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London’s Most Iconic Skyscrapers

London is a city of icons- the people, the places, the buildings; they all add up to equal one of the greatest cities on the face of the Earth.

If you have booked a room at the The J Hyde Park Hotel, the best accommodation near Paddington Station London, then you are in a perfect position to explore the city and see some of these incredible landmarks.

At nearly 2,000 years old it would be fair to say that there is a pretty incredible mix of old and new buildings in London, but it’s the skyscrapers that have made the biggest difference to the capital’s skyline in the last 100 years.

Britain takes real pride in these structures, and for good reason. We don’t seem to follow the traditional rules for grey, squared off office buildings, instead opting to think outside the box leading to an incredibly striking skyline.

Let’s take a look at the most Iconic Skyscrapers in London.

The Gherkin

The Gherkin is surely one of the city’s most recognisable buildings. Its unique shape stands above many of the buildings in the city- but it’s not even close to being the tallest.

At 180 metres tall it is actually only the 19th tallest building in London, but it is pretty much recognised by everyone as a true icon of the city.

Used mainly as offices, this building opened in 2004 actually uses half the energy of buildings of around the same size, thanks to super advanced green technology. Its round shape is supposed to maximise the office space inside- and it looks super cool.

To get here from your hotels near Queensway Station London simply make your way to Paddington and hop on the Elizabeth Line. Simple. 

The Cheese Grater

Otherwise known as The Leadenhall Building, this intriguing sculpture-like skyscraper appeared on the scene in 2014. Its unique shape is supposed to stop it from spoiling the view from the nearby St. Paul’s Cathedral, with its diagonal side allowing St. Pauls a wider view of the city.

Quickly regarded as a great piece of architecture, and a welcomed addition to the sky line of the city, this office building stands at an impressive 225 metres.  

The Shard

The Shard is one of the most popular buildings on the skyline, and was the tallest in Europe until pipped by a tower in Moscow. This modern glass spike pierces the clouds, well above the city, and is one of the most striking buildings in the world.

Standing tall at an amazing 310 metres, this building houses a few luxury apartments, a large amount of offices and of course, an incredlbe 360°viewing platform with a restaurant and bar. A pretty impressive place to have a memorable meal!   

One Canada Square

This is one of London’s most recognizable, but least interesting buildings. Pretty much a standard tower shape, albeit with a nice navy coloured pyramid cap. Easily the tallest building in the Canary Wharf business district, this behemoth can be seen from miles around.

It houses a flashing aircraft warning light atop its peak, even though there are much taller structures now, and is mostly made up of offices, with a few retail spaces down below.

So there you have it, the most iconic buildings to grace London’s skyline. All are super easy to enjoy from your centrally located hotels near Bayswater, so it’s up to you to get a snap of each one!