Shukhov tower on the Oka River, Engineering landmark in Dzerzhinsk, Russia
The Shukhov tower on the Oka River is a steel lattice mast for high-voltage power lines in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The construction consists of five stacked sections that each form a hyperbolic shape and rests on a circular concrete foundation 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter.
Vladimir Shukhov designed the tower between 1927 and 1929 as part of a power network to supply the industrial region around Nizhny Novgorod. After decades of decay, restoration work began in 2018 and was completed in 2020, making the mast accessible to visitors again.
The design follows mathematical principles that Shukhov developed for the load-bearing structure, and you can trace them clearly in daylight. The lattice of steel struts forms hyperbolic curves that repeat in several layers and shows a geometric order that continues to attract engineers and architects today.
Access to the site has been possible again since September 2020, and in the evening you can see the LED lighting that illuminates the entire lattice structure. Visiting during the day works well, as the tower is visible from several sides and the surrounding area offers level paths.
It is the only multi-section hyperbolic power mast in the world built as a load-bearing lattice shell. The top reaches 128 meters (420 feet) in height and makes the mast one of the tallest constructions of this type that Shukhov ever realized.
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