Oriental Pearl Tower : info and guided tour

Introduction to the Oriental Pearl Tower

The Oriental Pearl Tower is Shanghai’s iconic television and observation tower, located in Lujiazui in the Pudong district. Its instantly recognizable futuristic silhouette rises near the Huangpu River and is one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

Opened in the mid-1990s, the tower was designed as a symbol of Shanghai’s urban renewal. Its architecture combines several spheres of different sizes, linked by slender columns, in a composition inspired by local imagery and by the contrast between tradition and modernity.

With its pink and metallic volumes, the Oriental Pearl Tower stands out for its highly sculptural design, visible by day and by night. It features observation decks, exhibition areas and installations that help visitors understand Shanghai’s dramatic transformation of its waterfront.

The site is famous for its place in the city skyline and for the views it offers over Pudong’s skyscrapers and the Bund. Among its most distinctive features are its stacked spheres, slender antenna and nighttime lighting, which reinforce its status as an urban icon.

Discover Shanghai with a private guide

A private guide can help you better understand the tower, explaining its role in Shanghai’s recent history, the logic behind its shape and its place in the Pudong skyline. This approach also provides useful context about the district and the architectural details to look for on site.