Blackpool Tower

Rising 158 metres above the Lancashire coastline, Blackpool Tower was inaugurated on 14 May 1894 and was at that moment the tallest structure in the United Kingdom. Its designer, James Maxwell, drew explicit inspiration from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, resulting in a steel lattice silhouette that became instantly iconic. Listed as a Grade I structure, the tower is far more than an observation platform: its Victorian base building houses an ornate ballroom dating from the original fit-out, a circus ring, and assorted entertainment venues that have operated almost continuously since opening. Visitors access three observation decks at 116, 125, and 131 metres, including a glass-floor section, with clear-day views stretching across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man.