The Shard, London, England Apr 6, 2025

The Shard, London, England

London"s skyline has had its fair share of famous landmarks, but none quite like The Shard. Rising 310 metres above England"s capital, this glass-clad giant is not just the tallest building in the United Kingdom but also a symbol of modern London. It was designed by Renzo Piano, an Italian architect known for making a statement with high-tech, lightweight and functional designs. Inspired by church spires and ship masts, he envisioned a sleek, tapering structure that would reflect the changing sky. Construction began in 2009 and by 2012, it had officially claimed its title as Western Europe"s tallest skyscraper.

© Dennis Fischer Photography/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 6, 2024Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Apr 6, 2026Hirosaki Castle with cherry blossoms, Hirosaki, Japan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 23, 2024Two red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
Sep 5, 2023Mount Segla, Senja Island, Norway
Aug 12, 2024African elephants, Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Feb 10, 2026Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, Ibiza, Spain
Oct 20, 2024Three-toed sloth in Costa Rica
Sep 17, 2025A young bull moose
Jun 4, 2025Moritzburg Castle, Saxony, Germany
Jul 26, 2025Mangrove trees, Walakiri Beach, island of Sumba, Indonesia
Aug 15, 2024Hang Sơn Đoòng, Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Vietnam
May 24, 2025Jotunheimen National Park in Norway
Nov 5, 2024Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Oct 18, 2025Silbury Hill, Wiltshire, England
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Mar 4, 2026Purple crocus flowers, Seven Rila Lakes, Bulgaria
Aug 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
May 13, 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
Apr 26, 2025Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario, Canada
Apr 3, 2025Saguaro National Park, Arizona, United State
Mar 11, 2024Koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree
Mar 19, 2024Tree frog on leaf
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Dec 19, 2023Cachoeira da Fumacinha, Bahia, Brazil
Mar 28, 2024Cherry blossoms in Shanghai, China
May 31, 2025Knuthöjdsmossen nature reserve, Sweden
Jun 28, 2024Chausey Islands
Sep 21, 2025Sea otters, Alaska
Oct 3, 2023Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Aug 13, 2025Corona Arch near Moab, Utah, United States