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London's Tallest Building Officially Unveiled

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The tallest skyscraper in the EU has been officially unveiled in central London.

A spectacular light and laser show has marked the formal inauguration of the Shard, a gleaming feat of glass and gravity-defying engineering that stands at 309.6 metres high and now dominates the capital's skyline.

A combination of 12 lasers and 30 searchlights lit up the night sky from the 95 storey building, which towers over existing landmarks such as 30 St Mary Axe - "the Gherkin" - and One Canada Square.

The display was accompanied by live music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra and came after a ceremony attended by Qatar's prime minister and the Duke of York.

Rising from the depths of the economic downturn, thanks to an almighty investment from Qatar, the skyscraper has been £1.5bn and 12 years in the making.

First sketched on the back of a restaurant menu in Berlin in 2000, the designs received planning approval in 2003, but securing the finances took significantly longer.

Funding stalled during the credit crunch, until Qatar intervened in 2009, taking on 95% of the investment.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al Thani, the governor of Qatar Central Bank and chairman of the board of directors of Shard Funding Ltd, said: "The Shard is the newest London landmark and a beacon of the city of London's resilience and expansion, even during tough economic times."

"It is a symbol of Qatar's belief and commitment to London both today and in the future."

However, the skyscraper's office space has yet to be occupied - it will open with 26 floors vacant, although the developers say they are in discussion with a number of companies to fill them.


Read more at Sky...