Spectacular views unfurl themselves from every aspect of Shard with floor to ceiling windows offering dizzying vistas from the 310m structure, even from the toilets.
The tallest building in Western Europe, it's the only place you can see the whole of London from one point. But with views like these, even from the ahem, facilities, it might be wise to plan for queues.
Visitors can guzzle up London's architectural history with their eyes, and using special telescopes known as Tell: scopes, can focus on a particular landmark and receive audible information about it.
From the tower of London to the phallic gherkin, a kaledaiscopic of capital are revealed from the higher floors. On days with perfect visibility, 40 miles of the sprawling capital are revealed.
The Tell: scopes are particularly useful if visibility is poor as they show not only a live "as it is" image but, at the push of a button, what a clear-day view would be as well as a sunset view and a night view.
You can live with these stunning views too. There are 10 luxury apartments in the 1,016ft (310m) building which are expected to go for as much as £50 million each and will be let out later this year.
The glassy, triangular-shaped structure, from which the Shard gets its name also has 600,000sq ft of offices, three floors of restaurants and a 200-room Shangri-La hotel which is due to open this summer.
The View from The Shard
The 'loo with a view' on the 68th floor of The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
The 'loo with a view' on the 68th floor of The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. The 'loo with a view' on the 68th floor of The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. Sunrise seen from The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
The View from The Shard
Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 11. The 'loo with a view' on the 68th floor of The Shard in London as the The View from The Shard attraction is due to open to the public.
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows a woman admiring the view of London from the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London. The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows media representatives reporting from the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London. The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows a woman taking pictures of the view of London from the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London . The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows the view of London's Canary Wharf as seen from the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London . The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows people admiring the view of London from the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London . The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Visitors look out from the Shard viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Visitors look out from the Shard viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Visitors look out from the Shard viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: A security guard looks out from the Shard viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: A visitor looks out from the Shard viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: The shadow of the Shard falls over the River Thames and The City of London financial district seen from the Shard's viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: The shadow of the Shard falls over the River Thames and The City of London financial district, as seen from the Shard's viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SHARD-LONDON-SKYLINE
This picture taken on January 9, 2013 shows the view of London as seen from a toilet on the 68th floor of 'The Shard' in central London . The Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper, opens its viewing platform to the public on February 1, giving an unrivalled view of London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic project. The 310-metre (1,017-foot) Shard has been described as too high, too audacious and too likely to cast its shadow over the historic monuments nearby -- and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its £450 million ($727 million, 548 million euros) cost has been financed by Qatar. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS - EMBARGOED UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2013 AT 0001 GMT (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Shard Skyscraper Previews Viewing Platform
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: The shadow of the Shard falls over the River Thames and The City of London financial district seen from the Shard's viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. Standing at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is open to the public from February 1, 2013, with visitors paying 24.95 GBP to enjoy views of London. The 95-storey skycraper, which will be surpassed by the still under construction Mercury City Tower in Moscow as the tallest building in Europe, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was topped out on March 30, 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
PA Picture Review of the Year 2012
File photo dated 30/5/2012 of Sunlight reflects off The Shard in central London as construction continues on the building.
The View from the Shard attraction
A view of St Paul's Cathedral from the new visitor attraction 'The View from the Shard', due to open at the Shard, in south London from February 2013.
Winter weather December 12th
General view of the Shard building as temperatures struggle to reach 2 degrees in the capital, London.
General Views Of Central London
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 17: A general view across London from the Golden Gallery at St Paul's Cathedral towards the River Thames and the Shard on December 17, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Autumn weather October 23rd
The Shard building shrouded in fog, in central London.
Workers Abseil On The Shard
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 02: Workers carry out external maintenance checks on the Shard skyscraper on October 2, 2012 in London. At 309.6 metres tall, the recently completed Shard is the tallest building in Europe. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
London city stock
A general view of the London skyline from Canary Wharf, including The Shard and Tower Bridge.
London city stock
A general view of the The Shard and HMS Belfast from the River Thames.
London city stock
A general view of the London skyline from Canary Wharf, including The Shard Tower Bridge and the Gherkin.
The Shard building is seen reflected in
The Shard building is seen reflected in glass during the 2012 London Olympic Games in London on July 29, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE (Photo credit should read Andrew Cowie/AFP/GettyImages)
Sunset at Tower Bridge
General view of Tower Bridge, carrying the Olympic Rings, and the Shard building (left) at dusk, in central London.
Olympic Route Network Including Games Lanes Come Into Operation
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Commuters walk across London Bridge with The Shard in the background, as the full Olympic road network comes into force on July 25, 2012 in London, England. Special lanes for London 2012 official vehicles have been opened. Fines of £130 will be levied on any driver who uses the lane without permission. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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Huffington Post UK | Posted: 11/01/2013 09:23 GMT | Updated: 11/01/2013 09:23 GMT