The ArcelorMittal Orbit slide in London’s Olympic Park has been completed
The final piece of the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide has been added today, meaning it's ready for action.
The slide, in the Olympic Park in east London, is the longest and tallest tunnel slide in Europe, measuring 178 metres. It comprises of 30 pieces, the last of which was lifted into place today. The giant helter-skelter winds around the ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower 12 times, and circles the tower five times before ending in a 50 metre straight run to the ground.The tower itself stands 114.5 metres above the ground, taller than the Statue of Liberty, which measures 93 metres.
Previously, visitors to the Olympic Park could abseil down the tower, but now there's a quicker (and probably more fun) way to get from top to bottom – it will take just 40 seconds, and users will reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour.
Visitors will be able to use the slide from 24 June onwards, and tickets are already on sale, at £17 a pop for adults hoping to relive childhood fun.
“It’s so exciting that the final piece has been lifted into place," said Peter Tudor, director of visitor studies at London Legacy Development Corporation.
"The slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit will be an incredible experience and yet another reason to visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. I can’t wait until it opens on 24 June.”
The Orbit has been in the works since 2009, when then-London mayor Boris Johnson launched a competition to design a sculpture for the Olympic Park. Queens Park Rangers shareholder Lakshmi Mittal provided sponsorship and all 2,000 tonnes of the steel used to build the structure, with further funding provided by the mayor of London's office and the London Development Agency.
The slide was designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor – who was the architect of the ArcelorMittal Orbit itself – and Carsten Höller, who has "previously designed a number of high-profile slides around the globe", according to a statement.
The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park confirmed that construction of the slide would go ahead last July.