Sky Tower, Television tower in Auckland, New Zealand
The Sky Tower is a television and observation tower in Auckland reaching 328 meters (1076 feet) high, featuring three viewing platforms that offer sightlines extending up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) across the city and its surroundings. The structure serves both as a broadcasting facility and a tourist destination, with a restaurant and café positioned at different heights within the tower.
The tower was built for the SkyCity casino precinct, with Fletcher Construction as builder and design by Gordon Moller of Craig Craig Moller Architects; project architect was Les Dykstra. An earlier scheme would have clad it in stainless steel, dropped over cost, and a first proposal on Upper Symonds St in Eden Terrace was rejected over viewshaft issues. Construction took two years and nine months, and the tower opened on 3 August 1997.
The tower's name comes from SkyCity, the casino complex of which it is part, not from any word for heaven. At New Year it hosts televised fireworks and light shows; the 2025 display fired from three platforms at 360 degrees and was the highest firework display in the Southern Hemisphere.
Four elevators carry visitors up to the different levels, with the ride taking about 40 seconds and the viewing platforms offering the clearest views on calm days. Those comfortable with heights can walk across the glass floor sections on one of the levels, while the restaurant rotates slowly to provide a full circle of views.
The structure features sections of 38-millimeter (1.5-inch) thick glass set into the floor of one platform, allowing a direct downward view from 186 meters (610 feet) above ground. These transparent panels challenge many visitors because they reveal an unobstructed view of the ground far below.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,049 contributors worldwide.
