Fernsehturm Stuttgart, Television tower in Degerloch, Germany
Fernsehturm Stuttgart is a transmission tower in Degerloch, southern Stuttgart, standing 216.61 meters above sea level and housing two observation platforms and a rotating restaurant. The structure consists of a tapering concrete shaft that supports a basket containing visitor facilities, topped by several technical platforms for antennas and broadcasting equipment.
Fritz Leonhardt developed the plans after the Second World War to meet growing demand for television broadcasting across the region, with construction taking place between 1954 and 1956. His approach set new benchmarks for broadcast towers and led to the spread of similar concrete structures around the world in the following decades.
Engineers and architects from around the world studied this structure when it opened, as its slim reinforced concrete shaft introduced a new way to build tall towers without steel frameworks. Visitors today walk through spaces that once sparked a wave of similar designs across Europe, Asia, and Africa during the following decades.
Two elevators bring visitors to the viewing levels at roughly 150 meters height, where clear weather allows views across surrounding hills and forests. Access begins at the entrance near the base, and the platform may close during poor weather or strong winds.
Three rotating xenon lamps above the observation deck shine at night like a lighthouse and serve as a navigation aid for aircraft. The restaurant at 145 meters (476 feet) rotates slowly and completes a full turn in roughly 48 minutes, allowing diners to see the entire panorama during a meal.
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