Is Bishopsgate Taller Than the Shard
Let’s be real: being 32 meters shorter isn’t exactly a failure. Bishopsgate is still one of the tallest buildings in Western Europe, and it’s got a secret weapon—its viewing gallery. The Shard has an observation deck at 244 meters, but Bishopsgate’s free public viewing gallery, The Lookout, sits at 270 meters. That’s actually higher than the Shard’s paid deck! You get breathtaking views of the Thames, the Gherkin, and, yes, The Shard itself, looking all smug from across the river.
And here’s a fun comparison: if you stacked 12 double-decker buses on top of each other, you’d barely reach the top of The Shard. To match Bishopsgate, you’d need about 10 buses. Still impressive, right? It’s like comparing a giant to a super-giant. Both are awesome, but one just happens to have an extra floor or two.
The Future of the London Skyline
But here’s the twist: this debate might not matter for long. London is building taller all the time. Have you heard of 1 Undershaft? That “photograph building” is planned to hit 290 meters, which would steal Bishopsgate’s thunder. And then there’s the proposed The London Resort tower—if it ever gets built, it could challenge The Shard directly. So, for now, Bishopsgate is the charming underdog, not the winner, but it’s getting all the attention.
Balancing office investment in the City of London with the protection
Isn’t that what we love about city skylines? They’re always shifting, always surprising us. You walk through London one day and think you know the hierarchy, and then—boom—a new angle makes you question everything. That’s the beauty of it.