ArcelorMittal Orbit
Enjoy a spectacular view of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the London skyline and take a breathtaking ride down the world's tallest slide from the top of the ArcelorMittal Orbit
Designed and constructed for the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is a unique monument and sculpture that is an Olympic legacy landmark and one of the city's newest tourist attractions. In addition it now boasts the tallest and longest tunnel slide in the world — a thrilling ride that corkscrews from the top of the tower to the park below.
Located in what is now Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park the ArcelorMittal Orbit is a 376 foot tall artistic monument engineered and sculpted with steel tubing. It is the tallest sculpture in the United Kingdom. The tower, which was to be a symbol and legacy of the 2012 Summer Olympics, was built according to a winning design by the renowned artist Sir Anish Kapoor and engineer Cecil Balmond. Inspite of some controversy, due to the economic recession at the time of construction, this unusual and gigantic work of art was completed in time for the Olympics. After the Olympic Games it was closed to visitors while work was done to convert the surrounding park area to its post olympic state. The Orbit reopened in April of 2014 as a permanant tourist attraction.
Visitors to the park can not only view this unique structure from the park, but for a fee they can go to one of the two indoor viewing platforms near the top and enjoy a panoramic view of the park and beyond. It is a good idea to pre-book your tickets online to avoid long line-ups and make sure you can get in.
To add excitement, for an additional fee you can enjoy a thrilling 40 second slide at speeds up to 25 kph down the tower's newly opened feature, the tallest, longest tunnel slide on the planet. This exciting slide corkscrews down the tower, first in one direction, then abruptly changing to the opposite direction, all the while alternating between clear sections and complete darkness.
Of course, if you prefer you can enjoy the far more leisurely 12 minute descent down the spiral staircase.
About 2000 tons of tubular steel was used in the construction of the ArcelorMittal Orbit. The 2 viewing platforms near the top each have a capacity of about 150 people. The centre, or 'trunk' of the tower contains an elevator and is wrapped with a spiral staircase that has 455 steps. According to Kapoor one of the things that influenced the design was the Tower of Babel and Balmond envisioned the orbit of an electron. Either way, the end result is definitely a unique design that many like and many do not, but whichever camp you fall into, you can always enjoy the great view from the top.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes.ArcelorMittal Orbit Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 5 Thornton St, London E20 2AD, UK
Phone: 01248 601444
Official Website: ArcelorMittal Orbit
ArcelorMittal Orbit Reviews
Rated out of 5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
I visited the ArcelorMittal Orbit on the afternoon of November 2nd, and it was absolutely amazing! The view from the top is breathtaking — honestly one of the best places to visit in London for photographers. The environment was spotless, and even the background music was so tasteful that it made the whole experience feel relaxing and elegant. I ended up staying until they closed because I just didn’t want to leave! The staff were all incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made the visit even better. I’ll definitely be coming back next time with my friends — highly recommended!
Cire Zhu (Cire) - a month ago
I had an amazing experience at Helix Zip World London. The whole attraction looks incredible and is really well put together. You can choose to walk up to the top or take the lift, which is great for different levels of comfort.
The staff were friendly, helpful and easy to talk to, which made everything feel relaxed and safe. There are lockers available too, so you can store your things and even film your experience without worrying about your belongings.
Overall, it’s a brilliant activity and definitely worth doing. I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting London – I’d happily go again!
Cameron Norman - a month ago
There was no wait for the slide, the actual experience is self service you walk into the area with the slide and you watch a video that is placed above some boxes telling you to put on your head and arm protection then walk over to the slide where staff put down a mat for you and explain you have to push yourself down. The slide is really fast and definitely an adrenaline rush. The view from the top is beautiful, you can take the stairs up or down if you're brave enough and will get a view during your journey. Locker tokens are provided free of charge and are multi use so can go back and leave/take things out when you want. Definitely recommend.
Tanya Helen - 2 months ago
Lovely views and great fun riding the slide down! It’s fast and does throw you about a little - hence the helmet no arm pads! Over too quick - would benefit from allowing a 2 or 3 slides cheaper package?
David Anderson - 5 months ago
A beautiful structural design at Stratford, London; it has a great view, a symbol of London's pride. Hope everyone will enjoy visiting the place. The place is #accesible, a toilet is near by but it's open for a short time during the day time.
Abdullah Al Mamun - a month ago
Directions
| Underground | Overground Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Central, Jubilee or London Overground | Stratford | 13 Minutes |
How to get to ArcelorMittal Orbit by Underground | Overground
From Stratford Station take the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park exit. At Westfield Stratford City take escalator, stairs or lift up to the outside pedestrian overpass and follow it across the road and through the outdoor shopping and restaurant mall and take the 2nd left at the Holiday Inn to the park entrance. Make your way through the park to the ArcelorMittal Orbit.
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Photo Gallery
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ArcelorMittal Orbit and Olympic Stadium cc licensed photo by David Jones -
Construction and design details cc licensed photo by Danny Nicholson -
ArcelorMittal Orbit viewing platforms at night cc licensed photo by James Mitchell -
Looking down on the new ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide Photo © ArcelorMittal Orbit -
Looking up at the twists and turns of the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide Photo © ArcelorMittal Orbit -
Riding the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide Photo © ArcelorMittal Orbit -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: 35mmMan - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors - cc license via Flickr
