Facts for Kids

Work on The Shard began in March 2009. Builders used a special method that let them make strong foundations and raise the central core of the tower at the same time — a first for big buildings in the UK. The structure reached its highest piece, called "topping out," on 30 March 2012. The building was officially opened a few months later and was practically finished in November 2012.

Five large cranes helped lift materials during the build. Four of these cranes were designed to climb up the building as it grew taller. A small, friendly story from the site is that a fox named Romeo made a home nearby during construction and became well known to workers.

The Shard is a very tall building in the Southwark part of London. It looks like a glass pyramid or shard of broken glass, so people call it The Shard. The building is used for many things: people can stay in a hotel, eat in restaurants, work in offices, and visit the top to look at the city.

The Shard was designed by Renzo Piano, an Italian architect who liked the idea of a slim, pointed tower. At full size it reaches more than 300 metres into the sky, which makes it the tallest building in the United Kingdom.

At its tallest point The Shard reaches about 309.6 metres (1,016 feet) into the air. The highest point of the metal structure is close to that height too. For a time it was the tallest building not only in the United Kingdom but also the tallest completed building in Europe.

Buildings change as new ones are built, so The Shard held some important records for a few years. In late 2011 it became the tallest building in the European Union, and by March 2012 it was the tallest completed building in Europe. Later, taller towers were built elsewhere, but The Shard remains one of London's most famous and tallest landmarks.

The Shard has 72 floors that people can use. Near the very top is a viewing gallery and an open-air deck on the 72nd floor where visitors can see far across London from about 244 metres up. Different parts of the building have different jobs: a hotel takes many middle floors, some floors hold restaurants and offices, and the top floors are for observation and building services.

Above the occupied floors the tower narrows into a point called the Spire, which rises up around glass panes. At ground level there are separate doors and lobbies for the hotel, restaurants, and the public entrance to the observatory so people can find the right place easily.

The Shard is a tall, mixed building that holds many kinds of places. Part of it is an office complex with 26 floors where about 32 companies work in ten different kinds of business—that means groups that do everything from designing things to helping people with money. The building also includes the five-star Shangri‑La The Shard, London hotel where visitors can stay, and ten private apartments where people live.

Because the building is used for different purposes—work, homes, and a hotel—each part has its own entrances and areas. This mix of offices, rooms, and homes helps the building feel like a small vertical neighborhood high above the city.

The Shard has several well-known places visitors can go to. There are three restaurants—Aqua Shard, Oblix, and Hutong—each serving different kinds of food and views. The Shangri‑La hotel offers rooms and meals for guests, and the ten apartments are private homes where people live.

For the public, the most famous spot is The View from The Shard, the UK’s highest viewing gallery. People can buy tickets to go up in lifts and see wide views of London. Restaurants and the viewing gallery usually take bookings, while most offices and the private apartments are not open to general visitors.