From the ancient desire to touch the heavens to modern feats of engineering, towers define cityscapes and offer perspective. We revisit nine iconic towers around the world that continue to draw travelers seeking new heights.
The best observation towers earn their height — they change how you understand the city below in ways that no street-level exploration can replicate.
Updated in March of 2026
Humankind has long had the desire to build structures that pierce the sky and aspire toward heaven. Perhaps the ancient Tower of Babel testifies to these aspirations, but also to the follies and hubris of its builders. Yet, towers continue to rise across the globe. Every few years a new height record falls. Some serve as broadcasting hubs. Others draw millions of visitors annually. Some towers represent national identity, while others capture the bold vision of their architects. All possess an elemental fascination and primal power that draws travelers upward. Here is a tour of nine towers that reward the adventurous spirit and those with their heads in the clouds.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa, Italy
Structurally questionable but architecturally stunning, Pisa's tower ranks among the world's most recognizable monuments. This white marble bell tower began its famous lean during construction of the second floor in 1178. Nearly two centuries later, upon completion, the tilt had only worsened. Builders attempted to compensate by making columns and arches larger on one side, yet the tower persisted in its permanent slouch. Romanesque elegance and engineering stubbornness collide in this eight-story masterpiece.
The myth persists that Galileo dropped objects from the tower to prove his theories about gravity. Whether true or not, the tower has become a prop for millions of tourists performing the iconic photo - pretending to hold up the structure. For those seeking more than a tourist moment, the climb rewards with 300 spiral steps and sweeping views across the Pisan landscape.
>> Find hotels in Pisa or learn how to reach Pisa from Florence
Eiffel Tower
Paris, France
Built for the 1889 Paris Exposition, Gustave Eiffel's iron lattice tower shocked and scandalized Parisian society. Prominent writers and artists signed petitions against it, calling the structure ugly and out of place. Author Guy de Maupassant protested so vehemently that he ate lunch daily in the tower's restaurant - claiming it was the only spot in Paris where he didn't have to look at the offending tower. Time and perspective have proven the critics wrong. Today the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris itself and a masterpiece of industrial design.
It held the title of world's tallest structure until 1930, when New York's Chrysler Building surpassed it. Today, visitors can climb 704 steps to the second level or take elevators to the summit. Multiple dining options include Le Jules Verne, an Alain Ducasse restaurant on the second level offering both cuisine and views. The tower undergoes regular restoration and painting to maintain its iconic appearance.
>> Find hotels with Eiffel Tower views
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo, Japan
Constructed in 1958, Tokyo Tower stands as a vibrant reminder of Japan's postwar recovery and economic boom. This bright red and orange structure channels the Eiffel Tower's silhouette while adding distinctly Japanese flair. Designed for seismic stability by engineer Tachu Naito, the tower has proven itself in multiple earthquakes. Its primary function as a broadcasting tower for TV and radio remains secondary to its role as a cultural landmark and symbol of Tokyo's resilience and modernization.
The four-level FootTown complex at the base offers restaurants, shops, and entertainment. A wax museum features historical figures and pop culture icons. While Tokyo's newer Sky Tree now claims the title of world's tallest tower, Tokyo Tower remains beloved for its retro charm and commanding presence. The tower glows nightly in red and white lights, creating an iconic photo opportunity from multiple vantage points across the city.
>> Book flights to Tokyo and find accommodations in Tokyo
Cairo Tower
Cairo, Egypt
Rising 614 feet above Cairo's Zamalek island is one of the Middle East's most elegant structures. This delicately latticed concrete cylinder was designed by Egyptian modernist architect Naoum Shebib and completed in 1961. Legend credits U.S. President Eisenhower with providing $100,000 in aid that Egyptian President Abdel Nasser redirected toward the tower's construction. Whether truth or myth, the result is a stunning vertical monument that echoes the lotus flower motif in its crown.
The tower's observation deck offers panoramic views of the Nile, the city's medieval quarters, and the pyramids beyond. A revolving restaurant and additional dining venues provide respite from Cairo's intensity. Recent renovations have modernized facilities while preserving the tower's mid-century character. Visitors seeking a break from the hectic pace of Cairo find refuge here, sharing space with local visitors and international travelers alike.
>> Search for airfare to Cairo
Space Needle
Seattle, Washington, USA
Seattle in 1962 was a company town dominated by Boeing. The Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair, embodied America's optimism about the future and space exploration. This graceful tripod structure, topped with a flying saucer observation deck and pinched at the middle for visual elegance, became Seattle's defining symbol. The Space Needle's influence spawned similar towers across North America, inspiring a generation of architects to dream in the vertical.
While a platform added in the 1980s slightly disrupted the original aesthetic, the tower maintains its iconic status on Seattle's skyline. From the observation deck, visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramas of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and the surrounding mountains. A revolving restaurant serves lunch, brunch, and dinner with ever-changing vistas. The Space Needle continues to draw over a million visitors annually and remains central to Seattle's identity in 2026.
>> Find flights to Seattle and search for hotels in Seattle
Ostankino Tower
Moscow, Russia
Soviet architect Nikolai Nitkin, one of the era's boldest designers, created the Ostankino Tower in 1967. This fantastical modernist structure resembles a cross between a rocket ship and a Central Asian minaret. At 1,772 feet, it was the world's tallest structure when completed. The tower's form captures Soviet aspirations - industrial, futuristic, tinged with the aesthetic of a nation positioned between East and West. No previous style quite prepared the eye for Nitkin's audacious vision.
The observation decks provide sweeping views of Moscow's sprawl. Visitors must reserve tickets in advance, a reminder of earlier eras when access to the tower was restricted. The tower's famous revolving restaurant, Seventh Heaven, served traditional Russian cuisine before a fire closed it in 2000. Its status remains uncertain, though the tower itself continues welcoming visitors seeking perspective on Russia's capital city and its position in the world.
>> Read our Moscow travel guide
Berliner Fernsehturm
Berlin, Germany
East German architect Herman Henslemann designed the Fernsehturm in 1969, completing this iconic tower as Berlin was transforming. His career spanned from modernist experiments to Stalinist monumentality and back to modernism. The tower's design - a sphere pierced by a sharp needle - presents a bold geometric statement. It remains Germany's tallest structure and one of Europe's most distinctive towers. What was once exclusive to East Berlin now symbolizes unified Berlin.
The observation sphere, positioned at 682 feet, offers 306-degree views of Berlin's neighborhoods - Mitte, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg - each with its own character and history. A rotating restaurant serves contemporary German cuisine with ever-changing perspectives. Once a symbol of Cold War division, the tower now represents reconciliation and shared identity. Young Berliners and international visitors alike gather here to see the city whole, a fitting statement for a landmark that has witnessed both separation and reunion.
>> Find flights to Berlin
CN Tower
Toronto, Canada
Completed in 1976 at 1,815 feet, the CN Tower held the world's tallest free-standing structure title for 34 years. Its design - a tripod base supporting a sphere - draws inspiration from Seattle's Space Needle while asserting its own massive presence. Called one of the modern world's seven wonders, the tower defines Toronto's skyline and remains a symbol of Canadian ambition and engineering capability. Its sheer scale creates an awesome, almost humbling effect on viewers from across the city.
The 360 Restaurant, located in the observation sphere at 1,107 feet, represents one of Toronto's premier dining experiences. The kitchen completes a full rotation every 72 minutes, ensuring every seat eventually faces every direction. The food matches the views - expertly prepared dishes with attention to presentation. For the less adventurous, the observation level offers indoor and outdoor vantage points. The tower continues drawing over two million visitors annually and remains central to Toronto's tourism economy.
>> Book accommodations in Toronto
Canton Tower
Guangzhou, China
Opened in September 2010, the Canton Tower briefly held the title of world's tallest tower. This Dutch-designed structure by Information Based Architects represents Asia's ongoing race to build higher and push architectural boundaries. The elegantly twisting spire rises 1,969 feet above Guangzhou, embodying modernist principles while conveying a distinctly Asian sensibility. The tower captures the continent's rapid transformation and technological advancement in the early 21st century.
Beyond observation, the tower offers diverse experiences - a rotating restaurant, cinema, the world's highest Ferris wheel, and an adrenaline-inducing open-air skywalk that spirals around the tower's interior. A 'shoot' machine simulates zero gravity for those seeking thrills. At night, rainbow-colored lights transform the tower into a post-modern beacon visible across the city. The Canton Tower represents modern China's confidence and forward vision, blending tourism, entertainment, and cutting-edge design into a single vertical statement.
>> Read our China travel guide
Looking Upward
These nine towers span continents and represent different eras of human aspiration. Some were built for function - broadcasting towers that served technological needs while becoming cultural icons. Others were designed to celebrate national identity or embody architectural vision. Yet all share an elemental human impulse to reach skyward, to test boundaries, to create structures that define cities and inspire visitors to climb higher than they thought possible. Whether leaning in Pisa, glittering in Paris, or twisting over Guangzhou, towers remain powerful symbols of what humans can achieve when they look upward.
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