London's Popular Tourist Attraction: ArcelorMittal Orbit

The Tokyo Olympics are in full swing, and the attraction that The London Pass recommends today is also related to the Olympics. It is the ArcelorMittal Orbit — one of the landmark buildings of the 2012 London Olympic venues.

With a height of 114.5 meters, the tower is "twisted" from 1,500 tons of steel. Standing next to the main stadium "London Bowl", it has been a highly anticipated and popular London attraction since its debut at the 2012 London Olympics.

As a new member of London's iconic skyline, the ArcelorMittal Orbit was designed by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. Its magnificent spiral structure is a milestone in architectural design, not only embodying a unique postmodern aesthetic and offering panoramic views over the entire Olympic Park, but also serving as a constant reminder that the inclusive spirit of the 2012 London Olympics lives on.

In the tower's welcome gallery, visitors can learn more about the construction process of the Olympic Park through images, sound effects, and introductory films.

Ascending the two observation decks at 76 meters and 80 meters, you can overlook the Olympic venues where athletes have continuously created and broken world records, and admire the iconic city skyline, including The Shard, the Gherkin, Big Ben, the BT Tower, Canary Wharf, the Walkie-Talkie Tower, the Cheesegrater (Leadenhall Building), and The O2 Arena, among others.

If you're brave enough, you can also ride the world's tallest and longest tunnel slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit for an adrenaline-pumping thrill! This hugely popular slide, designed by Carsten Höller, takes 40 seconds to descend to the ground, passing through 12 loops, with spins, twists, and drops along the way.

If you prefer a calmer way down, you can simply walk down the 455 steps along the tower, enjoying the ambient sounds of the Soundscape background music, which includes echoes of London and even church bells — peaceful and leisurely.

● The ArcelorMittal Orbit is London's tallest sculpture building. From the observation deck, you can enjoy a panoramic view across East London and the entire city.

● The structure is built with over 35,000 bolts and enough steel to make 265 double-decker buses. The height of the tower's top is equivalent to 954 stacked drinks cans.

● 60% of the tower's steel is made from recycled washing machines and second-hand cars.

● The tower received over 130,000 visitors during the Olympics.

Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2AD

Opening hours: Friday to Monday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Admission: £17.50, free with The London Pass.