The ArcelorMittal Orbit stands like a twisted red ribbon against London's skyline, impossible to ignore when you're wandering through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. At 114.5 meters tall, this sculpture-observation tower hybrid divides opinion – some call it brilliant, others think it looks like someone dropped a roller coaster track from a great height.

I'll admit, when I first saw it back in 2014, shortly after it opened, my reaction was somewhere between fascination and bewilderment. Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond designed something that defies easy categorization. It's Britain's largest piece of public art, though calling it "art" versus "landmark" feels like splitting hairs when you're standing beneath its looping steel structure.

The real draw isn't debating its artistic merit – it's the views from those two observation platforms. You can see across the entire Olympic Park, with London spreading out beyond in all directions. The London Stadium sits right there below, along with the Aquatics Centre, making it easy to imagine the energy this area had during the 2012 Olympics.

What surprised me was how the experience changed once I got up there. The structure that seems chaotic from ground level suddenly makes sense when you're inside it, looking out through the gaps in the twisted steel. The £22.7 million price tag felt steep when it was being built, but as a lasting Olympic legacy, it's doing its job of keeping Stratford relevant.

These days, there's also that 178-meter tunnel slide called Helix – the world's longest, they claim. Watching people emerge from it with wild hair and slightly stunned expressions adds an element of entertainment even if you're not brave enough to try it yourself.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit works best when you approach it without expectations. It's not trying to be the London Eye or the Shard. It's something entirely different – part sculpture, part viewing platform, part playground for adults. Discover all the secrets of the ArcelorMittal Orbit with our comprehensive London audio guide to understand the engineering marvel and artistic vision behind this unique structure.

Whether you love it or find it utterly bizarre, it's undeniably become part of East London's identity, rising above the Olympic Park like some futuristic monument to ambition and creativity.