Heinrich Hertz Tower, Television tower in St. Pauli, Germany
The Heinrich Hertz Tower is a 279.2-meter concrete structure in Hamburg-Mitte that includes two separate observation platforms and several antenna levels for broadcasting equipment. Technical facilities occupy different heights, with the upper section housing radio and mobile transmission systems.
This structure opened in May 1968 after an architectural competition and ranked as Germany's second tallest television facility at the time. Fritz Trautwein designed the building to serve broadcasting needs for radio and television services.
Locals nicknamed the tower "Telemichel", after Hamburg's Sankt Michaelis church, whose spire is a traditional landmark for ships on the Elbe. The name pairs the church tower with the 276.5-metre broadcasting mast. A memorial plaque on the tower wall honours Hamburg-born physicist Heinrich Hertz with the inscription "Heinrich Hertz – Dem Sohn der Stadt Hamburg".
The building has been closed to visitors since 2001 due to asbestos issues, though plans for reopening in 2026 under new management are in place. Until then, the structure remains visible only from outside, with its height and form noticeable across the entire city area.
Between opening and 2001, visitors could attempt bungee jumps from the platform, an uncommon attraction for a broadcasting facility. This use made the platform one of the few places where leisure activities and technical infrastructure came together.
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