Top 10 Modern Skyscrapers in China: The Complete 2026 Guide

The elevator shot up so fast my ears popped twice before we reached the 118th floor. A woman next to me—somewhere from Ohio, I guessed from the accent—grabbed her husband’s arm and whispered, “Oh my god.” The doors opened, and the whole of Shanghai spread out below us like a living map, the Huangpu River curling through it, ships the size of toys, and the sky so hazy-blue it looked like a watercolor that hadn’t dried yet. I’d been up there maybe six times before, but it still got me.

China’s skyscrapers aren’t just tall. They’re statements. They’re the country saying, We built this in five years while you were still arguing about permits. For a first-time visitor from the US, Europe, or Southeast Asia, these towers are where you’ll feel the scale of modern China most viscerally—the ambition, the speed, the sheer what the hell of it.

This guide covers the ten skyscrapers I think are worth your time and money. I’ve been to every single one, sometimes more than once, and I’ll tell you which ones to prioritize, which to skip if you’re short on time, and exactly how to not get ripped off at the ticket counter.

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The Short Version

If you’ve got 90 seconds: See Shanghai Tower and Canton Tower. Skip the Shanghai World Financial Center (overpriced, dated views). The Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen is worth the trip if you’re already in the city. The CCTV Headquarters in Beijing is better photographed than visited. The rest are solid but not life-changing. Budget at least $30–50 (¥210–350) per observation deck, and go on a clear weekday morning.

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How I Picked These

I spent seven years in Beijing, traveled to every major Chinese city at least twice, and made a point of visiting every skyscraper that had a publicly accessible observation deck. I talked to taxi drivers, security guards, and other tourists. I took bad photos and good ones. I paid full price every time (no press passes, no comped tickets). I also asked locals in each city which tower they’d actually recommend to a foreign friend—and I weighed their answers heavily. A few famous towers didn’t make the cut because they’re not worth the entry fee or the queue.

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Comparison Table

Rank	Place	Best For	Approx Cost (USD)	Time Needed	When to Go
1	Shanghai Tower	Best overall view	$35 (¥250)	2 hours	Clear weekday morning
2	Canton Tower	Night views & light show	$25 (¥180)	1.5 hours	Sunset to 8 PM
3	Ping An Finance Center	Modern architecture	$30 (¥210)	2 hours	Late afternoon
4	Shanghai World Financial Center	Photo ops (bottle opener)	$28 (¥200)	1 hour	Skip unless bundled
5	CITIC Tower (Beijing)	Skyline + historic contrast	$25 (¥175)	1.5 hours	Clear winter day
6	Jin Mao Tower	Budget option	$18 (¥130)	1 hour	Any clear day
7	Tianjin CTF Finance Centre	Underrated gem	$20 (¥140)	1.5 hours	Weekday afternoon
8	Shenzhen Stock Exchange	Architecture nerds	$15 (¥105)	1 hour	Morning
9	Zifeng Tower (Nanjing)	River views	$15 (¥105)	1 hour	Sunset
10	CCTV Headquarters (Beijing)	Photo from outside only	Free	30 min	Golden hour

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1. Shanghai Tower — The One That Makes You Forget Your Phone

I remember standing on the 118th floor, phone in hand, and just… stopping. Not because the signal was bad (it wasn’t—5G works up there). But because the view was so overwhelming that taking a photo felt like a waste of the moment. The Bund curves away to the west. The Huangpu River snakes through the city. And below you, the old shikumen neighborhoods look like tiny gray LEGO blocks.

Why it’s special: It’s the tallest building in China (632 meters) and the third-tallest in the world. But height alone isn’t the point. The double-skin glass facade twists as it rises, which means the building actually sways slightly in high winds—you can feel it if you pay attention. The observation deck on 118 is fully enclosed, but there’s a glass-floored section on 119 that’ll make your knees weak.

• 📍 Location: Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai
• 🎫 Entry fee: $35 (¥250) for the main observation deck; $50 (¥360) for the top deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 8:30 AM–10 PM (last entry 9:30 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 2 or 14 to Lujiazui Station, Exit 6. Walk east through the elevated walkway—you’ll see it immediately. About 5 minutes.
• ⏰ When to visit: Weekday mornings before 10 AM. Weekends are a zoo. Avoid Chinese public holidays entirely.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • Buy tickets on the official WeChat mini-program (search “上海中心大厦”) to skip the main queue. You’ll still wait for the elevator, but less.
  • Go on a clear day. Check the weather forecast. If it’s hazy, you’ll see nothing but gray.
  • Bring a jacket—it’s air-conditioned aggressively.
  • The glass floors on 119 are slippery. Don’t wear sandals.
  • The cafe on 118 sells overpriced coffee ($8 / ¥55). Skip it.

I met a retired Shanghai taxi driver named Mr. Chen on the elevator down. He’d never been up before—his daughter bought him a ticket for his 70th birthday. He said, “I’ve driven past this building for ten years. Never thought I’d stand on top of it.”

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2. Canton Tower — The Night Show That Actually Delivers

The first time I saw Canton Tower at night, I was eating street food in a nearby park. The tower changed colors—blue to red to green to gold—and the whole thing looked like a giant alien antenna that had decided to throw a party. I finished my stinky tofu and walked over.

Why it’s special: The tower is 600 meters tall, but it’s not the height that matters. It’s the shape—a hyperboloid lattice structure that narrows in the middle and flares at top and bottom. At night, the LED system runs a light show every hour from 7 PM to 10 PM. It’s genuinely impressive, not just a bunch of flashing lights. The observation deck is open-air on the top, which means wind in your face and no glass between you and the city below.

• 📍 Location: Chigang Pagoda, Haizhu District, Guangzhou
• 🎫 Entry fee: $25 (¥180) for the observation deck; $40 (¥290) for the top open-air deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 9 AM–10:30 PM (last entry 9:30 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 3 or APM to Canton Tower Station, Exit B. Walk 3 minutes east. You can’t miss it.
• ⏰ When to visit: Sunset to 8 PM. The light show starts at 7 PM sharp.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The open-air deck at the top is worth the extra $15. The enclosed deck feels like an office building.
  • Bring a windbreaker—it gets cold and windy up there, even in summer.
  • The nearby Canton Tower Park has free views of the tower. Great for photos without paying.
  • The bubble tram (a glass capsule that rotates around the tower) is overrated and expensive. Skip it.
  • Street food vendors near the tower entrance sell decent grilled squid and sugarcane juice.

I dropped my metro card through the grating on the open-air deck. A security guard named Xiao Wang spent 20 minutes helping me retrieve it with a broom handle. He refused a tip. “You’re a guest,” he said.

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3. Ping An Finance Center — The One That Feels Like the Future

Shenzhen feels like a city built by people who were told “no” and did it anyway. The Ping An Finance Center is the physical embodiment of that attitude. It’s 599 meters tall, all blue glass and sharp angles, and it rises from the city like a blade.

Why it’s special: It’s the tallest building in Shenzhen and the fifth-tallest in the world. But what I love about it is the observation deck on the 116th floor—it’s one of the highest in the world at 541 meters. The floor-to-ceiling windows are angled outward slightly, so you feel like you’re leaning over the city. The view takes in Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and on clear days, the mountains of Guangdong.

• 📍 Location: Futian District, Shenzhen
• 🎫 Entry fee: $30 (¥210) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 9 AM–9 PM (last entry 8 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 or 3 to Shopping Park Station, Exit B. Walk 5 minutes north. The building has a massive shopping mall at its base.
• ⏰ When to visit: Late afternoon on a weekday. The light is golden and the crowds are thin.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The mall underneath the tower has excellent dim sum restaurants. Eat there before or after.
  • Bring a passport—they check ID at the elevator entrance.
  • The glass is very clean (they clean it daily). Your photos will look great.
  • The elevator ride takes about 50 seconds. Don’t blink.
  • If you’re afraid of heights, stay away from the windows. Seriously.

I met a young couple from Chengdu on the deck. The woman was terrified of heights but her boyfriend had bought the tickets as a surprise. She spent the whole time gripping the center pillar. He took photos of her. She glared at him. It was sweet.

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4. Shanghai World Financial Center — The Bottle Opener You Can Skip

Look, I’ll be honest: this building is famous for one thing—it looks like a giant bottle opener. And the view from the top is good. But it’s not as good as the Shanghai Tower next door, and it costs almost the same. I went once, took a photo of the skywalk (the glass-floored section on the 100th floor), and left.

Why it’s special: The skywalk is genuinely scary—it’s a glass-bottomed walkway on the 100th floor, 474 meters up. You can see the ground through your feet. That part is worth doing once. But the rest of the observation deck feels dated. The interior is from 2008 and it shows. The Shanghai Tower has better views, better facilities, and better value.

• 📍 Location: Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai (right next to Shanghai Tower)
• 🎫 Entry fee: $28 (¥200) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 8 AM–11 PM (last entry 10 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Same as Shanghai Tower—Line 2 or 14 to Lujiazui, Exit 6. Walk 2 minutes east.
• ⏰ When to visit: Only if Shanghai Tower is closed or sold out. Otherwise, skip it.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • If you really want to go, buy a combo ticket with the Shanghai Tower for a small discount.
  • The skywalk is better for photos than the regular deck.
  • Go at night—the city lights hide the dated interior.
  • The gift shop sells overpriced bottle opener keychains. Don’t buy one.

I watched a French tourist try to lie down on the glass skywalk for a photo. A security guard blew a whistle at him. He jumped up so fast he almost dropped his camera.

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5. CITIC Tower (Beijing) — The One That Looks Like a Pagoda

Most people visit Beijing for the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. They forget that the city also has a 528-meter skyscraper that looks like an ancient Chinese pagoda. The CITIC Tower (also called China Zun) is the tallest building in Beijing, and it’s the only one I’d recommend in the capital.

Why it’s special: The design is based on a traditional Chinese wine vessel called a zun, but it also references pagoda architecture. The building narrows as it rises, with a subtle curve that makes it look organic rather than mechanical. The observation deck on the 81st floor isn’t the highest in China, but the view is unique: to the west, you see the Forbidden City and the mountains beyond. To the east, the modern CBD. It’s the best skyline contrast in the country.

• 📍 Location: Central Business District, Chaoyang, Beijing
• 🎫 Entry fee: $25 (¥175) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 9 AM–9 PM (last entry 8 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 10 to Guomao Station, Exit D. Walk 5 minutes south. The building is the tallest one in the area—you can’t miss it.
• ⏰ When to visit: Clear winter days offer the best visibility. Summer haze can ruin the view.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The observation deck is on the 81st floor, not the top. Don’t expect to go all the way up.
  • Bring binoculars if you’re into architecture—you can see the Forbidden City’s roof tiles from up here.
  • The building’s base has a luxury shopping mall. The food court in the basement is surprisingly affordable.
  • Security is strict. They’ll scan your bag and check your passport.
  • The elevator has a glass ceiling. Look up during the ride.

I got lost trying to find the entrance. A security guard named Lao Zhang walked me through a service corridor and into the lobby. He told me he’d worked there since the building opened in 2018. “I’ve never been to the top,” he said. “Maybe one day.”

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6. Jin Mao Tower — The Budget Option That Holds Up

The Jin Mao Tower is the oldest of the Lujiazui trio (built 1999), and it shows. But that’s not a bad thing. The observation deck on the 88th floor is smaller, cheaper, and less crowded than its neighbors. If you’re on a budget, this is your best bet.

Why it’s special: The view is still excellent—you’re 340 meters up, looking at the Shanghai Tower and the World Financial Center from the side. Plus, the building itself is architecturally interesting: it’s a postmodern take on a pagoda, with stepped setbacks that reference traditional Chinese design. The interior is 90s luxury, which has a certain retro charm.

• 📍 Location: Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai (between Shanghai Tower and World Financial Center)
• 🎫 Entry fee: $18 (¥130) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 8:30 AM–9:30 PM (last entry 9 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Same as the other Lujiazui buildings—Line 2 or 14 to Lujiazui, Exit 6. Walk 3 minutes east.
• ⏰ When to visit: Any clear day. Weekday mornings are best.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The ticket price is the cheapest in Lujiazui. Good value.
  • The observation deck is smaller than the others, so it can feel crowded on weekends.
  • The Grand Hyatt hotel occupies floors 53–87. You can’t access the hotel without a room key, but the lobby on 54 has a nice view.
  • The elevator is old and slow by modern standards. Enjoy the retro vibe.

I bought a ticket for a friend who was visiting from London. She said it was her favorite of the three Lujiazui towers because it felt “less like a theme park.” I think she had a point.

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7. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre — The Underrated Gem

Tianjin doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It’s an hour from Beijing by high-speed train, and it has a 530-meter skyscraper that nobody talks about. The CTF Finance Centre is the seventh-tallest building in the world, and the observation deck on the 94th floor is nearly empty most days.

Why it’s special: The lack of crowds. Seriously. You can stand at the window for 20 minutes without anyone else in your photo. The view takes in Tianjin’s weird mix of colonial architecture and modern towers, plus the Hai River winding through the city. The building itself is a tapered glass spire that looks like a needle from certain angles.

• 📍 Location: Binhai New Area, Tianjin
• 🎫 Entry fee: $20 (¥140) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 10 AM–8 PM (last entry 7 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 9 to Tai’erzhuang Station, Exit A. Walk 10 minutes north. Or take a taxi from Tianjin Station (about 30 minutes).
• ⏰ When to visit: Weekday afternoons. Avoid weekends when local tourists show up.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • Combine this with a day trip from Beijing. Take the high-speed train (30 minutes, $15 / ¥105).
  • The observation deck has a small cafe with surprisingly good coffee.
  • The building is in the Binhai area, which is far from Tianjin’s historic center. Plan accordingly.
  • English signage is limited. Download a translation app.
  • The elevator is fast—about 45 seconds to the 94th floor.

I was the only person on the observation deck for 15 minutes. A staff member came up to check on me. She seemed surprised anyone was there. “You’re the first foreigner this week,” she said.

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8. Shenzhen Stock Exchange — For Architecture Nerds Only

This isn’t a tall building (245 meters) and it doesn’t have an observation deck. But it’s one of the most interesting skyscrapers in China from an architectural perspective. The building is essentially a giant glass box floating above a three-story podium. The “floating” part is the stock exchange floor, suspended 36 meters above ground.

Why it’s special: The cantilevered trading floor is an engineering marvel. It looks like a glass cube hovering in midair. The building was designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, and it’s one of the few truly avant-garde skyscrapers in China. You can’t go inside without a business appointment, but the exterior is worth a photo.

• 📍 Location: Futian District, Shenzhen (near Ping An Finance Center)
• 🎫 Entry fee: Free (exterior only)
• 🕐 Hours: Always visible from the street
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 or 3 to Shopping Park Station, Exit C. Walk 3 minutes south.
• ⏰ When to visit: Morning for the best light on the glass facade.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • This is a 15-minute stop. Don’t make a special trip unless you’re an architecture fan.
  • The best photo angle is from the pedestrian bridge to the south.
  • There’s a Starbucks across the street. Good for a quick break.
  • The building is sometimes closed to the public completely. Don’t be disappointed.

I stood across the street for 20 minutes, trying to figure out how the floating box stayed up. A local architect named Mr. Hu saw me staring and explained the structural system. He was patient. I still didn’t fully understand.

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9. Zifeng Tower (Nanjing) — The Sunset Spot

Nanjing is a city of history—the Ming Tombs, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the old city walls. But it also has a 450-meter skyscraper that offers one of the best sunset views in China. The Zifeng Tower (also called the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center) is shaped like a dragon’s tail, which sounds gimmicky but looks elegant in person.

Why it’s special: The observation deck on the 72nd floor faces west, which means you get a direct view of the sunset over the Yangtze River. The river is wide and brown and industrial, but at sunset it turns orange and gold. The old city walls and the Purple Mountain are visible in the distance. It’s a quiet, contemplative view—not flashy, but memorable.

• 📍 Location: Gulou District, Nanjing
• 🎫 Entry fee: $15 (¥105) for the observation deck
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 9 AM–9 PM (last entry 8 PM)
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 or 4 to Gulou Station, Exit 4B. Walk 2 minutes east. The building is right next to the station.
• ⏰ When to visit: 30 minutes before sunset. Check the exact sunset time online.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The observation deck is indoors and air-conditioned. Comfortable year-round.
  • Bring a camera with good low-light performance—the sunset photos are worth it.
  • The building is part of a larger complex with a hotel and shopping mall. The mall has a good food court.
  • English is not widely spoken here. Have your ticket information ready on your phone.
  • The elevator is one of the fastest in China—about 40 seconds to the 72nd floor.

I watched the sunset with a group of Chinese university students who were taking photos for a photography class. One of them asked me to take a group photo. They posed. I took three shots. They bowed and said thank you. It was a small moment, but it stuck with me.

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10. CCTV Headquarters (Beijing) — The One You Photograph, Don’t Enter

The CCTV Headquarters is not a skyscraper in the traditional sense. It’s a loop—a continuous ring of offices that looks like a giant pair of pants (locals call it “the big pants”). It’s 234 meters tall, but the height is irrelevant. The building is famous for its shape, which defies gravity and logic.

Why it’s special: You can’t go inside. You can’t visit an observation deck. But the building itself is one of the most photographed structures in Beijing. The loop design means that from certain angles, it looks like a giant question mark. From others, it looks like a portal to another dimension. It’s a masterpiece of structural engineering, and it’s best appreciated from the outside.

• 📍 Location: Central Business District, Chaoyang, Beijing (near CITIC Tower)
• 🎫 Entry fee: Free (exterior only)
• 🕐 Hours: Always visible from the street
• 🚆 How to get there: Take Metro Line 10 to Jintaixizhao Station, Exit B. Walk 5 minutes east. The building is visible from the station.
• ⏰ When to visit: Golden hour (sunset) for the best photos. The building glows.
• 💡 Insider tips:
  • The best photo spot is from the pedestrian bridge on East Third Ring Road.
  • Don’t try to enter the building—security will stop you.
  • The building is next to a park called CBD Historical and Cultural Park. Nice for a walk.
  • Combine this with a visit to the CITIC Tower (entry #5) since they’re in the same area.
  • The building looks best when lit at night. Come back after dark.

I was taking photos from the bridge when a Chinese grandfather walked up next to me. He pointed at the building and said, in English, “Big pants.” Then he laughed. I laughed. We stood there for a minute, looking at the big pants, and then he walked away.

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FAQ

1. Do I need to book tickets in advance? For the top three (Shanghai Tower, Canton Tower, Ping An Finance Center), yes. Book at least 24 hours ahead on their official WeChat mini-programs. For the others, you can buy at the door, but you might queue.

2. Can I use my foreign credit card? Probably not. Most ticket counters only accept WeChat Pay, Alipay, or cash (Chinese yuan). Set up Alipay before you arrive—it accepts foreign Visa/Mastercard now. WeChat Pay is harder to set up for foreigners.

3. Is it safe to go up alone? Yes. Security is tight at all these buildings. You’ll go through metal detectors and bag checks. The observation decks have barriers and staff everywhere. I’ve never felt unsafe.

4. What if I’m afraid of heights? Several of these decks have glass floors. If you’re nervous, stick with Jin Mao Tower or Zifeng Tower—they have enclosed decks with no glass floors. Avoid the Shanghai World Financial Center skywalk.

5. Do I need a VPN to access the booking sites? Yes. WeChat and Alipay work without a VPN, but the booking mini-programs might not. Get a VPN before you arrive. I recommend Astrill or ExpressVPN.

6. What’s the best time of year to visit? October–November and March–April. Clear skies, mild temperatures, and fewer tourists. Summer is hazy and humid. Winter is cold but often clear.

7. Can I bring a tripod? Most observation decks allow small tripods (under 50cm). Some don’t. Check the specific building’s rules. I’ve never had a problem with a tabletop tripod.

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The Honest Wrap-up

This list is for travelers who want to see China’s modern side—the side that builds the tallest buildings in the world in five years and doesn’t blink. It’s not for everyone. If you’re more interested in temples and tea houses, skip most of these. But if you want to stand on top of a city and feel the scale of what China has become, pick two or three and make the time.

My final piece of advice: don’t try to do too many. One skyscraper per city is plenty. You’ll spend more time in elevators and queues than you expect. Pick the one that speaks to you—the twist of Shanghai Tower, the lights of Canton Tower, the quiet of Zifeng Tower—and give it your full attention. The view will be there. The crowds will be there. But if you time it right, you’ll have a moment where it’s just you and the skyline, and that moment is worth the ticket price.

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