Blackpool Tower
|
|
Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in the town of Blackpool, Lancashire, in the north of England (Template:Gbmapping). The tower, 518ft (158 m) tall, was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It cost GBP £42,000 to construct, and it first opened to the public on 14 May 1894.
Unlike the Eiffel Tower, it is not quite free-standing, being on top of a building housing the Blackpool Tower circus. The top of the tower is accessed by two lifts. There are two viewing platforms open to the public, the lower of which is completely enclosed. These afford views of much of Lancashire, southern Cumbria, North Wales and the Isle of Man, in addition to Blackpool and the rest of the Fylde peninsula. A further platform and the "crow's nest" are only accessible to staff. The tower is topped by a flagpole, and normally flies either the Union flag or the red corporate flag of its owners, First Leisure.
The tower is used as a transmission location by one local radio station and a variety of non-broadcast services. National and regional FM services do not use the tower, because inland locations provide sufficient coverage of Blackpool. The tower is normally painted brown, but for its centenary in 1994 was painted gold.
Blackpool is a popular seaside resort, and the tower, with its beachfront location, is the main attraction. The tower is lit during the annual illuminations, when the town and seafront are adorned with colourful displays of bulbs that stretch up and down the waterfront for several kilometers.
It is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.