- Visit Horizon 22 instead? It’s free. Yes, the highest view in London is currently free, though you have to book weeks in advance.
The Shard remains the tallest building in England for now, but the skyline is changing faster than ever. By 2030, the "City" cluster will look completely different, with One Undershaft standing side-by-side with our favorite glass spike.
To get the most out of the London skyline right now, start your walk at the South Bank. Cross London Bridge toward the City. You’ll get the best angle of the Shard’s scale from there. If you want to see the future of English skyscrapers, hop on a train to Manchester and check out the Deansgate district—it’s the only place outside London where the horizon is actually moving upward.