Vertigo and Glass: Climbing the Supertowers of Lujiazui

Step out of Metro Line 2 at Lujiazui Station (陆家嘴站) and your neck immediately strains backward. The sky here is not a wide dome; it is a series of narrow blue corridors sliced into sharp angles by three vertical giants. Standing on the circular pedestrian flyover, you are surrounded by the hum of thousands of air conditioning units, the rush of black taxis, and the bright, blinking reflections of giant LED screens.

This is the financial heart of Pudong, a former swamp that in less than four decades was transformed into a forest of steel and glass. Three supertowers dominate this concrete grove, each representing a different stage in Shanghai’s vertical race, standing in a tight, silent circle.

First is the Jin Mao Tower (金茂大厦, Jīnmào Dàshà). Completed in 1999, it rises 421 meters. Its steel exterior mimics the tiered steps of a traditional Chinese pagoda, a rhythmic stacking of metal and glass that narrows as it reaches for the clouds. Walk inside its lobby and look down into the staggering 31-story barrel atrium of the Grand Hyatt—a hollow, dizzying tube of gold light and brass railings that looks like a high-tech hive.

Next to it stands the Shanghai World Financial Center (上海环球金融中心, Shànghǎi Huánqiú Jīnróng Zhōngxīn), known locally as the "Bottle Opener." Rising 492 meters, it is a sleek, chiseled column with a massive trapezoidal aperture cut out near the summit. This opening is not just for show; it is an engineering solution designed to let the ferocious winds off the East China Sea pass harmlessly through the building rather than pushing against its structure.

But both of these giants are dwarfed by the Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦, Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà). At 632 meters, it is the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world. It does not stand straight; it twists. As the tower rises, its outer glass skin rotates 120 degrees, a fluid spiral that resembles a glass dragon rising from the mud. This aerodynamic twist reduces wind loads by 24 percent, allowing the tower to withstand typhoon-force winds.

To experience the speed of this giant, enter the basement and step into the elevator. The doors slide shut with a heavy, pressurized hiss. A digital screen on the wall starts to count. The elevator accelerates, rising at 18 meters per second—nearly 40 miles per hour. The ride is almost completely silent, marked only by the low hum of the electromagnetic motors and the sudden, rhythmic popping of your ears as the air pressure drops. In just 55 seconds, you are shot onto the 118th floor.

Step out onto the Top of Shanghai Observatory (上海之巅观光厅, Shànghǎi zhī Diān Guānguāngtīng). Through the double-paned glass, the city below does not look real. It looks like an infinite computer motherboard. The wide Huangpu River (黄浦江, Huángpǔ Jiāng) is reduced to a muddy brown ribbon, dotted with tiny black barges that look like beetles. Across the water, the historic stone facades of the Bund (外滩, Wàitān)—once the tallest buildings in the city—are tiny grey toy blocks.

From this height, you look down onto the roofs of the Jin Mao and the SWFC. The skyscrapers that seemed so imposing from the ground now look like sleek metal models sitting on a table. When the clouds roll in, the towers disappear, leaving you suspended in a silent, white void, completely detached from the earth below.

As the sun sets, the city below ignites. A grid of orange streetlights and blue neon strips spreads across the horizon. You descend back to the street level, step out into the cool evening air, and look up once more. The tops of the towers are lost in the low clouds, glowing faintly like beacons in a vertical wilderness.

Practical Beats

• Admission: The standard ticket for the Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦) 118th floor observatory is 180 RMB. Discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the basement ticket office or booked online in advance.
• Hours: The observatory is open daily from 08:30 to 22:00 (last ticket sales and entry at 21:30).
• Getting There: Take Metro Line 2 directly to Lujiazui Station (陆家嘴站). Take Exit 6 or Exit 4 and walk through the underground pedestrian corridors or along the surface pathways directly to the entrance of the Shanghai Tower.
• Timing: Always check the weather before buying your ticket. If the sky is overcast or foggy, the summit of the tower will be completely shrouded in clouds, offering zero visibility. For the best experience, go about an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight, during the golden hour, and under the neon night lights.