Sydney Tower

Each year an event called the "Tour Run Up" has runners scale the 1312 steps (1504 total) to the top. They start at the podium level (30m up) and run 94 flights of stairs with 13 steps each. Record is 6 minutes, 52 seconds set in 1998.

The tip of the Tower is 320 metres above sea level.

Eight-floor turret, "golden basket", has 420 windows.

To the top of the turret roof is 275 metres.

The lengthy 7-year construction period was chiefly due to work stoppages, yet the project was on budget at $26 million.

Called Sydney Tower during design and construction, opened as Centrepoint Tower, then renamed AMP Tower in 1998.

AMP Tower was sold in mid 2002 and now owned by Westfields PTY LTD. A lightning rod was added to the top of spire in 1998 which extended its overall height to 309m (327m above sea level).

During the tower's construction, the turret (which was constructed at the base of the shaft), was raised up the shaft in increments as the shaft grew ever higher.

The shaft itself is constructed from 46 pre-cast units, each of which weighs 27 tonnes.

The tower is robust enough to withstand very strong winds and earthquakes and is stabilised by 56 cables which if laid end-to-end would stretch from Sydney to New Zealand.

Ascent of the tower is achieved by 3 high speed double deck elevators which complete the trip in around 40 seconds.

The turret has a capacity of 960 people with two restaurant levels, two telecommunications floors, three plant floors and an observation deck.

The tower's windows are cleaned by machinery which recycles the cleaning water.

The AMP Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.