Europe’s tallest building unveiled in London
06 Jul 2012
The Shard, the tallest skyscraper in the whole of European Union and a new landmark of London was unveiled yesterday at a spectacular laser show marking the completion of the exterior of the building.
The 310-metre (1016 feet) tapered structure with glass paneling is the 59th tallest building in the world, the highest one being Burj Khalifa in Dubai with a height of 828 metres.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Duke of York Prince Andrew and the prime minister of Qatar Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani.
The Shard is jointly owned by the state of Qatar and one of UK's leading property companies Sellar Property Group. The project funded by Qatar National Bank is estimated to cost around £450 million.
The development cost of the Shard, a neighbouring office building called The Place and communal areas around London Bridge train station is about £1.5 billion.
The stunning tower is located over the historic London Bridge in the heart of the city and stands centrally between the West End, Westminster, the South Bank, the City and Canary Warf. It has 72 floors, a viewing gallery and open-air observation deck.