TAIPEI 101 TOWER
I absolutely love a city tower. There’s something really special about seeing a huge sparkling cityscape and what lies beyond it from such an elevated vantage point.
So visiting the Taipei 101 Tower – which was the world’s tallest building when it first opened in 2004 – was a highlight of our trip to the City of Taipei – the capital city of Taiwan – during our fabulous 12 Day Taiwan Itinerary.
And, during the Taiwan Lantern Festival, seeing The Taipei 101 Tower lit up and animated with bouncing pink rabbits in keeping with the theme of The Year of The Rabbit was also a truly spectacular sight!
TAIPEI 101 TOWER TICKETS
I recommend you buy your e-tickets for the Taipei 101 Tower in advance and online.
Taipei 101 has two observation decks, offering visitors breath-taking panoramic views of the city and to the mountains beyond.
Standard ticket price includes access to the observatory deck on the 89th Floor.
If you want to go higher than the main deck to the Top Deck 101 Floor (VIP Tour) there is a higher ticket price.
Top deck visitor numbers are restricted and booked by available time slots.
I booked a time slot and bought tickets for the Taipei 101 Tower from (affiliate link) Klook.
Klook.comI thought it worth the extra cost to go to the top deck as you get a drink and access to the World’s Tallest Shangri-La Gardens and to the outside deck area too that’s on the 91st Floor.
Even better are the views of the City of Taipei and the surrounding mountains.
Interestingly, for 12 years, the 101 Tower’s elevators were the world’s fastest at 61 kilometres per hour (38 mph).
They still rank amongst the world’s fastest but I can perhaps assure you that the ride is so smooth you’re thankfully unaware of that scary fact while in transit!
The 101 Tower website explains the interior design on the 101st Floor:
The 360-degree mirrored wall design on the 101st Floor reflects the sky, clouds and sunlight inside. It is like being in a cloud garden, and with a corner of the observation platform, overlooking the mountains and Taipei city landscape, it is definitely a must-see attraction for your itinerary.
I would agree it’s a dreamy experience.
And, it’s a little quirky, to see animated fluffy pink artificial flower heads moving around and so many cutesy staged sets for photo opportunities.
But, for me, nothing could detract from the amazing views out of the windows.
EARTHQUAKE PROOF DESIGN
For the backpacking husband, as much as he appreciates a nice view, I know he was looking forward to viewing the science and engineering attributes of the Taipei 101 Tower.
Namely, the giant 660 metric tonne gold-coloured pendulum ‘Taipei 101 ball’ suspended between the 87th and 92nd floor of the inside of the tower that provides high-tech stability during high winds and earthquake tremors.
And, although this anti-sway technique is used in many other tall buildings around the world, the 101 Tower in Taipei is actually unique in that it’s the only place where you can see it openly displayed to visitors.
This example of innovative earthquake-proof mass-damper engineering, is exactly what we’d seen developed at the Earthquake Museum Engineering Building in the Taiwanese City of Taichung, where a devastating earthquake had struck in 1999.
Taipei 101 Tower is still the tallest building built in an earthquake zone.
It’s just 200 meters (660 feet) away from a major fault line.
The structure of the tower was designed to resist an earthquake of nine on the Richter scale.
The viewing area for this giant pendulum is on the 88th Floor.
Do read my full post on The Taiwan Earthquake Museum.
TAIPEI 101 TOWER FACTS
Taipei 101 – with 101 floors – is an iconic skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan.
At 508 meters (1,667 feet) high it was the first building in the whole world to surpass the half-kilometre high mark.
For six years, Taipei 101 Tower – when it opened in December 2004 – replaced the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur as the tallest building in the world. Until the Burj Khalifa in Dubai surpassed it in 2009.
The beautiful design of the tower is inspired by traditional Chinese pagodas and bamboo.
Elements that symbolize strength and flexibility.
The design of Taipei 101 Tower is influenced by Chinese culture and the lucky number eight which is said to represent prosperity and good fortune. The tower is composed of eight tiers flaring out outward in pagoda style. Each tier has eight floors.
Taipei 101 is equipped with a tuned mass damper, a massive ball-like pendulum suspended from the 92nd to the 88th floor. This damper helps to counteract swaying caused by high winds or seismic activity.
The tower incorporates numerous environmentally friendly features, such as double-pane windows to reduce heat and ultraviolet rays, as well as a rainwater recycling system.
TAIPEI 101 FIREWORKS
Taipei 101 is famous for its spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display. It attracts visitors from around the world.
The show is a major event and the fireworks are launched from various levels of the tower.
The tower also has an impressive LED lighting system that allows it to showcase various colourful light displays during special occasions or celebrations.
I was looking forward to seeing this impressive light show in action during the Taiwan Lantern Festival taking place on the First Lunar New Year and while we were in Taipei.
Taipei 101 was constructed using 36,000 pieces of Damper Steel – a type of corrosion-resistant steel.
It took 101 hours to pour the foundation concrete.
Taipei 101 was awarded LEED Platinum certification in 2011, making it one of the world’s greenest skyscrapers.
It has implemented energy-saving measures and environmentally conscious design principles.
The tower has some of the world’s fastest elevators, reaching speeds of 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph).
These elevators take visitors to the observation decks on the 89th and 91st floors in just 37 seconds.
Taipei 101 is home to the original Din Tai Fung restaurant, famous for its dumplings.
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the tower and attracts food enthusiasts from all over.
See my Travel Guide to Taiwan and the highlights of our fabulous entire 12 Night Taiwan Itinerary.
Are you planning a trip to Taiwan?
Are you planning to visit the Taipei 101 Tower?
Let me know in the comments!
