Jurassic Skyline facts for kids
The Jurassic Skyline tower was a tall observation tower located on Weymouth Pier in Weymouth, Dorset, England. It was also known as the Weymouth Sea Life Tower until 2015. From the tower, you could see amazing views of Weymouth town, the beach, the harbour, and the English Channel. It opened on June 22, 2012.
The tower was about 53 meters (174 feet) tall. It had a special glass cabin, called a gondola, that could hold 69 people. This cabin slowly spun around 360 degrees as it went up, giving everyone a great view. Each trip lasted about 15 minutes. On a clear day, you could even see famous places like Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door along the Dorset coast.
In September 2017, the tower made news when its cabin got stuck. Thirteen people had to be rescued by a helicopter because of bad weather. The tower was later announced to be permanently closed in August 2019 and was taken down.
Building the Tower
The Jurassic Skyline tower was planned as a temporary attraction for tourists. It took eight months to build and cost about £3.5 million. The tower was designed in Germany and then built in Hungary and France. After that, it was shipped in pieces to Weymouth to be put together.
Work started in October 2011 with digging deep foundations, about 18 meters (59 feet) down. The building at ground level, where visitors entered, was finished in June 2012. This was just in time for the Olympic events happening in Weymouth that year. Weymouth was chosen for the tower because of its beautiful views.
The tower was owned by Merlin Entertainments, a company that runs many attractions worldwide. They also own the nearby Sea Life Park. The tower was finished ahead of schedule. Important guests, including the local mayor, got to try out the tower before it opened to the public.
Tower's Final Years
The tower was first given permission to operate for five years. This permission was extended for another five years in 2017. However, on September 5, 2017, 13 people got stuck in the tower's cabin. They were safely rescued by a coastguard helicopter. After an investigation, the tower reopened on October 22.
The tower usually closed for the winter. But in April 2019, it did not reopen for the busy summer season. On August 2, 2019, Merlin Entertainments announced that the tower was closed for good. This was because fewer people were visiting it. The tower was then sold to another company and taken apart.
