An observation deck at the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere will soon to open to the public, but some visitors to the rebuilt World Trade Center were permitted to experience the vertigo-inducing views this week.

The three-floor observation deck rises over 385 metres above Ground Zero, the site of the former twin towers that were reduced to rubble after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The new tower at One World Trade Center stands at a full height of over 541 metres or a symbolic 1,776 feet, a reference to the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted in 1776.

The Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building and Ground Zero memorial pools are visible from the One World Observatory, which spans floors 100, 101 and 102 of the skyscraper.

The observation deck will open to the public on May 29. The tower itself opened to mostly commercial tenants in 2014. The first tenant was publishing giant Condé Nast.

FAST FACTS

Height of WTC observation deck: 385 metres

Height of Empire State Building observation deck: 381 metres

Height of EdgeWalk at the CN Tower in Toronto: 356 metres

Height of original twin towers: 417 and 415 metres

Time it takes to reach WTC observation deck via elevator: 47 seconds

Visibility: up to 80 km on a clear day, according to observation deck operator Legends

The tower's total number of storeys: 104

Number of glass panes covering tower: over 2,000

Number of tickets sold or reserved: 350,000

Cost per ticket: $32 US for one adult general admission

The rebuilt World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at over 541 metres. The CN Tower stands at 553 metres, but is considered a structure, not a building. It was the world's tallest structure until 2007, when the Burj Khalifa was built to a height of 828 metres in Dubai.