Harbin's iconic Dragon Tower, once Asia's tallest steel structure, has been renewed with high-tech facilities to capture young people and family markets.
The landmark in the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in the northeast has rolled out a new suite of projects this summer, including extreme sports, tech-driven entertainment, and high-end dining, effectively breaking out of its two-decade reliance on routine static sightseeing.
The centerpiece of all entertainment project is an outdoor festival, featuring a "720-degree capsule cinema," which operators describe as the only fully enclosed, three-dimensional mobile viewing simulator in China.
Designed as an immersive space exploration ride, the high-tech attraction allows visitors to experience rapid seasonal shifts, deep space simulations, and underwater expeditions.
"It used to be the elderly folks taking us here to have some photos. Now, I want to bring my own child to experience modern things like VR and robotic dogs. It's a great place to take kids around during the summer vacation," said Cheng Lu, a visitor.
The new projects aim to go beyond the tower's legacy reputation as a static sightseeing monument. By blending frontier technology with live performances and an outdoor night market, the landmark has successfully drawn in young people and family visitors.
To upgrade its exterior experience, the tower introduced a 120-meter-high, glass-bottomed circular walkway where visitors use safety harnesses to get a 360-degree view of the city. Dubbed the "Cloud Walk," the attraction has gone viral, generating over 50 million views on social media.
The landmark has also integrated sightseeing, dining, and leisure. Its revolving restaurant at 186 meters launched a new seasonal menu, following a high-altitude matchmaking event in May and a sports-lottery festival in June.
Old Harbin landmark tower renewed with high tech
