Top 5 Most Incredible Skyscrapers in Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the world’s most developed cities. For many people, the vision of Shanghai is a modern skyline of some of the world’s most amazing skyscrapers Well, that famous skyline is the Lujiazui Financial District, and it is renowned for much of the modern architecture and huge skyscrapers in Shanghai.

Skyscrapers in Shanghai, a skyline view along the Pearl River — *Shanghai Pudong skyline view of the Lujiazui Financial District at night*

The Lujiazui Financial District in the Pudong area of Shanghai is where you will find huge architectural projects like the Shanghai Tower and the iconic TV tower. Massive architectural structures and contemporary skyscrapers show that Shanghai is a metropolis like no other. If you’re a fan of architecture and want to view some of the most amazing skyscrapers in Shanghai then the Lujiazui Financial District must be your top destination!

Pudong New Area

The Pudong New Area is a side of Shanghai that is underrated. The area is responsible for Shanghai’s exponential economic growth. Pudong is renowned for its infrastructure like the Pudong International airport. The area also hosts Shanghai’s most important skyscrapers along with countless shopping malls and residential buildings.

Pudong’s significance is often understated and some see it as the boring business side of Shanghai, but without Pudong, the city would not be the same. It would surely not be the megacity it is today and wouldn’t have seen the same exponential economic growth.

View of the Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower in Pudong New Area — *The Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower in the Pudong New Area, Lujiazui Financial District*

The history of old Shanghai is situated on the Puxi side and the modern infrastructure and epic skyscrapers in Shanghai are located on the Pudong side. This is kind of like a Ying and Yang type system within Shanghai dividing the old and new of the city with the Pearl River in the middle.

Lujiazui Financial District

The Lujiazui Financial District is the modern financial hub of Shanghai. The financial district is located in the Pudong New area and is home to the city’s most famous skyscrapers such as the Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai Tower, and the Oriental Pearl Tower. These are but a few of Shanghai’s modern marvels, and all throughout the Lujiazui Financial district you will find amazing architecture.

The skyscrapers in Shanghai are unique to the city and express that futuristic China vibe the most. Sure, many countries have skyscrapers but China is in a league of its own with its giant towers. The sheer number of these skyscrapers concentrated in one area means the Lujiazui Financial District is something special.

Oriental Pearl Tower

The most famous skyscraper in Shanghai sits along the waterfront of the Pearl River, hence the name Oriental Pearl Tower. The TV Tower is 1536ft tall and stands out amongst many of the tall skyscrapers in Shanghai and the busy skyline. The tower is actually the third tallest structure in Shanghai. Although the needle makes up a large portion of the top of the tower, so it usually shows up as the third tallest on many lists. The tower was built in 1994 and even though this is one of the city’s oldest skyscrapers it refuses to blend into its nearby competition.

The Oriental Pearl Tower has several types of tickets if you are interested in visiting. Visitors have options like the Transparent Sky walking observation deck at 850ft or the Revolving Restaurant at 876ft. Each observation deck has a different theme with ticket pricing according to which one you choose to visit. The Revolving Restaurant has a particularly good reputation amongst locals and tourists alike and although I haven’t eaten there personally, I have heard that this is a really cool experience.

IFC Mall

IFC Malls are quite common in Asian Financial districts, and you will find them in various locations, including Hong Kong and Seoul. These are all luxury malls with high-fashion clothing stores and plenty of restaurants and shops. Shanghai’s IFC Mall is special though, and its incredible architecture reflects that.

The mall sits below two huge skyscrapers on either side. The IFC mall’s area is spread across six stories with an astonishing floor space of over 110,000 square meters. The IFC buildings host offices for some of the major banks and luxury residences located within the towers. This complex has the financial superiority of Shanghai on full display and it is not a sight to be missed.

Jin Mao Tower

The Jin Mao Tower peaks at 1380ft making it the third tallest skyscraper in Shanghai. This tower is in my opinion the coolest out of all the skyscrapers in Shanghai and takes first place in terms of how aesthetically unique it is. The Jin Mao Tower has a tough and shiny façade, which vaguely resembles blocks of silver, especially at night when it has a silvery glistening appearance in the night sky. It reminds me of Taipei 101 but a slightly tougher more shiny version.

The Jin Mao tower stands out amongst stiff competition however as the building looks luxurious, modern, and strong. This skyscraper looks like something important is kept there. The kind of tower you would imagine in an action movie! To go with that theme, the tower offers one of Shanghai’s craziest experiences, the 88th floor skywalk. This is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The tower’s interior offers a mix of entertainment facilities, and offices and even hosts The Grand Hyatt, one of Shanghai’s best luxury hotels. This is by far one of the coolest most memorable skyscrapers I’ve seen in all my travels and I found myself staring at its incredible architecture a lot during my time in Shanghai.

Shanghai World Financial Center

The Shanghai World Financial Center is the second-tallest building in Shanghai and the tallest building in the world with a hole in the roof. Shanghai World Financial Center has a variety of offices shops, restaurants, and a 100th-floor observation deck inside the amazing skyscraper. Shops and restaurants are located between the basement floors and the 3rd floor, while the high-end luxury hotel Park Hyatt is located between the 79th – 93rd floor.

It is said to be amongst the most luxurious hotels in Shanghai and that is no small praise. The breathtaking observation deck at Sky arena 94 is probably the most visited in terms of tourism and you might want to pay this place a visit if you’re a fan of sky-high city views. For those after an adrenaline rush, Sky Walk 97 sits at a frightening 439 meters with a glass see-through floor.

Shanghai Tower

The Shanghai tower is the tallest building in the city and it dominates the skyline. Views of the tower can be seen just about anywhere you walk in the Lujiazui Financial District and in many areas of the Pudong district. The tower was completed in 2014 and is a ridiculous 2073ft height. This means the Shanghai Tower is the third tallest building on earth and the tallest building in China!

The Shanghai Tower has gained Lujiazui even more attention in the last few years and has made it a talking point amongst tourists and locals. The observation deck of this gigantic skyscraper sits on the 118th floor and is 1791ft in the sky. No wonder why the Shanghai tower has become so infamous in an already competitive environment.

Century park

This riverside park is located in Lujiazui along the Pearl River and although this park is not the most famous it offers quite unique views of the skyscrapers in Shanghai. If you walk along the riverside of Century Park you will see views of skyscrapers like the Shanghai Tower and Pearl tower. You can also view The Bund on the Puxi side of the river which offers you interesting views of the historic Colonial architecture.

Century Park has some restaurants bars and a few shops nearby so it’s a cool place to hang out and relax for a few hours. I particularly liked this park as it is a lot more peaceful and less chaotic than The Bund.

Central Park

If you are looking for a Magical park to view the skyscrapers in Shanghai then the Lujiazui Central Park is the place. This park has some of the most incredible views of the city’s best architecture. The park is located in the heart of the Lujiazui financial district so it’s easy to reach. Central Park has a lake in the middle and walking paths all around the park.

I have visited this park during the night and day and find the night views to be incredible as the water reflects the buildings. Daytime is also great to visit the park as you can see everything clearly. Central Park is one of my favorite parks in Shanghai and if you enjoy lakeside views of amazing skyscrapers it’s sure to be your favorite too.

Shanghai’s Lujiazui financial district in the Pudong new area is bound to be one of the most amazing financial districts you will see. With so many cool skyscrapers and modern landmarks, it is easy to spend hours in Lujiazui amazed at these structural wonders. Visiting Lujiazui is a must in Shanghai as this financial district is what has given the city much of its fame and fortune. The old Shanghai historical areas are also great, but when traveling to the city you should aim to spend adequate time viewing the incredible skyscrapers in Shanghai.

Top 5 Skyscrapers in Shanghai and the Amazing Lujiazui Financial District