The Shard, London, England Apr 6, 2025

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 28, 2025Taktsang Palphug Monastery, Bhutan
Nov 26, 2025Olive orchard in the Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Mar 8, 2024Iguazú Falls, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Aug 1, 2025Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct 5, 2023Gentoo penguins, Antarctica
May 24, 2025Jotunheimen National Park in Norway
Nov 26, 2023Fallow deer in Bradgate Park, England
Apr 19, 2025Zion National Park, Utah, United States
Mar 21, 2024Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Dec 4, 2023Cheetah and her cubs
Jul 8, 2024Blueberries growing in the wild
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Sep 12, 2024Dolphin pod near Réunion island
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Jul 21, 2024Kendwa village, Zanzibar, Tanzania
May 4, 2024The ruins of an ancient monastery, Skellig Michael, Ireland
Sep 14, 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
Apr 17, 2024Black bear cub emerges into spring
Nov 30, 2025Christmas market in Leipzig, Germany
Apr 24, 2024White trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Dec 15, 2023SantaPark, Lapland, Finland
Dec 27, 2025Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States
Apr 10, 2024Burrowing owl chicks, Wyoming, USA
Jan 21, 2026Eurasian red squirrel
Oct 12, 2023Palouse region, Idaho, USA
Dec 4, 2025Cheetah in Maasai Mara
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Oct 14, 2023Ring of fire solar eclipse