Fernsehturm Stuttgart

The Fernsehturm Stuttgart (TV Tower Stuttgart) is the world's first TV tower built from concrete (and prototype for many towers of that kind all over the world).

It is located on the so-called "Hoher Bopser" hill in the southern Stuttgart district of Degerloch. After a construction period of 20 months it was placed in service February 5, 1956, by Süddeutscher Rundfunk (today: Südwestrundfunk – SWR). The tower broadcasts several FM radio stations as well as Germany's ARD TV network. Although controversial at first, it quickly became a well known landmark of Stuttgart and tourist attraction. From the two observation decks there is a view of Stuttgart, from the forests and vineyards in and around Stuttgart to the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. On clear days the Swiss Alps are visible.

* Engineer: Professor Dr. Ing. Fritz Leonhardt
* Geographical Coordinates: coord|48|45|24|N|9|11|29|E|
* Altitude: Foot of tower 483 m above sea level
* Overall height to the antenna point: 216.8 meters
* Height of upper observation deck: 153.5 meters
* Height of lower observation deck: 150 meters
* Diameter of foundation: 27 meters
* Total weight of tower: approximately 3000 tons
* Weight of foundation: approximately 1500 tons
* Speed of elevators: 4 m per second
* Panorama Café on a platform of the tower basket
* Maximum diameter of tower basket: 15 meters

The tower can be reached by the Stuttgart public transport system (see Stuttgart external links) and is open for visitors from 9:00 until 23:00.

History

*10 January 1954: Start of construction
*5 February 1956: Inauguration
*October 1965 until December 1965: Extension of antenna, hence today the tower is 216.8 meters tall.

Other Transmission Towers in Stuttgart (not accessible to public)

*Fernmeldeturm Frauenkopf (height: 192.4 m)
*Vodafone-Funkturm Stuttgart-Vaihingen (height: 98.6 m)
*Funkturm Stuttgart (height: 93 m)
*Directional Radio Tower Stuttgart-Möhringen (height: 93 m)

Similar towers

* Sentech Tower in Johannesburg
* Donauturm in Vienna
* Blosenbergturm in Beromünster has similar proportions, but is a free-standing lattice tower insulated against ground.

External links

* [http://www.fernsehturm-stuttgart.de TV tower Stuttgart]
*
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&ll=48.755832,9.189999&spn=0.001503,0.003659&om=1 Satellite Image]

Literature

* Fernsehturm Stuttgart. Fernsehturm-Betriebs-GmbH, Stuttgart 1991
* Walther Drechsel: Turmbauwerke. Wiesbaden, Berlin, 1967
* Jörg Schlaich, Matthias Schüller: Ingenieurbauführer Baden-Württemberg. Bauwerk Verlag, Berlin 1999; pp. 486-488.