Pudong Skyline: Shanghai's Skyscraper District
What to see and where to go up in Pudong, Shanghai's futuristic financial district and the city's tallest skyline.
Pudong: Shanghai's Skyline of the Future
Until the early 1990s, Pudong was mostly farmland across the river from old Shanghai. Today it's the city's financial district and one of the most recognizable skylines on Earth, anchored by three supertall towers standing side by side: the twisting, 632-meter Shanghai Tower (China's tallest building), the bottle-opener-shaped Shanghai World Financial Center, and the pagoda-influenced Jin Mao Tower, with the retro-futurist Oriental Pearl Tower's pink spheres rounding out the view.
Most visitors see Pudong from across the river on the Bund, but going up one of the towers — or simply walking Pudong's riverside promenade — gives you the reverse view: the Bund's colonial skyline laid out below, with Shanghai's older neighborhoods stretching beyond it.
Going Up: Observation Decks
| Tower | Observation Deck Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Tower | 546m (118th floor) | World's second-highest observation deck; also the most expensive ticket of the three |
| Shanghai World Financial Center | 474m ("the bottle opener" gap) | Glass-bottomed skywalk section |
| Jin Mao Tower | 340m | Cheapest of the three, still a strong view |
What Else Is Nearby
Lujiazui, the neighborhood at the base of the towers, has its own elevated pedestrian ring connecting the malls, metro station and tower entrances without needing to cross traffic. The Riverside Avenue promenade running along the Huangpu offers the same skyline for free, plus the best angle for photographing the Bund on the opposite bank. IFC Mall and Super Brand Mall both sit within walking distance for a break from sightseeing.
Book observation deck tickets online in advance where possible — it's usually cheaper than buying at the door and lets you skip part of the queue, which can be long at the Shanghai Tower on weekends.
