School trips to London can now visit Europe’s tallest building – The Shard, which opens today.

The towering sky scraper climbs 95 storeys and stands at a whopping 310 metres tall.  It will officially opened today by be inaugarated by the Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, along with Prince Andrew.  The official opening will conclude at 22:15 tonight when a magnificent laser show will light up the skies of London, shooting laser beams from The Shard summit to fifteen other London skyscrapers and Landmarks, in addition to 30 searchlights.  If you can’t make the opening, you can watch it live on The Shard’s website and Facebook page.

The lower levels comprise of shops, with restaurants, a luxury hotel and luxury £50m apartments fill the building.  On the 72nd floor, there is a viewing platform due to open in February 2013, which offers the opportunity for school trips to London to view the London skyline and beyond, from a never before seen perspective.  The addition of this newest London viewing platform, along with the recently announced Emirates Air Line, the London Eye and Up at The O2 mean London certainly is not short of novel ways to see the London skyline and famous landmarks.

The Shard also offers superb opportunities for school trips to explore facets of urban design including the effects of tall buildings in creating strong winds and shadows, great for DT school trips.  Why not explore The Shard from a Business Studies perspective, exploring how the building is funded, and how it will become profitable from sales of interior space?  Or simply visit The Shard to gasp in amazement at the size and scale of Europe’s tallest building.

Contact Adaptable Travel today to organise your next school trip to London, and don’t forget to ask about adding on a visit to London’s tallest landmark on your next school trip.