Fernsehturm Berlin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Berliner Fernsehturm
The Fernsehturm seen from eastern direction
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Television tower, Restaurant, Observation tower
Location	Berlin, Germany
Coordinates	52°31′15″N 013°24′34″E / 52.52083°N 13.40944°E / 52.52083; 13.40944
Construction started	1965
Completed	3 October 1969; 55 years ago (1969-10-03)
Height	368.03 m (1,207.45 ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Hermann Henselmann
Main contractor	Government of East Germany

The Fernsehturm (which means Television Tower in English) is a famous landmark in central Berlin, Germany. It was built between 1965 and 1969 by the government of East Germany. It served as a place to broadcast TV and radio signals. It was also a symbol of the country's power.

Today, the tower stands tall next to Alexanderplatz in Berlin's Mitte district. You can see it from many parts of the city. At 368 metres (1,207 ft) tall (including its antenna), it is the tallest structure in Germany. It is also the third-tallest structure in the European Union. When it was first built, it was the fourth-tallest freestanding building in the world!

The Fernsehturm is more than just a broadcasting tower. It has a viewing platform with a bar at 203 metres (666 ft) high. There is also a cool rotating restaurant. This restaurant slowly turns, giving you amazing views of Berlin. The tower has become a symbol of a reunited Berlin after German reunification. It is now one of Germany's most popular attractions, with over a million visitors each year.

The Fernsehturm and Berlin Cathedral in Berlin

Berlin's Tallest Tower
- Amazing Views and a Revolving Restaurant
- A Football for the World Cup
Where is the Tower?
A Look Back at History
The "Pope's Revenge"
Visitors and Fun
Tower Facts
Images for kids
See also

Berlin's Tallest Tower

The tower's original height was 365 metres (1,198 ft). But it grew to 368 metres (1,207 ft) after a new antenna was added in 1997. The Fernsehturm was once the fourth tallest freestanding structure in Europe.

Amazing Views and a Revolving Restaurant

The round part of the tower, called the sphere, holds a visitor platform and a revolving restaurant. The visitor platform is about 203 metres (666 ft) above the ground. On a clear day, you can see up to 42 kilometres (26 mi) away! The "Sphere" restaurant is a bit higher, at 207 metres (679 ft). It rotates completely every 30 minutes. When it first opened, it turned once every hour, but they doubled the speed later.

Two fast elevators take visitors to the sphere in just 40 seconds. There's also a staircase with 986 steps, but it's not for public use.

A Football for the World Cup

In 2006, Germany hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The final match was played in Berlin. To celebrate, the tower's sphere was decorated to look like a football. It had bright magenta-coloured shapes, matching the sponsor's colours.

Where is the Tower?

The Fernsehturm in Berlin-Mitte, near Alexanderplatz

The Berlin TV Tower is located southwest of the Alexanderplatz train station. It's east of St. Mary's Church. Many public transport lines stop at Alexanderplatz, making it easy to reach the tower.

A Look Back at History

Why the Tower Was Built

In the 1950s, East Germany needed a strong broadcasting station for Berlin. Small stations caused too much interference. So, they decided to build a very tall TV tower.

The first plans for a tower in southeast Berlin were stopped. It was too close to the airport and could cause problems for planes. After looking at many other places, the government decided the tower should be in a central spot. Walter Ulbricht, the leader of East Germany, wanted a tower that would be a new landmark for Berlin. He was inspired by the Fernsehturm Stuttgart and the first artificial satellite, Sputnik.

Many architects helped design and build the tower between 1965 and 1969. Building the tower meant clearing a large part of Berlin's old city centre. A medieval church still stands next to the tower, showing how much the old city changed.

Building the Giant Tower

Construction started on August 4, 1965. The foundation was finished by the end of that year. The tower's main shaft was built very quickly. It reached 100 metres (330 ft) by October 1966 and its full height of 248.78 metres (816.2 ft) by June 1967. They used 8,000 cubic metres (10,000 cu. yd.) of concrete for the shaft, which weighed 26,000 tons!

The sphere (the ball part) was put together from 120 separate pieces on the ground. This work took until November 1967. The cost of building the tower grew a lot, partly because some materials had to be bought from other countries. In February 1968, they started lifting the sphere pieces onto the shaft. The last piece was added on October 7.

In early 1969, water leaked into the tower, causing some damage. They had to seal the sphere again. The inside of the tower and the entrance building were finished by October 3, 1969. The tower was completed in just 53 months, despite the challenges. It cost over 132 million marks.

When it opened in October 1969, the Berlin TV Tower was the second-highest television tower in the world. Only the Ostankino Tower in Moscow was taller. It was also the third-highest freestanding building at that time.

The Tower Today

On October 3, 1969, Walter Ulbricht officially opened the tower. This also marked the start of East Germany's second TV channel and colour TV. The public could visit the tower starting October 7, 1969.

After German reunification in 1990, some people wanted to tear down the tower. But the German government decided to keep it. Deutsche Telekom became the new operator and spent over 50 million marks to update the broadcasting equipment. They also made many improvements to the building. In 1997, a new antenna tip was added, increasing the tower's height from 365 to 368 metres (1,198 to 1,207 ft).

Every October since 2004, the TV Tower is lit up with special lights for the Festival of Lights. For the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the tower's sphere was covered to look like a magenta football as part of an advertisement.

The Berliner Fernsehturm (German for Berlin Television Tower)

The "Pope's Revenge"

When the sun shines on the Fernsehturm's shiny metal dome, it often creates a reflection that looks like a Greek cross. Berliners gave this glowing cross a funny nickname: Rache des Papstes, or the "Pope's Revenge". They joked that it was a sign from above, because the government had removed crosses from churches in East Berlin. For similar reasons, some also called the tower "St. Walter," referring to Walter Ulbricht.

Visitors and Fun

The Berlin TV Tower is a popular place for tourists and events. It's one of the highest buildings in Europe that you can visit. Until 2017, it had the highest public observation platform in Germany. In its first three years, four million people visited the tower. Today, about 1.2 million people from around 90 countries visit each year.

The two visitor elevators can carry 12 people each. They reach the observation platform at 203 metres (666 ft) in about 40 seconds. Here, you'll find Berlin's highest bar. From 60 windows, you get a panoramic view of Berlin and the surrounding areas. The restaurant, which is 21 steps above the observation platform, rotates 360 degrees in an hour.

For safety, the main kitchen is at the bottom of the tower. Meals are sent up by lift to a smaller kitchen in the restaurant. For fire safety, smoking is not allowed anywhere in the tower. People who use wheelchairs or have walking difficulties cannot visit the tower. This is because they might not be able to use the escape route in an emergency. Animals, strollers, and large bags are also not allowed for safety reasons.

On June 14, 2011, the tower welcomed its 50 millionth visitor! On a clear day, you can see almost 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the observation deck. The TV Tower is open all year, with different opening times depending on the season. You can even rent the public area for special events like parties or weddings.