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Berlin Television Tower

January 23rd 2019

By Visit Berlin

Soaring 368 metres into the sky, Berlin’s TV Tower is the city’s most visible landmark. But the tower on Alexanderplatz is not just literally a must-see sight, it is also the highest building in Europe open to the general public. And from the dizzying height of its viewing platform, you have spectacular 360-degree panoramic views out across the entire city – and beyond!

History of the TV Tower

The Berlin TV Tower was inaugurated on 3 October 1969 – shortly before East Germany held its twentieth anniversary celebrations. For Walter Ulbricht, then East Germany’s head of state, the TV Tower, constructed in just four years, was emblematic of the communist system's superiority – unequivocal evidence that the GDR was building a better future. The tower was designed by Hermann Henselmann and the group of architects around Fritz Dieter, Günter Franke and Werner Neumann in the state-owned enterprise Industrieprojektierung (Ipro) Berlin. For a time, the executive manager for the entire project was Gerhard Kosel, then President of the GDR’s Deutsche Bauakademie in Berlin.

East Germany, though, has long been history. But the TV Tower is still drawing the crowds – and is ranked among the top sights in twenty-first century Germany. After German reunification, the TV Tower took on an entirely new significance. No longer just a symbol of East Germany, the TV Tower quickly became an integral element of Berlin’s new cityscape, and soon came to symbolise the city – both nationally and internationally.

In 1979, during the days of East Germany, the TV Tower was already classified as a heritage building. Today, it welcomes over one million visitors annually from 86 countries. The viewing platform, over 200 metres up, offers spectacular views of this bustling city with its heady mix of history, cutting edge modernity and change. The TV Tower’s aptly named Panorama Bar and revolving Sphere Restaurant are also ideal places to linger over drinks and refreshments and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Berlin’s revolving restaurant – without queuing

Clear early morning skies – and not a cloud in sight? Then it’s time to hop out of bed and head for the TV Tower. For this popular tourist sight, the early riser really does skip the queues for the lift, especially on sunny days. And that avoids those long waiting times which children (and adults!) can find so tiresome.

A bird’s eye view of Berlin – and beyond

In just 40 seconds, the express elevator in the TV Tower whisks guests to the observation platform high above the city. The fantastic panorama of the cityscape from here includes many of the city’s well-known sights, from the Reichstag Parliament building to the Olympic Stadium or the decommissioned Tempelhof airport. Through the coin-operated telescopes, you can explore the city below in detail and even see the wind turbines turning out in the surrounding countryside. The display panels set around the observation platform are marked with the key sights help you to identify buildings, parks and gardens.