Let me set the scene a bit. The idea for The Shard was born in 2000, when Italian architect Renzo Piano first sketched a spire inspired by railway lines and London’s old church steeples. (Yep, a train track got turned into a 1,016-foot skyscraper—poetic, right?) Construction actually started in March 2009, right in the middle of a global recession. Imagine pitching a 95-story glass behemoth when everyone else is tightening their belts. “Hey, let’s build the tallest building in Western Europe—sure, why not?”
But here’s the thing: they didn’t just slap it together overnight. The steel and glass climbed up steadily, floor by floor, until it topped out in March 2012. By then, London was buzzing with Olympics fever, and The Shard was the unofficial “look what we built” flex. And then, July 5, 2012 arrived—the day the public got to step inside and feel vertigo for the first time.
Opening Day Drama (and a Few Snags)
You’d think the opening would be all champagne and selfies, right? Well, sort of. The Shard’s official opening was a VIP-only affair—sorry, regular folks—with a laser show that lit up the London skyline. But here’s the ironic twist: the building wasn’t fully open to the public until February 1, 2013. That’s right—seven months later. The first people to visit the viewing platform were mostly journalists and celebs, while us mortals had to wait. (Isn’t that always the way?)
Still, when the View from The Shard did open, it was a phenomenon. Tickets sold out fast, and people gawked at the 40-mile views. It’s the highest viewing platform in London, and honestly, it feels like you’re floating above the city. But—and this is my favorite bit—the restaurant wasn’t ready until 2013, either. So early visitors had breathtaking views but… nowhere to grab a £15 glass of wine. Oops.
