New York celebrates the opening of the observation deck of the World Trade Center

If you happen to suffer from vertigo, you may want to cling on tightly to the hand rails when you visit the new observation deck of the new World Trade Centre in New York, USA. 

Dubbed the One World Observatory, the observation deck actually spans across the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors of the One World Trade Center. It will be open to the public on 29 May. Offering awesome 360-degree views of New York, visitors will be able to see the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and New Jersey. 

One World Trade Center was built on the site of buildings destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also known as the Freedom Tower, it is the tallest office building in the Western hemisphere.

But the One World Observatory is more than just fantastic views. There is a slew of technology working together to give the visitor a totally unforgettable experience.

The elevator -- one of the quickest in the world – will whisk you to the 102nd floor in just 47 seconds. During the ride, a time-lapse video recreating the development of New York City's skyline from 1600s to present day is played on huge floor-to-ceiling screens.

Visitors who are not afraid of heights can also step out onto the sky portal -- a round video platform that shows an actual livestream of the streets straight down.

If heights make you queasy, you can hang around the restaurant, the grill and the café on the 101st floor, which also has a place to have photographs taken against the backdrop.

However, if you think that you can escape the city’s hustle and bustle by viewing it from above at the One World Observatory, you’d better think again. The observation deck expects to receive 3 to 4 million visitors a year! Already, some 350,000 tickets, which go for US$26-32 (S$34-40), have either been sold or reserved.

(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)