Berlin Television Tower

Brief Information

The Berlin TV Tower grew out of a technical task, but became a city landmark: East Berlin needed a powerful transmitter, and the GDR authorities wanted a new symbol in the center of the capital. That is why the tower was built in Mitte, near Alexanderplatz, though not directly on the square. Its proximity gave rise to the unofficial name Alex-Turm.

The height of 368 meters matters not in itself: it explains why the tower works both as a landmark and as an observation point. Inside the sphere are an observation deck, a bar, and a revolving restaurant; above it continues the technical section with the antenna. After German reunification, the tower was not demolished but modernized, and the symbol of the GDR became a symbol of reunified Berlin.

What to Notice Right Away

The main detail is the stainless-steel sphere. In sunny weather, a cross-shaped reflection appears on it; because of this, Berliners nicknamed the effect “the Pope’s revenge,” alluding to the atheism of the socialist state. This joke changes how one sees the smooth technical form: a political symbol unexpectedly acquired an optical detail that no one could fully control.

You can compare the tower’s vertical parts: the concrete shaft, the sphere with public spaces, and the antenna at the top. The observation deck is below the restaurant, and the restaurant makes three rotations per hour, so the sphere is not a decorative shell but a functional volume. The antenna also tells of changing functions: after the spire was replaced in 1997, the tower became three meters taller and was adapted for digital terrestrial television. Even the restaurant is designed with safety in mind: the kitchen is located at the base, and dishes are brought up by elevator.