The world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2010, Taipei 101 (as the name would imply) is 101 floors above ground. Taipei 101 has received a Platinum rating under the LEED certification system, and today it remains the tallest and largest green building in the world!
The unique shape of the building (that some have compared to Chinese takeout boxes stacked on top of each other) actually has a very practical purpose. The building is designed to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, that are both very common in this area of Taiwan. Taipei 101 actually includes a 660 tonne steel pendulum that sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong winds.
HOW TO GET THERE
- From anywhere in the city, you can get to Taipei 101 via MRT. Take the red line to “Taipei 101 Station”.
- After arriving in the MRT station, follow the signs for “Taipei 101” and you will emerge right at the base of one of the tallest buildings in the world!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Taipei 101 has a massive shopping mall attached to it. Spend time wandering through the mall, browsing through the shops & restaurants! In the mall, you can also purchase tickets to take the Guinness World Record breaking high-speed elevator to the Taipei 101 Observatory on the 89th floor. This elevator only takes 37 seconds to ascend all the way up. At the door, tickets to the top are 600 NTD (around $20 USD), but if you purchase a ticket online in advance, you can get it for 90 NTD off.
AT THE TOP!
The observatory is spread out over 4 floors with a beautiful view over the city of Taipei. On the 89th floor, you will be at the indoor observatory. 382 metres above the ground, you have an unobstructed view over Taipei City in all directions.
On the 88th floor, you can see the engineering marvel that is the wind offsetting steel pendulum. They have informational posters around the pendulum to explain how it was built, what it does etc.
From the indoor observatory, you can take the stairs to reach the 91st floor outdoor observatory. Keep in mind, the 91st floor is only open on days with favourable weather conditions, so make sure you ask in advance if it’s open!