China: Shanghai – Oriental Pearl Tower

Before the three slender supertall skyscrapers were built in Pudong, there was the Oriental Pearl Tower which truly became the symbol of Shanghai, designed and built by Chinese through and through. At the height of 468m/1535 feet, it was the highest building in China from 1994 to 2007. The tower has 11 bubbles – from small to giant – all with observation levels. It is beautifully lit at night with pulsating lights. Unfortunately, the lines to get inside are seriously insane, over 2.5 hours wait time, day and night.