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
Apr 6, 2026Hirosaki Castle with cherry blossoms, Hirosaki, Japan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jun 19, 2024Water tower in Cuxhaven, Germany
Apr 22, 2025Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
Apr 15, 2024Château de Chambord, France
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Sep 25, 2023Sea otter, Glacier Bay, Alaska
Sep 28, 2025Town of Pienza in Tuscany, Italy
Jan 19, 2026Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Dec 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Feb 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, United States
Jun 3, 2024Bicycles in Copenhagen, Denmark
Dec 1, 2025Natural arch carved in an iceberg, Antarctica
Sep 1, 2023Turkey tail mushroom
Nov 16, 2024Wadden Sea coast, Friesland, Netherlands
Nov 16, 2025A traboule in Lyon, France
Jun 11, 2024A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana, USA
Mar 19, 2026Short-beaked echidna, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
Feb 29, 2024Eurasian red squirrel
May 2, 2024Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA
Jan 18, 2026White Sands National Park, New Mexico, United States
Jul 25, 2024Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Feb 3, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Sep 17, 2025A young bull moose
Nov 24, 2023Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Nov 9, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Feb 11, 2026Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Mar 21, 2024Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Dec 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France