The Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower, often abbreviated to the Oriental Pearl Tower, is a tall TV tower situated in the Chinese city of Shanghai. The tower is located in Shanghai’s Pudong District, near the Huangpu River. Construction on the tower began in 1990 and was completed four years later in 1994. With a height of over four hundred metres, it was the tallest structure in China at the time of construction, a title the structure would retain until 2007 when the Shanghai World Financial Centre was built. It is currently the third tallest radio and TV tower in the world.
The tower is one of the discerning features of the Shanghai skyline. Its design is reminiscent of a poem by Bai Juyi called Pipa Song that was written during the Tang Dynasty. The Oriental Pearl Tower consists of three decorative orbs, which get progressively smaller, stacked on top of each other. The lowermost orb is supported by several slanted columns. When viewed from far it looks like several pearls strung together. At night the tower is lit up in various ways thanks to LED lights.
The tower consists of fourteen floors and has five observation decks. Each deck offers breathtaking panoramic views of Shanghai. The topmost pearl contains shops and a revolving restaurant. The Shanghai Municipal History Museum and an elaborate space city can also be found inside the building. One has purchase tickets to enter the Oriental Tower and prices depend on how far up one wants to go. Tourists can top off a visit to the TV tower by taking a relaxing cruise down the Huangpu River.
Shanghai is the biggest city in China and has become one of the most popular tourist destinations inside the country over the past few years. The city boasts excellent public transport infrastructure and it is quite easy to find lodgings to suit different budgets. Tourists looking for a good Shanghai city hotel can try the Millennium Honggiao Hotel Shanghai. The Shanghai hotel is centrally located and is the ideal place to stay for both business and leisure travellers.
