seen from Kuwait
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from Poland
seen from Australia
seen from Ukraine
seen from Germany
seen from Israel
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Türkiye
seen from Hong Kong SAR China
Berlin Lustgarten 1985.
Prototype
Žižkov Television Tower. Václav Aulický + Jiří Kozák
One of the most authentic TV towers ever built in Europe is Žižkov Television Tower in Prague. Designed in 1985 by architect Václav Aulický and structural engineer Jiří Kozák, built between 1985-1992, it began transmitting signal since1992 until 2012, year in which they switched to digital TV broadcasting and removed the old analogue broadcast equipment installing a datacenter on its free space.
The Structure
The tower stands 216 metres (709 feet) high, there’s no doubt is the tallest building in the skyline of Žižkov district and in the city of Prague. The structure of the tower is the key of its uniqueness, it is based on a triangle module whose corners rise in steel columns, consisting of three tubes with a double steel wall filled with concrete.
They support nine ‘pods’, organized in triades along three levels, and three decks for transmitting equipment. One of the three pillars extends considerably higher than the others, providing the necessary height for antennas. This particular combination gives its effect as a structure’s rocket and gantry appearance. In its time it was a unique technology, which authors have patented.
There are two elevators to transport passengers at a speed of 4 m/s. and a third one elevator works also as a service lift.
Foundations are 15 m. deep, consists on a circular concrete slab, 1,20m. (4 feet) thick and 30 meters diameter.
The Pods
Three of the pods, positioned directly beneath the decks at the top of the tower, are used for equipment related to the tower’s primary function and are inaccessible to the public. The remaining six pods are open to visitors, providing a panoramic view of Prague and the surrounding area. Altitude of the observatory is 93 m, the entire floor is dedicated to relaxation from where you can see Prague in its fullness. The hotel room altitude is 70 m and the lower one at 63 metres (207 feet) you’ll find a recently refurbished restaurant and café bar with a capacity for 180 people.
Babie Sculptures
Ten giant sculptures of babies created by leading Czech artist David Černý crawl all over the outside of the tower. According to his concept, the babies of an uncertain future would all have the same DNA and consequently they would all be equall, that’s why the babies are faceless, it sounds unbelievable but who knows.
Žižkov tower model
High-tech in the communist-era
This is an example of high-tech architecture at earlier stages built in communist-era in Central and Eastern Europe, although this tower was critized by its local inhabitants during its construction, since then till now the tower attracts a lot of visitors to enjoy the skyline in a city full of historical buildings.
Berlin 1992. Potsdamer Platz S-Bahnhof platform as it first opened after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Berlin Zimmerstrasse 1994. The building in the distance centre is the Adler Apotheke on Friedrichstrasse. Salvaged parts of the Berlin Wall and the guard towers stand on an empty lot awaiting collection.
Berlin Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof 1994. The trains going west were now available to everyone, no controls or visas required.
Potsdamer Platz S-Bahn 1992. The signs once read - Zu den Zügen, Potsdamer Platz, nach Friedrichstr.
...its sculptor well those passions read, which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things.
