Rising triumphantly out of the ground, skyscrapers are an important part of a city’s identity. Physically, they give people a point of reference, usually identifying the center of a city or its downtown area. They also give people a sense of pride, as skyscrapers represent their community to the world. They’re symbols of power, wealth, commerce, and even freedom or hope.
The best part of a skyscraper is getting to the top. Many of the world’s tallest buildings have incredible observation decks that let visitors view a city from an entirely new perspective. “It used to be that just having a space up high was enough,” William Baker, the structural engineer behind the Burj Khalifa, told Travel + Leisure. But observation decks are now more than just a window to the world, they’re full-on experiences with adrenaline producing ledges, bespoke cocktails, yoga, and Instagram-worthy photo ops.