Could you imagine Stuttgart without its iconic Fernsehturm Stuttgart? This telecommunications tower stands tall. It is a symbol of innovation.
Fernsehturm Stuttgart wasn’t always loved. Critics questioned its modern design. They also questioned its cost. A simple antenna would have been cheaper. But Stuttgart took a chance. Construction began in 1954. It lasted 20 months. This made it the world’s first reinforced concrete telecom tower. The initial cost was 4.2 million DM. It earned that back in five years from visitors.
Now, picture Queen Elizabeth II visiting in 1965. Fernsehturm Stuttgart was part of her German tour. The tower’s antenna was extended that same year. This increased the height to 216.61 meters.
The tower sits on Hoher Bopser hill. This is in Stuttgart’s Degerloch borough. The location gives amazing views. You can see Stuttgart’s forests, vineyards, the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. Even the Waldau-Stadion is nearby. Games there are “under the TV tower”. They are in its shade.
Fritz Leonhardt engineered Fernsehturm Stuttgart. The tower’s base is 483 meters above sea level. The upper observation deck is 153.5 meters high. The foundation is 27 meters in diameter. The whole tower weighs about 3000 tons. Its foundation weighs around 1500 tons. Elevators zip up at 5 meters per second. There is even a Panorama Café inside. The tower basket’s diameter reaches 15 meters.
Fernsehturm Stuttgart still broadcasts FM radio. But TV broadcasts stopped in 2006. Digital TV moved to Fernmeldeturm Stuttgart. This nearby tower also broadcasts private FM radio.
Look closely and you will see air traffic warning lights. There are three rotating xenon lamps. They resemble those on lighthouses. These sit just above the observation deck.
For a time, Fernsehturm Stuttgart closed. This was in March 2013. It was due to a review of fire safety. It reopened in January 2016. There was a refurbished entrance, shop and better fire safety.
Fernsehturm Stuttgart’s design is unique. It combines a transmitter mast with public access. The tower has viewing platforms and a restaurant. Its concrete and steel make it wind-resistant. Wind tunnel tests confirmed the round floor plan was ideal.
The tower’s foundation is also special. Two conical shells distribute the tower’s loads. They tie into a prestressed foundation plate. This is a unique solution. The tower virtually grows from the ground. This makes it look slim like a concrete needle.
The tower shaft tapers slightly. This mimics Greek columns. Leonhardt called this “contrast proportion”. At the base, the walls are 10.8 meters in diameter. The tower cage recalls a ship’s mast cage. The glass and aluminium façade avoids wind contact points.
The antennas reach just under 217 meters. Today, they transmit radio and police signals. One of Baden-Württemberg’s radioactivity measuring stations is here.
The tower has a single-floor entrance building. It features sloping roofs typical of the 1950s. It includes a restaurant and entrance area.
Fernsehturm Stuttgart created a new type of architecture. It visualized the television age. It combines a concrete shaft with a tower cage. The cage has a viewing platform and restaurant. This made it Stuttgart’s landmark. It also established the image of a modern TV tower. This tower became a symbol of Stuttgart. It gained worldwide recognition. Many cities then copied the landmark.
UNESCO considers Fernsehturm Stuttgart a global phenomenon. It marks the start of television. The tower embodies mass communication. It is the prototype of this building type. It serves as an illustration of television’s diffusion.
As you stand here, remember Fernsehturm Stuttgart’s impact. It is the first of its kind. It is a symbol of innovation. It is a landmark recognized around the world.