Europaturm

Encyclopedia : E : EU : EUR : Europaturm

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The Europaturm ("Tower of Europe") is a 337.5 meter high telecommunications tower in Frankfurt am Main in Germany. Habitants call it "Ginnemer Spaschel" (dialect of Hesse for "Asparagus of Ginnheim" and accurately related to as "Ginnheimer Spargel" in High German), because it's part of Ginnheim, a district of the City. Or simply "Fernsehturm" ("Television Tower") for it was the first broadcast tower in Frankfurt.

History

Designed by architect Erwin Heinle, the tower's construction began in 1974. At its completion five years later, it became the tallest free-standing structure in the Federal Republic of Germany at 331 meters. Even without the height of the antenna at its top, the building still is over 295 meters high, which still makes it Germany's tallest structure. Its base, at 59 meters thick, is the widest of any similar structure in the world.

The top of the tower can turn and provides a panoramic view of the Rhine Main area. For a number of years, the upper part of the structure housed a restaurant and discotheque, but since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public.

In September, 2004, the antenna at the top of the tower was replaced, increasing the total height to 337.5 meters. The six-ton antenna was lifted to the top in two parts by helicopter.

The tower's height is roughly equal to that of the Eiffel tower in Paris, which stands approximately 300 meters tall, less its 24-meter television antenna.

Broadcast capability

With the new antenna, the tower became capable of broadcasting high-definition digital television signals using the DVB-T standard (which is the European counterpart to the ATSC digital standard used in the United States). It is capable of broadcasting four channels per transmitter, for a total of twenty-four channels, at 100 kilowatts per channel.

It is capable of receiving satellite broadcasts and redistributing them via cable or terrestrial broadcasts.

Other facts

The tower is owned and operated by T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. At night, it is illuminated with magenta lighting, the company's corporate colors.

Among Frankfurts residents, the tower is colloquially known as the "Ginnheimer Spargel" ("Asparagus of Ginnheim") from the area of Frankfurt in which it is located and from its shape, which is seen by some to resemble an asparagus.

See also

• List of towers

External links

• [Structurae: Europaturm]

 

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