14 Scary (But Amazing!) Observation Decks and Viewing Platforms (PHOTOS)

(MORE: Vertigo-Inducing Attractions of the World)

1. British Airways i360, Brighton, England

The world's tallest moving observation tower, the British Airways i360 is located in the seaside resort town of Brighton, England and opened to the public on August 4, 2016. Designed by the team responsible for the London Eye, the 531-foot-tall tower features a glass-viewing pod that brings 200 guests up 400 feet above the ground for spectacular panoramic views of Brighton, the South Downs and the English Channel. A trip on the i360, which is also the world's first vertical cable car and the Guinness World Record-holder for the world’s most slender tower, lasts 20-30 minutes.

2. Longgang Scenic Spot Viewing Platform, China

Opened in May 2015, the horseshoe-shaped viewing platform at Longgang Scenic Spot extends 88 feet from a mountaintop in China’s southwestern Chongqing region. The platform features a glass floor which offers a view of the terrifying sheer drop 2,355 feet down, according to Shanghaist.

3. Aurland Lookout, Aurland, Norway

Architects Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhemlsen designed the Aurland Lookout as part of a national program on "tourist routes" (scenic highways) commissioned by the Norwegian Highway Department, according to the Saunders Architecture website. The design for the wooden viewing platform followed the architects' principle of "nature first, architecture second." Taking advantage of the beautiful landscape, the 98-foot-long lookout reaches out over one of the most spectacular fjords in western Norway, according to Fast Company. Its sloping form gives the illusion of plunging into the landscape, with only a thin (but very safe) pane of glass to protect visitors from falling off the edge.

4. AlpspiX Platform, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Protruding from the top of Mount Osterfelderkopf in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the AlpspiX platform opened to the public in July 2010 amidst "rapturous applause," according to World Architecture News. And it is indeed impressive. The platform hovers over a 3,280-feet drop into the Höllental Valley and offers stunning views of the German Alps. The structure consists of two 40ft criss-crossing steel platforms, and glass walls at the end of each arm. Each arm of the ‘X’ is about 9ft wide and formed of a grid, which will allow snow to pass through it during winter, according to the Daily Mail.

5. Iguazu Falls Viewing Platforms, Brazil

A majestic waterfall system of the Iguazu River on the border of Brazilian state Paraná and Argentine province Misiones, the Iguazu Falls actually consist of 200 separate waterfalls, strung along 230-foot-high cliffs on both sides of a narrow gorge, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The falls are shared by the Iguazú National Park (Argentina) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil), which means there are more ways to enjoy the breathtaking views. There are boat tours available but the parks also have extensive systems of walkways and viewing platforms that offer different views. Some take you so close to the falls, you'll actually get drenched from the spray of the crashing water.

6. Five Fingers Platform, Dachstein Mountains, Austria

A free viewing platform on the Krippenstein Mountain in Austria, the Five Fingers platform got its name from its unique hand-like shape. Often called "the most spectacular viewing platform in the Alps," the Five Fingers reaches out like a hand 1300 feet over Hallstatt, the Hallstättersee lake and the inner Salzkammergut region, according to the official Dachstein in Salzkammergut website. Each "finger platform" is about 12 feet long, one features a glass bottom, another features a "hole" in the floor that offers a free view of the drop. One of the most popular finger platforms is the first (from left), which features a Baroque-style picture frame so visitors can take a "framed" photo of themselves. Five Fingers is illuminated until midnight and is visible from the towns of Hallstatt and Obertraun.

7. OBC Skyway, Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Located in Singapore's Marina Bay, the Gardens by the Bay is a 101-hectare hoticultural heaven with lush flower displays, an indoor Cloud Forest, and 16-story high vertical gardens in its "Supertree Grove." These gardens feature large canopies that operate as temperature moderators, absorbing and dispersing heat, as well as providing shade from Singapore's hot climate, according to CNN. At night, the gardens come alive with music and a light display. But these gardens also provide some of the most breathtaking views via its Skyway—a 400ft long walkway that links the two largest Supertrees.

The Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge that stretches out over the canyon's edge, offers one of the most spectacular views of one of the greatest wonders of the world. Unveiled in 2007, the Skywalk's transparent floor allows visitors a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below. According to the book, Grand Canyon by Kathleen Bryant, the Skywalk's foundation can support the equivalent of 71 loaded Boeing 747 aircraft or an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles.

9. Trauttmansdorff Viewing Platform, Merano, Italy

Located in the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle in Merano, this binoculars-shaped viewing platform was designed by architect Matteo Thun in 2005. According to Thun, its shape and transparency "give the feeling of being suspended in mid-air." The platform hovers from the mountainside, over the Trauttmandsdorff gardens, and offers impressive views of Merano and the surrounding mountains.

10. Glass Ledge, Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois

Ever wondered what it feels like to be suspended in a glass box 1,353 feet up over Chicago? Then visit the Ledge at the Willis Tower's Skydeck. Unveiled in 2009, the inspiration for the Ledge came from hundreds of forehead prints visitors left behind on Skydeck windows every week, according to Skydeck's official website. Is Ferris Buelller's Day Off to blame, perhaps?  The four glass balconies of the Ledge extend 4.3 feet from the 103rd floor Skydeck, and each structure has a 10,000-pound capacity. They are mounted on tracks that allow them to be pulled inside for maintenance, according to the New York Times.

11. Globen SkyView, Stockholm, Sweden

At the Ericsson Globe, visitors can travel up the globe inside of a globe.  The circular glass gondolas, which were designed by ski lift builders in Sweden, can transport 16 people up the exterior of the Ericsson Globe, giving its passengers an incredible view of Stockholm, according to Stockholm Globe Arenas. The two rails on the globe travel up 426 feet and back in 20 minutes.

12. Top of Tyrol, Stubai Glacier, Austria

Top of the world? Almost. Located on the 10,000ft-high summit of the Stubai Glacier,  the platform offers amazing 360 panoramic views of seemingly infinite, perfect ice and the 103 peaks of the Stubai mountain world. Suspended almost 20 feet over the precipice, the steel structure was anchored into the rock, about 320 feet from the top station of a cable car. 

13. Sky Garden, London, England

The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street spans three floors and offers uninterrupted views across the City of London. Here, visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open air terrace of what is London’s highest public garden, according to its official website. The gardens are dominated by drought-resistant Mediterranean and South African species, and individual plants have been chosen to work in harmony with the particular quality of light found under the roof canopy.

14. Clingmans Dome Observation Deck, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

Clingmans Dome, at 6,643 feet, is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the highest point in Tennessee, according to the National Park Service. So it's no surprise that the observation tower, located on the summit of the dome, offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Smokies and beyond. But getting to the tower is not a piece of cake. Visitors have to walk the steep half-mile trail that leads to the tower at the top. 

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