The Ostankino TV Tower is one of the most important architectural landmarks in Moscow and a symbol of Russian television. Thanks to this grandiose construction, television broadcasts are provided almost throughout the country. In terms of technical equipment, broadcasting power and some other characteristics, the TV tower has no equal. In addition, it is considered the tallest building in Europe.
general characteristics
The area in Ostankino is more than 15 thousand square meters. meters. There is a whole complex of TV studios, circular platforms and balconies. The volume of the tower is about 70 thousand cubic meters. The building consists of 45 floors. The height of the Ostankino television tower is 540 meters. It ranks eighth in the world in terms of the height of free-standing buildings at the moment is Dubai's Burj Khalifa skyscraper). The first name of the tower is "All-Union transmitting radio and television station named after the 50th anniversary of October."
Construction history
Permanent television broadcasting in the Soviet Union began in 1939. Initially, the signal was transmitted using equipment that was located in (Shablovka). However, the increase in the volume and quality of broadcasting after World War II necessitated the construction of another TV tower. At first it was built near Shukhovskaya, but soon it still required the construction of a more modern TV tower.
The Mosproekt organization was involved in the development of the project for a television and radio station in Ostankino. The construction of the Ostankino television tower began in 1960. True, in a very short time it was stopped due to the uncertainty that the foundation of the structure was sufficiently reliably constructed. In the future, the design of the television tower was entrusted to the Central Research Institute for the Design of Sports Buildings and Entertainment Facilities.
The project of the tower in Ostankino was invented by the designer Nikitin in just one night. He chose an inverted lily as the prototype of the design - a flower with a thick stem and strong petals. According to the original idea, the tower was supposed to have 4 supports, but later, on the recommendation of the German engineer Fritz Leonhard (the creator of the first concrete television tower on the planet), their number was increased to ten. The chief architect of the Ostankino television tower, Leonid Ilyich Batalov, also supported the idea of increasing the number of supports.
The final design of the building was approved in 1963. Its authors were the architects Burdin and Batalov, as well as the designer Nikitin. The specialists decided to significantly improve the previous project, in particular, the amount of equipment placed in the tower and its height were increased. The construction of the Ostankino television tower was carried out from 1963 to 1967. In general, more than 40 different organizations took part in the construction of the television station. At that time, the Ostankino TV tower became the tallest building not only in Europe, but throughout the world.
Start of operation of the TV tower
The first broadcast of television programs from the Ostankino tower was made in 1967. Despite the fact that this year the construction of the Ostankino Tower was completed and the building was officially put into operation, its completion was carried out for another year. As a result, the first broadcast of a color image took place already in 1968. A 3-storey restaurant with the symbolic name "Seventh Heaven" was also created in the tower. Most of the engineers who took part in the creation of this grand television center were awarded the Lenin Prize.
The value of the telecentre
The Ostankino television tower became a unique building of that time, which has no analogues. Besides that for a long time she remained the tallest building in the world, her specifications were really impressive. After the completion of the construction of the tower, approximately 10 million people lived in the zone of operation of the transmitters, but now the television center covers an area with a population of more than 15 million people.
The station equipment made it possible to simultaneously record from several different objects and broadcast. A special mission fell to the tower in Ostankino during the 1980 Olympics. They even placed special equipment for the CNN news channel.
Meanwhile, the TV tower had other functions, no less important. Its building housed a meteorological observatory, which was in charge of the main meteorological center Soviet Union. The Ostankino station also provided television and radio communications between the main government agencies countries.
tourist attraction
Very soon, the television center turned into one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital. In 1982, a building was built near the tower, which provided excursion activities. It was also equipped modern hall meetings for 800 people. The Seventh Heaven restaurant has also been improved. It is worth noting that it is located at an altitude of 334 meters (which is approximately the 112th floor of a residential building) and occupies three floors. From its windows opens amazing view to Moscow. The peculiarity of the institution is that it makes slow movements around its axis at a speed of one to three revolutions in 40-50 minutes. True, at the present time the "Seventh Heaven" is closed for reconstruction, the timing of its completion is still unknown.
Unique panoramic platform
Meanwhile, most tourists are attracted by the observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower. In particular, there are four of them in the television center: open at a height of 337 meters and closed - 340 meters, as well as two lower ones at the level of 147 and 269 meters. They work only in the warm season - from May to October. The tour group is usually limited to 70 visitors. The tower has 7 levels. The panoramic platform is located on the very last. To better see all the interesting objects in the vicinity of the television center, tourists can also use binoculars. In good weather, you can see not only the capital, but also the Moscow suburbs. It is worth noting that the floor on the observation deck is absolutely transparent (made of durable glass), which definitely stimulates the flow of an impressive dose of adrenaline into the blood of visitors. An excursion to the Ostankino TV tower is a truly impressive and spectacular event. It is noteworthy that over 10,000,000 guests managed to visit the tower during its 30 years of operation.
Visiting Rules
Since July 2013, excursions to the Ostankino television center have not been temporarily held due to reconstruction work. But at the moment, two observation decks (337 and 340 meters) are reopened for tourists! For your information: only tourists from 7 to 70 years old are allowed on the tour. Pregnant women in the later stages are also undesirable to visit the tower. The management of the tower also prohibits the visually impaired from climbing the observation decks or if the person is moving on a wheelchair or crutches.
TV center design
The observation deck of the Ostankino television tower undoubtedly deserves special attention, but I would like to separately mention the design of the tower. This is, in fact, a huge elongated cone, the walls of which are made of metal-reinforced monolithic concrete. The roof of the television center is supported by 149 ropes that are attached to the wall of the tower. In the center of this cone are shafts for cables, stairs, elevators and pipelines. By the way, the building has seven elevators, four of which are high-speed. Except for the foundation, the weight of the TV tower structures is approximately 32,000 tons. The mass of the structure together with the foundation is 55 thousand tons. The usable area of the tower is 15,000 square meters. m. At the maximum design, the Ostankino TV tower (Moscow), or rather its top (spire), can theoretically deviate by 12 meters.
Technical premises are isolated from visitors, they have a hotel entrance. The hall where all the main transmitters are located is located on the fifth floor. Technical rooms are located on the floor above. From powerful electromagnetic radiation TV center personnel are protected by screens made of special materials.
Modern elevators
The television center has four high-speed elevators that can reach speeds of up to 7 m per second. The last one was launched in 2006. In particular, the observation deck, which is located at an altitude of 337 meters, can be reached in 58 seconds.
Fire at the Ostankino TV tower
in 2000, the TV tower survived a massive fire that claimed the lives of three people. After the disaster, Moscow and the Moscow region were left without television broadcasting for several days. Initially, the fire broke out at an altitude of 460 meters. As a result of the disaster, three floors were completely burned. Due to the high temperature of the flame, several dozen cables that provided prestressing concrete structures burst, but, contrary to fears, the structure still survived. This was another indisputable proof that the architect of the Ostankino TV tower and all other specialists who worked on the building project were real geniuses. Later, all these cables were successfully restored.
According to firefighters, it was very difficult to put out the fire. In the process of extinguishing the fire, the commander of the fire brigade, Vladimir Arsyukov, died. He decided to go up to the source of the fire himself and gave the command to the elevator operator Svetlana Loseva to go to a height of 460 meters with him. In the end, they both died. Another dead was a locksmith Alexander Shipilin.
According to experts, the cause of the fire was an overload of networks. However, the equipment was adjusted in the most short time, broadcasting was also resumed in the same volume. After the fire, large-scale construction and repair work had to be carried out to improve the territory and premises where the excursions were held. By February 2008, everything was restored and improved. After the disaster, the excursion to the Ostankino television tower began to be carried out in compliance with special requirements: the number of participants in it should not exceed 40 people.
Sports events
Concert hall
In the building of the excursion building of the Ostankino television center there is a concert hall "Royal". As part of the excursion program, this room is used as a cinema hall for showing films about the TV tower and Russian television. The "Royal" is also now hosting many concerts, conferences, performances and other events.
Incredible monument of the era
The Ostankino TV tower and all its equipment is constantly being improved. Due to the installation of several additional antennas, now its height is more than 560 meters (note that, according to the original idea, its height was 520 meters). Nowadays, a television center is used for its main purpose - for receiving and transmitting a variety of radio signals and as a place for accommodating television studios for a large number of programs.
In addition, the Ostankino TV Tower (the photo of this building is admirable) is the most important tourist attraction in the capital. A tour of the TV center is something truly unforgettable. An overview of Moscow and its environs from the observation deck will be remembered for a lifetime.
The television center in Ostankino is rightfully considered a symbol of Russian television and one of the most amazing buildings on the planet.
In many cities, TV towers are not only broadcasters of television and radio signals, but also observation decks, respectively, and full-fledged attractions. We offer you to look at the lesser-known ones, by following the links you can go to the page of the object and read more about it.
Ostankino Tower
The Ostankino TV Tower is one of the architectural symbols of Moscow and Russian television. The tower not only provides television coverage for the entire country, but also accommodates many television studios. In terms of technical performance, it has no equal. The height of the tower is 540 m, it has 45 floors. The design of the television tower in Ostankino is unique: it is created in the form of a huge elongated cone, the walls of which are made of monolithic metal-reinforced concrete. The tower is supported by 149 ropes. The total weight of the structures, not counting the foundation, is about 32,000 tons.
Tokyo Sky Tree
Tokyo Sky Tree is the tallest TV tower in the world (634 meters) in Tokyo's Sumida district, built to replace the old Tokyo TV tower, which is almost half the height of the new one. Tokyo Sky Tower received its name as a result of a competition held in April-May 2008. As a result, it was its winners who were the first to climb the observation decks of the tower on May 22, 2012.
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a symbol of Toronto and the most tall building world in 1976-2007. At 553.33 m, the CN Tower remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere today, at twice the height eiffel tower in Paris and 13 m higher than the Russian Ostankino TV tower. It was built on April 2, 1975 - the construction of the tower began in 1973 and was completed in a couple of years.
Guangzhou TV Tower
The Guangzhou TV Tower is the tallest building in the city and one of the tallest in the world, utterly futuristic and exotic, but at the same time subtly dear and close to every Russian person, especially a Muscovite, due to the similarity of the design with the Shukhov Tower. It is impossible not to notice the Guangzhou TV Tower, it is clearly visible from almost any area of the city, and the observation deck, raised almost half a kilometer above the ground, allows you to see the city and its environs in all details. In addition to viewing platforms, the TV tower boasts a restaurant that also offers incredible views, a kilometer-long transparent spiral staircase, an exhibition that tells about the structure of the tower and the history of its creation, Sky Drop attraction, thanks to which you can enjoy the feeling free fall, as well as large-scale cultural and sports events periodically held in it.
Shanghai TV Tower "Pearl of the East"
The Pearl of the East is one of the outstanding modern monuments of the city, a landmark of Shanghai, a symbol of China's rapid development. The construction of the Tower was completed in 1994. The height of the "Eastern Pearl" - 468 meters - is one of the tallest structures in Asia, although the Zhemchuzhina is still inferior to the Ostankino TV tower.
Berlin TV tower
The TV tower, towering over the center of Berlin, can be seen on many postcards with images of the German capital. It was built in 1965-1968 on the territory, which is noteworthy, of East Berlin, located on the famous Alexanderplatz square . The Berlin TV Tower is the tallest building in the whole of Germany, reaching a height of 368 meters. Originally, it was three meters lower, but in the 90s a new antenna was installed, which made it possible to reach today's figure.
Kaknes TV Tower
Kaknes is the most high tower Scandinavia and Northern Europe. The height of the tower is 155 meters. You can take a look at the metropolitan panorama from the 30th floor, that is, from a height of 128 meters. After sightseeing, you can have a good meal by visiting a restaurant located eight floors below.
seoul tower
The Seoul N-Tower is one of the main tourist attractions in the Korean capital. The 479 m high tower is located on the top of Namsan mountain (243 m). The tower was opened to the public on October 15, 1980. After an expensive reconstruction in 2005, the tower received the letter N in its name, which means new - “new”. As a result of this reconstruction, the building acquired new system lighting and illumination, working today every night from 19:00 to 24:00. At the top of the tower is a Western-style revolving N-Grill that rotates once every 48 minutes. The observation deck of the tower, called the observatory, which offers stunning views of the surroundings, is equipped with telescopes with which you can see all the quarters of Seoul. In addition, the N Seoul Tower has a cinema, an exhibition center, many souvenir shops and the recently opened Teddy Bear Museum.
Macau TV Tower
The tower, whose height is 338 meters, is located in the Nam Van area of the new drained territory (new bulk land in the sea area). It is a comprehensive facility for tourism, tours, performances, gatherings, exhibitions, shopping, dining, entertainment and, of course, communication. On the main floor of a four-story tower at a height of 223 meters, a glass floor was laid. From here you can take a look at Macau, even the Jujia Delta, a decent piece of the Hong Kong Islands. There is a revolving restaurant for 250 people, from which you can view the territory up to 50 kilometers.
Dragon Tower in Harbin
Heilongjiang TV Tower is one of the tallest in Asia. Its height is 336 meters (for comparison, the height of the Ostankino TV tower is 562 meters). The construction of the 336-meter tower began in 1998, and in October 2002 the tower was opened to the public. There is a TV center and a meteorological station, as well as all kinds of entertainment for tourists. At around 181 meters there is an observation floor, where tourists are offered to get acquainted with the gallery of handprints famous people China, an exhibition of terracotta warriors of the Qin dynasty and wax figures "Descendants of Dragons".
Zizkov TV tower in Prague
The Zizkov TV Tower is one of the recognizable symbols of Prague. Built in 1985 - 1992, the Zizkov TV Tower is the tallest building in the Czech Republic, it has a height of 216 meters. The tower is decorated with the sculptural composition "Infants" by David Cherny (2000). At a height of 66 meters there is a restaurant, at around 93 meters there is an observation deck, from where a great panorama of Prague opens.
10
The tower consists of a central core surrounded by tubular elements that create a hyperboloid structure. The construction of the tower was combined with the construction of the Zhengdong New District, with the participation of Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. The observation deck of the tower is amorphous, with several separate conical shapes forming glazed platforms. On the third and fourth floors of the observation deck is the largest panorama in the world, which was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The height of the panorama is 18 meters, the length is 164 meters and the area is 3012 square meters. The steel lattice of the mast, which rises from the observation deck, is used for the antennas.
9
Used by China Central Television. It has an observation deck at a height of 238 meters, as well as a revolving restaurant, which can be reached by a high-speed elevator. It is one of the tallest TV towers in the world. It was built by the Ministry of Radio and Television of China. The most notable are the golden and blue-painted spherical parts of the tower, located at a height of 221 and 238 meters, respectively.
8
The tower was built in 1991. At an altitude of 253 meters there is an observation platform, which is currently used mainly for communication equipment. At an altitude of 257 meters there is a revolving restaurant. Tianjin TV Tower is a member of the international organization "World Federation of High-Rise Towers".
7
The construction of the building with a height of 421 meters lasted about 5 years. For the original illumination of the Menara, Kuala Lumpur received the unofficial name "Garden of Light". The design of the tourist facilities reflects the classical Islamic culture of Malaysia. For example, the dome of the main lobby, resembling a giant diamond, is made using the muqarnah technique.
6
There are three elevator shafts in the tower, in which 6 panoramic elevators move. At an altitude of 276 m there is a panoramic revolving restaurant. Above are located various premises, intended for television, radio broadcasting, telecommunications, weather stations and control services road traffic. The radio tower is made of steel and reaches a height of 120 m. The customer of this TV tower is the Tehran municipality.
5
The tower design includes 11 spherical elements. The two largest spheres have diameters of 50 m (lower, "Space City") and 45 m (upper, "Space Module"). These spheres are interconnected by three cylindrical columns with a diameter of 9 m each; in inner space columns are five small spheres in which the rooms of the "Space Hotel" are located. Nearby is the 88-storey Jin Mao skyscraper, one of the tallest in Asia. At night, the tower is illuminated. Especially for her, a three-dimensional backlight was developed, giving it a literally fantastic look.
4
The first name is “All-Union Radio and Television Transmitting Station named after. 50th Anniversary of October. The Ostankino TV Tower is the tallest building in Europe. The TV tower is a full member of the World Federation of High-Rise Towers. The high-rise restaurant "Seventh Heaven" is located at an altitude of 328-334 m and occupies 3 floors, two of which are currently not operating. The ring-shaped rooms of the restaurant, on which the tables are located, make circular rotations around their axis at a speed of one revolution per hour. Over the 30 years of the tower's existence, the observation deck and the Seventh Heaven restaurant have been visited by over 10 million guests. Tour groups are currently limited to 90 visitors.
3
Initially, the abbreviation CN stood for Canadian National (since the building belonged, at that time, to the state-owned Canadian National Railways company). However, in 1995, the tower was purchased by the Canada Lands Company (CLC). Residents of Toronto wished to keep the former name of the TV tower, so now the abbreviation CN officially stands for Canada's National. It is the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. At an altitude of 447 meters there is an observation platform.
2
Built in 2005-2010 by ARUP for the 2010 Asian Games. The height of the TV tower is 600 meters. Up to a height of 450 meters, the tower was erected in the form of a combination of a hyperboloid bearing mesh shell and a central core. The mesh shell of the tower is made of steel pipes large diameter. The tower is crowned with a steel spire 160 meters high. The tower is designed to broadcast TV and radio signals, as well as to view the panorama of Guangzhou and is designed to receive 10,000 tourists a day. At an altitude of 488 meters there is an open observation platform. Revolving restaurants are located at 418 and 428 meters, and there is a "VIP Cafe" at 407 meters.
1
During construction, the tower was known as the New Tokyo Tower. The name "Tokyo Sky Tree" was chosen as a result of a competition that took place on the Internet from April to May 2008. During the construction of the tower, a special system was created that, according to the architects, compensates for up to 50% of the force of tremors during earthquakes. The tower is mainly used for digital TV and radio broadcasting, mobile telephony and navigation systems. In addition, it is a popular tourist attraction. In the TV tower you can visit 2 observation decks, as well as a large number of boutiques and several restaurants, and at the foot of the tower there is a mini-complex with a large shopping area, an aquarium and a planetarium.
Source: Santiago Calatrava
While in Baku they are thinking what to do with the empty ones and, in Dubai they continue to break records for high-rise construction. A few days ago, in this city, they began to build the "Tower" according to the project of Santiago Calatrava. It will be ready in 2020, and its height, according to unconfirmed figures, will be 928 meters. That is, it will be 100 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa, the tallest (so far) skyscraper in the world, which, by the way, is also located in Dubai.
The foundation stone of the Tower was laid on 11 October. The ceremony was attended by many dignitaries, including the ruler of Dubai. In the UAE, the future "Tower" is taken very seriously, everyone expects that it will become a source of national pride, increase the prestige of the city and contribute to economic growth.
The shape of the "Tower" is a bit like a minaret - this expresses the synthesis of traditional Islamic culture and modern design. Calatrava himself spoke about this: “The design of the building is inspired by Islamic tradition". He compares it with the Muslim architectural complex of the Alhambra and with Cordoba cathedral mosque: "These architectural marvels combine beauty and elegance with mathematics and geometry." 
Source: Santiago Calatrava
“The design and architectural features of the tower will require unique engineering solutions. Before starting construction, we carried out extensive research, and our experience will be a valuable contribution to the knowledge base of mankind,” said Santiago Calatrava. 
Source: Santiago Calatrava
The tower will have observation decks, cafes, restaurants, venues for various events, a hotel and tourist facilities. But the most important thing is the balconies that will be put forward from the facade of the building.
“The construction of the tower is an important technological achievement. But throughout my career, I have used technology as a means of expressing beauty and art. So this project is also an artistic achievement... It is a symbol of faith in progress.” 
November 5 is the birthday of the Ostankino TV Tower. In 1967, the Act on its commissioning was signed, and it is from this moment that the official history structures. The Birthday Girl is one of the tallest buildings in the world. We decided to remember her and her other highest brothers.
Ostankino tower
The height of the tower is 540 meters. In Russia, this is the most high building. Immediately after its construction, it was the second tallest free-standing structure in the world (after the CN Tower in Toronto, which, I must say, they are similar). The design of the tower was conceived by designer Nikolai Nikitin overnight. An inverted lily served as an image for the future building.
The design of the tower was conceived by designer Nikolai Nikitin overnight.
The tower broadcasts the main TV channels of the country, as well as guided tours. At an altitude of 330 meters there is an observation deck, previously three floors at the same height were occupied by a restaurant, but so far it is still under reconstruction after a fire in 2000.
Burj Khalifa Tower
Dubai's Burj Khalifa is today the tallest building in the world. Its height is 898 meters. The grand opening ceremony of the tower took place in 2010. According to the project of the developer, the tower has become a real city within a city. It has its own lawns, boulevards, parks, office rooms, shopping centers, a hotel (its owner and part-time designer of its design is fashion designer Giorgio Armani), GYM's and residential apartments. On the 122nd floor of the tower is the highest located restaurant in the world - "Atmosfera".
The windows of the building do not allow dust and sunlight to pass through, and the air inside is cooled and aromatized.
"Tokyo Sky Tree"
The tower houses more than 300 boutiques, restaurants, an aquarium, a planetarium and a theater.
The Tokyo building is the tallest TV tower in the world. Its height is 634 meters. The building is very young. Its construction was completed only in 2012. To protect the tower from earthquakes, the architects have developed a special system that compensates up to 50% of the force of tremors.
The tower houses more than 300 boutiques, restaurants, an aquarium, a planetarium and a theater. At heights of 340, 345, 350 and 451 meters there are observation platforms open to the public.
Abraj Al Beit
Abraj Al-Bayt is a whole complex high-rise buildings built in Mecca. It is the largest building by mass in the world and the second tallest after the Burj Khalifa and the tallest building in the world. Saudi Arabia. Its height is 601 meters.
The complex includes a hotel that can accommodate up to 100 thousand people, a shopping arcade, parking and residential apartments.
Another highlight of the complex is the highest clock in the world, located 400 meters above the ground.
Guangzhou TV Tower
Guangzhou TV Tower is the second tallest TV tower in the world. It was built in 2010 and is 610 meters high. For the creators of great importance appearance future TV tower. As a rule, high-rise buildings are bulky and large-scale objects, but, according to the plan, this building was supposed to have sophisticated forms and symbolize femininity. To give elegance and smoothness to the lines on the outside, the building is enclosed in a metal mesh-frame made of vertical, inclined and horizontal pipes.
Guangzhou TV Tower is the second tallest TV tower in the world.
In addition to its direct duty - television and radio broadcasting - the tower provides an opportunity to admire the panorama of Guangzhou (this can be done both on the upper floors and on the Ferris wheel on the roof) and is designed to receive 10,000 tourists a day.
CN Tower
The height of the tower in Toronto is 553.33 meters (by the way, it is 13 meters higher than the Ostankino TV tower, and the building is almost 2 times higher than the Eiffel Tower). This building is the symbol of the city.
The main function of the CN Tower is television and radio broadcasting. It also houses a restaurant (at an altitude of 351 meters) and viewing platforms. For thrill-seekers, an attraction is offered - Edge Walk: a walk (with insurance) around the observation deck at a height of 356 meters along an open unenclosed cornice about 1.5 meters wide.
World Trade Center - 1,
or Freedom Tower
Today it is the tallest tower in New York.
Five years after the tragic destruction of the buildings of the World shopping center in New York, construction began on a new complex near the territory where the twin towers were located. In May of this year, the 543-meter-high Freedom Tower was built. Today it is the tallest tower in New York.
According to the project, the lower floors of the building will be occupied by offices, the next will be given to the City Television Alliance, the rest will be restaurants and observation decks. The height of the spire crowning the tower is symbolic - 1776 feet (1776 - the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the United States).