Europe's tallest building officially opened in London on Thursday, with its tapered design and glass panelling already having made the skyscraper one of the capital's most iconic landmarks.

Just yards from the banks of the River Thames in Southwark, the 1,016ft building has been designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and will contain offices, a luxury hotel, restaurants and a viewing gallery across 72 occupiable floors.

There are a further 15 levels which make up the "spire" - six of which have the potential to be used, with another nine exposed to the elements.

The Shard's tenure at the top of the European height chart is likely to be short-lived, as the 1,089ft Mercury City Tower in Russia is set to be completed by the end of the year.