Oriental Pearl Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower
东方明珠广播电视塔
The Oriental Pearl Tower in December 2014
General information
Type	Communication, hotel, observation, restaurant
Location	Shanghai
Coordinates	Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Construction started	July 30, 1991 (1991-07-30)
Completed	1994
Opened	1995
Height
Antenna spire	468 m (1,535 ft)
Top floor	351 m (1,152 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	Equivalent of a 103 story building
Lifts/elevators	6
Design and construction
Architect	Shanghai Modern Architectural Design Co. Ltd.
Developer	Shanghai Oriental Group Co. Ltd.

The Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower is a famous TV tower in Shanghai, China. It stands tall at the tip of Lujiazui in the Pudong New Area, right by the Huangpu River. Across the river, you can see The Bund, making the tower a very special landmark.

The main designers were Jiang Huan Chen, Lin Benlin, and Zhang Xiulin. Building the tower started on July 30, 1991. It was finished on October 1, 1994, and opened to the public on May 1, 1995.

History of the Oriental Pearl Tower
Observation Levels and Fun Facts
Gallery
See also

History of the Oriental Pearl Tower

How the Tower Was Planned

The idea for a new TV tower first came up on August 25, 1983. The old TV tower was too busy, so a new one was needed. By November 17, people were thinking about building a tower around 400 metres (1,300 ft) tall in the Lujiazui area.

On March 25, 1984, the plan to build the new TV tower was officially announced. It was approved later that year. After looking at many places, the perfect spot was chosen. It was between Lujiazui and Pudong Park. This spot was picked so it would look good with the Bund across the Huangpu River.

In October 1986, the plan was sent to the National Planning Commission. The tower was first planned to be 450 metres (1,480 ft) high. This plan was approved in January 1987.

In May 1988, three top design companies in China were asked to create designs for the tower. By September 1988, 12 different designs were submitted. The "Oriental Pearl" design was chosen. This design came from the East China Architectural Design Institute.

The designers wanted the tower to show Chinese culture. They connected 15 spheres of different sizes with pillars. This design was inspired by an old Chinese poem. The poem talks about "big and small pearls falling on a jade plate." This idea helped show the beauty of Shanghai and its culture.

Building the Oriental Pearl Tower

Construction of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower began on July 30, 1991. The foundation was officially laid on this day.

On December 14, 1993, the main structure, which was 350 metres (1,100 ft) tall (without the antenna), was completed. This was done very quickly, 105 days ahead of schedule. On May 1, 1994, a huge steel antenna was put into place. It was 110 metres (360 ft) long and weighed 450 metric tons (500 short tons). This was the first time such an antenna was installed in the world.

On October 1, 1994, the tower was officially finished. The ground floor lobby was decorated. The sightseeing areas and main lights started working.

The Tower in the 1990s

On May 1, 1995, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower officially opened to the public. A special ceremony was held. It started broadcasting 5 TV channels and 5 FM radio stations.

In 1995, 15 leaders from other countries visited the tower. By the end of that year, the tower was named one of the Top Ten New Landscapes in Shanghai.

In 1996, even more important visitors came. Thirty-five foreign leaders and 30 groups of government officials visited the tower.

In 1999, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower won important awards. It received the first prize of the Shanghai Excellence of Design Award. It also won the China Civil Engineering Zhan Tianyou Award.

The Tower in the 21st Century

In May 2001, a special museum opened at the tower's ground level. It is called the Shanghai Urban History Development Exhibition Hall. It shows how Shanghai has grown over time.

In 2004, the tower's lighting system was updated. Old lights were replaced with energy-saving LED lights. This helped save electricity.

On May 8, 2007, the tower was recognized as a National AAAAA-level Tourist Attraction. This means it is one of the best tourist spots in China.

On January 6, 2020, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower was named one of the Top Ten New Landmarks in Shanghai. This was decided by the China Architectural Culture Research Association.

Observation Levels and Fun Facts

The Oriental Pearl Tower has fifteen levels where visitors can look out. The highest one is called the Space Module. It is at 351 metres (1,150 ft) high.

Lower observation levels are at 263 metres (863 ft) (the Sightseeing Floor) and 90 metres (300 ft) (Space City). There is also a revolving restaurant at 267 metres (876 ft). This restaurant slowly spins, giving you amazing views while you eat.

The tower also has places for exhibitions and a small shopping center. There is even a 20-room hotel called the Space Hotel. It is located between the two large spheres of the tower. One of the coolest parts is the upper observation platform. It has an outside area with a glass floor that is 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) thick. You can look straight down!