The Berliner Fernsehturm, or television tower, stands out on the Berlin skyline as the tallest building in Germany. The “ball”, as it is affectionately called, is located in the city center on Alexanderplatz. It can be seen from various points in the city, including from the airplane, depending on the route taken, as it descends to land. With more than a million visitors a year, the TV tower is one of the most popular attractions in Berlin.
History
It opened in 1969, but plans for its construction began in the 1950s. At that time, the East German government planned to build a television tower and the site chosen was the Müggelberg hill on the outskirts of Berlin. However, the construction on this site did not materialize because a high tower at this location could be dangerous for planes taking off and landing at Schönefeld airport.
The idea of building the tower in the center of the city came from another project: since the GDR had demolished the Berlin Castle (which was next to the Berlin Cathedral) and intended to erect a skyscraper there to house government offices, the two ideas merged. However, the tower was not built exactly on this site (which later housed the Palace of the Republic), but a few meters away on Alexanderplatz.
The initial architectural idea was by Hermann Henselmann and Jörg Streitparth, but during the planning and construction, other architects such as Fritz Dieter, Günter Franke, Werner Ahrendt Walter Herzog and Heinz Aust also contributed. The television tower was to be a building that stands out from the crowd and represents the triumph of socialism. The idea was that the sphere of the TV tower should resemble the Soviet satellite Sputnik and be red, the color of socialism. However, the architect Bruno Flierl pointed out that the metallic color more closely resembled the Sputnik satellite, thus representing the technological superiority of the socialist countries.
After about 4 years of construction, the Fernsehturm was inaugurated on October 3, 1969, being the pride of the communist government. After the fall of the Wall, it became a symbol of Berlin.
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Curiosity: It is said that the architects were not invited to the inauguration as usual and the reason would be that the GDR authorities were angry with the architects because of the cross-shaped reflection that forms when the sun shines on the steel dome of the tower. In allusion to the atheistic attitude of the communist government and the discrimination against religious institutions in East Berlin, this luminous cross was nicknamed “the revenge of the pope”. But this effect was neither planned nor intended by the architects.
The result of this project is a 368-meter-high tower, from the base to the antenna. The sphere houses the 200-meter-high viewing platform and a 207-meter-high restaurant, the Telecafé. Elevators take visitors from the base to the viewing platform in about 40 seconds. At this height, not only can you see the Fernsehturm from anywhere in the city, but it also offers one of the best 360-degree panoramic views of the city. On a clear day, you can see up to 40 km away.
The Fernsehturm is an attraction worth seeing. It is very nice to see Berlin from above and as the city is flat, you can see a lot from a distance.
Going to the restaurant, even if it’s just to have a coffee, because the tables and chairs where we sit are on a rotating platform, so while you eat, the platform rotates slowly (a full rotation takes about half an hour) and you can see the city in all directions.
To visit the restaurant, you need to plan ahead as it is very crowded and it is difficult to get a last minute table, especially during the busy months. A ticket is required to enter the restaurant, and reservations can be requested for groups of 9 or more.
How to get to the tower
Ticket price: adults €24.5, children from 4 to 14 years old €14.5, free under 4 years old
The tower is generally open daily from April to October from 9 am to 11 pm and from November to March from 10 am to 10 pm.
S-Bahn: Lines S5, S7 and S75, station S+U Alexanderplatz
U-Bahn: Lines U2, U5 and U8, station S+U Alexanderplatz
Bus: Lines 100, 200 and TXL, stop S+U Alexanderplatz/Memhardstr.
https://tv-turm.de/
Address: Panoramastrasse 1A – Mitte, 10178 Berlin
https://goo.gl/maps/oLxRE9fHKsmXerNf6
