Fernsehturm Dresden-Wachwitz
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The Fernsehturm Dresden-Wachwitz is a TV tower in Dresden, Germany. It is situated on the Wachwitzer Elbhöhen and serves as a transmitting tower for television and radio broadcasts. Due to its visibility over large distances and its unusual form it has become a landmark of Dresden and the Elbe valley. Its address is 37 Oberwachwitzer Way, Dresden.
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Construction
The architects of the Dresdner TV tower, Kurt Nowotny, Hermann Rühle and Johannes Braune, were inspired to design its cup-like form by a sparkling wine glass. The tower was built between 1963 and 1969. It is 252 metres high and was the second highest building in the GDR (after the Berlin TV tower, which is 368 metres). The tip of the building towers above the ground at around 373 metres, and its foot is 230 metres above sea level. The shank of the building consists of reinforced concrete and has a diameter of 21 metres, which is buried underground to a depth of six metres in Lausitzer granite. The total weight of the tower amounts to 7300 tonnes.
Radio engineering
On September 18 1969 transmissions were started from the tower. It possesses four transmission mechanisms for VHF broadcasts and three transmitters for television. In 2003 there was a small fire in the transmitting rooms, which was quickly brought under control.
Tourism
Until its renovation in 1991 by Deutsche Telekom (German Telecom) and the closing-down of the GDR state-owned company which ran the restaurant (HO Restaurant), the public could reach the tower by two elevators. Within the public area was a two-storey restaurant with 132 seats at a height of 145 metres, and above that was an observation platform. Annually there were around 200,000 visitors enjoying the view over the Elbe valley and Dresden. Since modernisation of the elevator machinery and the restaurant would cost around three to four million euro, so far no investors with an eligible concept for financing has been found. It is estimated that an economical enterprise would only be possible with 500 000 visitors per year.