Crystal Palace transmitting station

The Crystal Palace transmitting station is a transmitter station in Crystal Palace, London Borough of Bromley, England, featuring a tower that stands 219 meters (720 feet) tall and sends television and radio signals across Greater London. The facility consists of a lattice metal structure with several antenna levels and broadcast panels mounted at different heights to carry different frequencies.

The facility opened in 1956 on the grounds of the former Crystal Palace exhibition building and marked the start of modern television broadcasting in London. Over the following decades, the tower received new transmitters several times to support the growing number of channels and services.

The station takes its name from the old Crystal Palace and sits on the same hill where the Victorian glass building once stood. Many Londoners today use it as a landmark when traveling through the southern boroughs, as it remains visible from far away and serves as a familiar sign in the skyline.

The site is not open to visitors and the tower can only be viewed from outside. Good vantage points can be found in the nearby Crystal Palace Park and on the surrounding streets, where you can see the height and shape of the structure clearly.

The tower ranks among the tallest freestanding structures in London and also serves as a weather station that gathers data for forecasts across southeast England. Its red lighting at night warns aircraft and gives the area a characteristic nighttime appearance.

Location: London Borough of Bromley

Inception: 1956

GPS coordinates: 51.42416,-0.07494

Latest update: December 17, 2025 09:43