3 . B E R L I N
T O W E R
T V
PANORAMASTRASSE 1A
In the early 1950s , the German Democratic Republic
planned to build a new facility in Berlin intended
primarily for the broadcast of GDR television
programmes . Initially , a location in the Müggelberge
hills was considered . Once outbuildings had been
built there , the Ministry of the Interior realised that
the broadcasting station would lie in the approach
path of the planned Schönefeld Airport .
In the 1960s , the GDR government arranged to have
the TV Tower built at its current location , with the
aim of demonstrating the strength and efficiency of
the socialist system in mind .
Today the Tower defines the silhouette of Germany ’ s
capital city – a symbol of the reunified Germany ,
just like the Brandenburg Gate .
The original design of the slender Tower soaring
skywards was devised by the GDR architect
Hermann Henselmann . The sphere of the TV Tower
was intended to remind people of the Soviet
sputnik satellites and was to light up red , the
colour of socialism .
Only one method
the Tower . This is
The internal steel
external concrete
steel frame .
was considered for constructing
known as “ climbing formwork ”.
frame grew more quickly than the
shaft , which was built around the
Mounting the sphere at a height of 200 m presented
the engineers with a challenge . The load - bearing
steel frame of the sphere was initially precast on
the ground . The segments were heaved up using
cranes and then secured on the circular platform
which forms the final section of the concrete shaft .