Taipei 101 - An Engineering Marvel

Formerly known as Taipei World Financial Center, Taipei 101 is an engineering marvel.

The building was the world's tallest in 2004 until it  was overshadowed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2009. It has 101 floors. It was awarded the LEED platinum certification in 2011, which is the highest award according to the  Leadership in energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. It is the tallest and largest green building in the world. It is designed and built to withstand the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors that are common in the area east of Taiwan.

It holds Guinness World Record for having the fastest elevator going from the 5th floor to the 89th  in 37 seconds.
 

The indoor observatory is located at the 89th floor where one can have an unobstructed view of the city in all directions. There are refreshment, souvenir shops, and photography services available.

jar made of jade at the jade souvenir shop

A huge tuned mass damper is located at the 88th floor. The damper is suspended within the building which will offset the force of winds and help 101 stand upright.

how a damper works

An outdoor observatory is located at the 91st floor and can be accessed via stairs from the 89th floor. It is well fenced to prevent any accidental fall.

At the basement of 101 is a market place and the famous Din Tai Fung restaurant. The market place has a supermarket and food court. 

 Should you want to sample the famous xiao long bao, be early to line up at DTF . Otherwise, the line gets long at lunchtime.

How to get to Taipei 101:
Take the MRT red line going to Xiangshan and alight at Taipei 101 station.
Tickets are available at the 5th floor of the mall for NTD600 for adult, NTD540 for student with ID and free for children under 115cm.
Reserve your ticket online to get a discount and avoid long lines.

You may be interested in:
Yehliu-Juifen-Shifen Day Tour