London's tallest Building - Shard

Facts • The Shard is is 1016ft (309.6m) high, the tallest building in Europe. • The building reached its top height on June 19. • It has 11,000 glass panels. • The area of the glass fagade is 602,779 ft squared (56,000m squared), which equals eight football pitches. • There are 44 lifts, including double-decker lifts. • There are 306 flights of stairs. • The total floor space is 31.4 acres. • 95% of the construction materials are recycled. • It is the 59th tallest building in the world, around 2.7 times shorter than the tallest, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is 2,717ft high. Europe's tallest building is being officially unveiled later in central London. The Shard's tapered design and glass panelling have already made it one of the capital's most iconic landmarks. A view of the iconic Tower Bridge, right, over the river Thames, right, and The Shard Photo: AP Image 3 of 6 A view of the iconic Tower Bridge, right, over the river Thames, right, and The Shard Photo: AP Image 3 of 6 Cleaners work on the exterior of The Shard Photo: AP Aerial of The Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 3 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 3 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 3 of 6 The London skyline will be illuminated with lasers at the Shard inauguration ceremony Photo: Getty Images Image 1 of 6 Cleaners work on the exterior of The Shard Photo: AP Image 1 of 6 Aerial of The Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 1 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 1 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 1 of 6 The London skyline will be illuminated with lasers at the Shard inauguration ceremony Photo: Getty Images Image 6 of 6 A view of the iconic Tower Bridge, right, over the river Thames, right, and The Shard Photo: AP Image 6 of 6 Cleaners work on the exterior of The Shard Photo: AP Image 6 of 6 Aerial of The Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 6 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS Image 6 of 6 View of London from the 14th floor of the Shard Photo: REUTERS The London skyline will be illuminated with lasers at the Shard inauguration ceremony Photo: Getty Images