Sydney Tower, Sydney (must see)

Sydney Tower, also known as the Sydney Tower Eye, is the tallest structure in Sydney and one of the city’s most distinctive modern landmarks. Rising 309 metres above street level from the Centrepoint complex on Market Street, it dominates the skyline of the central business district.

Designed by Australian architect Donald Crone, construction began in 1975 and was completed in 1981, reflecting the city’s growth and architectural ambition during the late 20th century. The tower’s slender central shaft supports a golden turret that houses the observation decks, restaurants, and communication facilities, creating both a functional and symbolic focal point for the city.

The tower’s reinforced concrete core is anchored deep into Sydney’s sandstone bedrock, enabling it to withstand winds of up to 172 kilometres per hour and minor seismic activity. During an earthquake, the tower has been recorded to sway by as much as 30 centimetres, well within its design limits.

The enclosed Sydney Tower Eye observation deck sits 250 metres above ground, offering panoramic 360-degree views across Sydney Harbour, the Blue Mountains, and the Pacific coastline. Above it, the SKYWALK, at 268 metres, provides an open-air experience where visitors step out onto glass platforms while securely harnessed to admire the city from one of its highest points.

Within the turret, the tower features two revolving dining venues—a fine-dining restaurant and a buffet restaurant—that complete a full rotation roughly every 70 to 90 minutes. High-speed lifts transport visitors to the top in under a minute, while the tower’s illumination at night has become an integral feature of Sydney’s skyline, often changing colour to mark cultural events and celebrations. Combining architectural innovation, precise engineering, and sweeping views, Sydney Tower remains a defining symbol of the city’s vertical growth and contemporary identity.