Lakihegy Tower

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The Lakihegy Tower is a 314 metre (1,031 ft) high radio mast at Szigetszentmiklós-Lakihegy. The Blaw-Knox type Lakihegy tower was built in 1933 and was, at its erection time Europe's highest structure. It was designed to provide broadcast coverage for Hungary with a 120 kW transmitter.

Developed in the U.S.A., the cigar shaped mast was specially designed radiate radio waves in such a way, that eliminated fading. Thus it was able to serve the whole country.

The mast was destroyed by retreating German troops in World War II, but was later rebuilt in 1946. In 1968 the tower was upgraded to serve the new 300 kW transmitter (amongst others, the ceramic base insulator had to be replaced to withstand the higher voltages).

In 1977 the new 2MW transmitter at Solt has replaced the Lakihegy tower as the primary national transmitter. Subsequently, it was nearly torn down in 1981, but widespread objections saved the tower, and later it became a protected industrial monument.

This guyed mast, which is probably still the tallest structure of Hungary, is currently sometimes used as backup aerial for medium wave broadcasting.

In Europe there are similar radio masts at Lisnagarvey, Northern Ireland, at Riga, Latvia, at Vakarel, Bulgaria and at Stara Zagara, Bulgaria.

There are two smaller guyed mast radiators for mediumwave at Lakihegy. They are as Lakihegy Tower insulated against ground, but smaller and from conventional construction type.