Tallinn TV Tower
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The Tallinn TV Tower (Tallinna teletorn) is a free-standing structure with an observation deck, built to provide better telecommunication services for the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics regatta event (see Sailing at the 1980 Summer Olympics). It is located near Pirita, six km north-east of the Tallinn centre. The tower has a specified height of 314 m (1030.2 ft), some sources state 312.6 m (1026.6 ft). The building is administered by the public company Levira (formerly Estonian Broadcasting Transmission Center Ltd) and is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.
The tower was designed by architects David Baziladze and Juri Sinis. The cornerstone was laid in September 30, 1975, and the building was inaugurated July 11, 1980 (although the first actual transmission took place in 1979). The tower body was constructed of reinforced concrete rings 50 cm thick that weigh a total of 17,000 metric tons, with total weight being approximately 20,000 tons. The tower survived a fire during the construction stage.
The observation deck on the 21st floor, which was originally designed to have a rotating section, is located 170 m above ground, and has a diameter of 38 m. The Tower is closed for public since November 26, 2007. The tickets were priced at 60 Estonian kroon in 2007 and, aside from an infrequently-used concrete and metallic staircase, can be accessed by two elevators. Vilnius TV Tower, which has a similar architectural design, features a rotating observation deck 165 m above ground.
Local guide books advertise the spectacular views across Tallinn, extending over the Gulf of Finland to Finland on clear days. It's described as having a 1980s Soviet feel and there's a restaurant on the observation floor. Bullet holes dating from the Soviet coup attempt of 1991 are still visible at the base of the tower.
There is also the widespread story of a handful of radio operators who in 1991 risked their lives to protect the free media of the reborn Republic of Estonia. They placed a matchbox between the elevator door and frame in such a manner that the elevator wouldn't work, forcing Soviet troops to climb every one of approximately 1000 tower steps. The operators also had the oxygen-removing fire-fighting system at their disposal. However, it is not known if the system was operational or if it was a bluff. This story is well-known in Estonia; it is also part of the movie 1991.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Levira homepage
- Tallinn TV Tower in the Structurae database
- World Federation of Great Towers: Tallinn TV Tower
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