The view
Designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond for the 2012 Olympics, the Orbit is a looping tangle of tubular red steel wrapped around twin observation decks. Lifts rise in about 34 seconds to the 80 m platform, where windows and an open-air upper level give views up to 20 miles on a clear day.
Two giant concave mirrors inside distort the view in classic Kapoor fashion. The descent option is Carsten Höller's enclosed slide, which spirals 178 m down the outside of the tower in about 40 seconds.
How to get there
Stratford station (Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth line, DLR, Overground and National Rail) and Stratford International are each a walk through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; the Orbit stands beside the London Stadium.
Height of the viewpoint
Upper viewing platform at 80 m with a lower gallery at 76 m. Total sculpture height 114.5 m (376 ft) — Britain's tallest sculpture.
