Spinnaker Tower

The Spinnaker Tower stands 170 metres above Portsmouth Harbour, its two sweeping white arcs recalling billowing sails. The tower was chosen by local people in a 1998 poll and opened in 2005 after years of planning and construction delays. Three viewing decks rise one above the other at 100, 105 and 110 metres, with the highest open to the sky. A glass floor on the lowest deck lets visitors look straight down to the harbour below. The tower’s design was inspired by Portsmouth’s long maritime past and the spinnaker sail used on racing yachts. It is one of the tallest accessible structures in the United Kingdom outside London and can be seen from the Isle of Wight and parts of Dorset. The tower has overcome early setbacks, including a malfunctioning lift that once trapped the project manager and his team for an hour and a half. More than 600,000 people visited in its first year, far exceeding expectations for a new landmark. After safety concerns about disabled access were raised, staff were trained to use evacuation chairs for anyone unable to climb the 570 steps. In 2009 the operators won permission for a freefall ride, which opened to the public in 2018. The tower has also featured in BBC and ITV news titles, becoming a recognised symbol of southern England. Visitors find three levels of viewing space linked by lifts and stairs. The middle deck offers wide windows at head height, while the top deck’s open roof exposes them to wind and weather. On clear days the view stretches 37 kilometres across Portsmouth Harbour and Langstone Harbour. The glass floor on the first deck gives a direct view of ships and the water far below. The tower’s white arcs frame the city’s skyline and the distant hills of the South Downs. Inside, the sweep of the structure and the changing light on the metal create a sense of being aboard a great ship.