The Shard, London 9 Mar 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/Moment/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A rainbow that’s worth the rainfall
9 Mar 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
9 Mar 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Stars in daylight
18 Jun 2024Snæfellsnes, Iceland
Castle in the sky
Stop and smell the Sakura
4 May 2024Brighton Festival
23 Oct 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
5 Mar 2025Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
31 Jul 2025Kalalau Beach on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii, United States
4 Aug 2025Great grey owls in their nest, Finland
28 Nov 2025Val Brandet, Corteno Golgi, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
10 Jul 2024Collared aracari
A rainbow that’s worth the rainfall
Fly me to the moon
20 Jan 2026Penguin Awareness Day
8 Oct 2025World Octopus Day
24 Feb 2024Almond trees in full bloom, California, USA
30 Oct 2024Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Her legend and mystery endure
1 May 2024Lei Day
14 Nov 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Look up, incoming…
Giants of the Southern Ocean
Eagles assemble!
21 Apr 2024London Marathon
Aug 21, 2023Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
The worlds most exclusive beach?
11 Jan 2025Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco
Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022)
10 Mar 2024Mothering Sunday
11 Nov 2025Externsteine in the Teutoburg Forest, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany