Sunsphere

WOW!
The Sunsphere is located in World’s Fair Park, just minutes from downtown Knoxville. It was erected in 1982 in honor of the World’s Fair that was hosted by the city. It is a very tall structure (266 ft), that provides spectacular panoramic views of the city. At various points there are descriptive markers identifying landmarks and points of interest. It should be a primary destination for every traveler in the city.
While at the site, we noticed that they also have a restaurant on the upper level but it is closed on Mondays. This restaurant will be tops on our list for our next visit to the city because we can only imagine how beautiful the view is at night!
Yes, you definitely need to add this site to your list of things to see while in Knoxville!

Amazing! From the structure of the building to each and every single meticulous detail. We cannot wait to come back and go up to the observatory deck once more.

The panoramic view is astounding. The tower has a bar that’s open at night as well. The viewing deck has facts about Knoxville and the World Fair, for which the sunsphere was built.
Would I recommend this?
If you’re in the area, yes, if nothing just for the view

An icon of the 1982 World’s Fair, the Sunsphere is an amazing place to see all of the downtown Knoxville. If you’re afraid of heights, just remember the floor is right beneath your feet!
The Sunsphere is located right at the edge of downtown, so it’s pretty easy to get to. Of course, an elevator takes you up to the Observation Deck where you can walk around the entire perimeter and enjoy views of the city. This is really a stunning view day or night, so try one of each.
TIP: If you’re legitimately afraid of heights, here are a few things to keep in mind: the Sunsphere is rock solid and does not sway in the wind at all, the Observation Deck is is a ring around the edge, but it’s about 6′ wide so you can stay next to the wall if you don’t want to get near the edge, and the elevator is solid.

Welcome to Knoxville! This is a great intro to the city. While parking is a bit of a difficult think to find, and requires a bit of a walk if you decide not to get paid parking, I felt this was a worth venture. Short in nature, but absolutely awe-​inspiring to see a 360 view of Knoxville. While I have only seen a winter view, I’m sure the other seasons are even better! There’s a nightclub on the floor above the observation deck that I want to try, but even for just 15 minutes, it’s great to view the city, then walk around the park and nearby to check the local scene. This building inspired me to one day, explore more of Knoxville. Cheers!

If this was located in any other city it would have cost $ 5 or more; this is totally free! The observation deck is on the 4^th floor, there is a club on the 5^th floor (unltra lounge) and the top floors are rented out as office space! We went at night (to the observation deck). DON’T GO AT NIGHTIME! Because of the bright lighting and the glowing information screens placed all around the sphere you can’t see the skylight or out of the window for that matter. Maybe there’s a better view from the 5^th floor since most lounges/​clubs are dark. Just come before the sun sets!

While on our Urban Hiking day in Knoxville… we had to go to the Sunsphere… anyone and EVERYONE visiting Knoxville needs to check out this FREE attraction.
Information about it: The Sunsphere, in Knoxville, Tennessee, is an 81.07 m (266 ft) high hexagonal steel truss structure, topped with a 23 m (75 ft) gold-​colored glass sphere that served as the symbol of the 1982 World’s Fair
INformation on who built it: Designed by the Knoxville architectural firm Community Tectonics, the Sunsphere was created as the theme structure for the 1982 World’s Fair. It was noted for its unique design in several engineering publications.
The World’s Fair site later became a public park alongside Knoxville’s official convention center and adjacent to the University of Tennessee’s main campus. The Sunsphere remains standing directly across a man-​made pond from a vacant outdoor stage. Entering the Sunsphere was illegal for several years.
In its original design, the sphere portion was to have had a diameter of 86.5 feet (26.4 m) to represent symbolically the 865,000-mile (1,392,000 km) diameter sun. The tower’s window glass panels are layered in 24-​karat gold dust and cut to seven different shapes. It weighs 600 tons and features six double steel truss columns in supporting the seven-​story sphere.[1] The tower has a volume of 203,689 cubic feet (5,767.8 m3) and a surface of 16,742 square feet (1,555.4 m2).
IT used to cost $ 2 during the Fair to go to the top but now it is FREE… Although the Sunsphere is the most recognized feature of the Knoxville cityscape, it has remained vacant or underutilized for most of its post-​fair life. Various proposals have been submitted to the city from time to time for its redevelopment. Many argue its relevancy as a tall structure, because it was built in one of the lowest parts of the city.
IF you go to Knoxville, park in the parking garage near by, walk across the pedi bridge crossing the highway intersection near the Convention Center and take the elevator up into the SunSphere. YOU WILL be HAPPY you did… and IT’s FREE… check it OUT… also side note… City Parking Buildings in Knoxville are FREE on Saturday and Sundays ALL DAY…

For an out-​of-​town visitor, this should be one of the first stops to get the general lay of the land from the bird’s eye view. The windows are desperately in need of cleaning, which does detract from the experience, but on the plus side, it’s free.
Located in World’s Fair Park, take the elevator from the ground level up to the 3^rd floor to access the observation deck.

This place reminds me of the first boss battle in Metroid Prime. Ignoring that, it’s a great view and good place to get drinks. While the menu isn’t super creative, you are paying for the view.

Not that impressive

Coming from Berlin, seeing a giant gold-​colored disco ball in the Knoxville skyline felt a lot like home.
That said, the Sunsphere is not the most amazing thing ever, but it’s still kind of cool. Take an elevator to the third floor and overlook the grounds of the 1982 World Fair below, and the city beyond that. The windows are kind of dirty and the display feels dated, but it’s free.

Golden, shiny, weird, and barely utilized… but five stars because everyone would definately miss it if it went away. We love you, Sunsphere!

We have hosted events at the Sunsphere in the past, but last night was our first experience at the recently added Icon Ultra Lounge. The bar is a great addition to this historic Knoxville landmark. The setting is very modern and a great place to meet up with friends, see the city for the first time, or begin/​end a fun night in downtown Knoxville.
Tip: Park across the street at the Holiday Inn for convenience.

My friends chose to marry in the Sunsphere, since it is a great landmark of Knoxville — the Bride’s hometown.
The views are beautiful from there, allowing a 360 view of the city.
The 4^th floor is the public observation deck, which is a small track that runs around the interior of the globe and houses information about the Sunsphere’s history. Admission is free.
Unfortunately, it smelled quite musty, the windows appeared dirty, and the overall feeling of the room border-​lined on creepy.
The 5^th floor becomes a lounge in the evening hours. And while I did not go into the lounge, I did catch a glimpse of what appears to be ultra-​modern décor from the elevator on my way up. If we find ourselves in Knoxville again, I’d likely go check this place out.
The wedding we attended was held on the 6^th floor, and was not creepy at all. In fact, it was quite beautiful with far more event space. It also houses a small kitchen and flat screen TV’s suspended from the ceiling.
If you’re planning a smaller event, this is a great place to hold it — just keep in mind there is only one toilet for men and another for women — so the line can get long rather quickly.
The Sunsphere also overlooks the World’s Fair Park, which is beautiful with all her waterways and fountains, and the concert stage. Definitely worth checking out.
TIPS: The elevators are VERY slow, so don’t freak thinking you’re stuck. If you’re coming from/​going to street level, the elevator access IS the 3^rd floor.

Can’t beat the price, free and no one was around to bother me. Pretty cool view of the city, but I have to take a star off because the windows could use cleaning.
There really was a Hardee’s in here? Amazing! That would have made this place perfect.

It has had many, many lives. First a symbol of the ’82 World’s Fair, then a Hardees, later on it was used as wig storage, plus countless other incarnations all have forgotten about.
But seriously, if I were to ever become an evil supervillain, how could I not choose this place as my base of operations? It is just begging for a death ray.
Think about it.

Great view of Knoxville!
This is a cool tourist spot for Knoxville visitors especially if you are staying downtown. I’m not a fan of older elevators, but I just had to see what was at the top. You can only go to the fourth floor and the ride from the third floor to the fourth floor seems to take forever at least to someone who doesn’t like being in elevators. There are offices on the top floors so I’m sure you must have a key to get up to them.
When you step off the elevator you the first thing you notice is the view of Knoxville. You can see a lot as you walk around the circular room. You can learn a lot about Knoxville and when the World’s Fair was there as you read the information on the walls and on the stands beside the windows. It was too much to remember in one visit though. Some of the stands had digital screens that changed pictures and that was cool.

Superb view of the city– definitely worth the time, even if only 10 minutes.
A bit odiferous & kinda felt «space-​shippy.» If you’re in any way claustrophobic this might feel a bit strange.
Learned a bit about the history of Knoxville from the surrounding plaques.

Not sure why I decided to go up in the Sunsphere because I don’t like heights or long elevator rides, but $free is probably a big part of it.
The décor inside is clearly «authentic» («1982»), but the view over Knoxville and the surrounding area is very cool. I also like the SS’s situation right in the middle of the World’s Fair Park, so there were streams and art and a random concert venue to look down on.
Future visitors to come see me in Knoxville will definitely be coming here. Except my mom because she dislikes heights more than I do. She can just wait downstairs. It’s not like the Sunsphere experience takes more than five minutes. And there’s benches and stuff down there that she can sit on.

The Sunsphere is easily one of the greatest achievements of modern man. It is the defining feature of the Knoxville skyline and was the primary symbol of the 1982 World’s Fair.
A visit to the United States is incomplete without a visit to the Sunsphere.
ALL HAIL SUNSPHERE.