THE LEDGE

The Sears Tower in Chicago opened its new set of glass balconies for public viewing. “The Ledge,” as they’re collectively called, hangs 1,353 ft in the air. With transparent walls and ceilings, visitors say its like floating in the sky, and the view is, of course, spectacular. Apparently the glass floor can withstand five tons, but just to be safe, jumping up and down is probably not advised.


The idea came from the hundreds of forehead prints left on windows at the top of the tower which attracts 1.3 million visitors each year. A spokesperson for Sears Tower said: "Visitors are constantly trying to catch a glimpse below. Now they have a unique and unobstructed view of the city. The balconies provide unobstructed views of miniature-looking people, taxis and bridges from glass floors 1,353 ft over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River."

Original Sears Tower architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill were called in to design the new feature which retracts into the building to allow easy access for cleaning and maintenance. There is no extra charge for The Ledge, although the charge for Skydeck admission increased a dollar to $14.95 for those ages 12 and older, the first increase in two years; admission for those ages 3 to 11 is $10.50.

Sears Tower stands at 108 storeys and 442 m and was the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1973.

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