Tower Story
The world’s very first television tower is to be found in Stuttgart. Since its opening in 1956, it became a prototype that was imitated and refined all over the world – from Frankfurt to Johannesburg and Wuhan in China. For the locals, the TV Tower has become one of Stuttgart’s best-known and most beloved landmarks. No other place can compete with the impressive panoramic views which the Tower affords over the city, the vineyards of the Neckar Valley and the Swabian countryside as far as the Black Forest.
Address
SWR Media Services GmbH, SWR Fernsehturm Stuttgart, Jahnstraße 120, 70597 Stuttgart
Contact
T: 0049 711 929 14724Facts & Statistics
Height from base to top of antennas
711 ft , 217 m
Height of observation deck
492 ft, 150 m
Architect(s)
Erwin Heinle
Engineers
Fritz Leonhardt
Restaurant(s) name
The Panorama Café at the top and The Restaurant Leonhardts at the foot of the TV Tower.
Seating capacity
60 persons at the Panorama Café and 130-140 persons at the Restaurant Leonhardts.
How many observationdecks/levels
One two-tiered open air observation deck
Height of observation deck(s)
The "big" observation deck at 150 meters and the Children's Observation Deck at 153 meters
Height of restaurant(s)
The Panorama Café at 147 meters and the Restaurant Leonhartds at 0 meters (ground Level)
How many windows
72 windows on four levels of which only two are open to the public
How many stairs to the top
762 stairs, but they are not open to the public
How many years for construction
20 months
Inauguration date
February 1956
Lift(s) capacity(ies)
16 persons per lift
Lift(s) capacity(ies) per hour (persons)
192
Lift(s) speed (km/h)
18 km/h
Maximum design wind speed (km/h)
160 km/h
Maximum diameter of shaft
10,8 m
Minimum diameter of shaft
5,04 m
Name of elevator manufacturer
C. Haushahn GmbH & Co. KG
Number of lifts
2
Number of broadcasting facilities
6
Sway of antenna(es) from core
150 cm
Total construction cost
237,000 USD
Total weight of tower
4,500 t
Unique features of observatory(ies)
The Stuttgart TV Tower has an open-air observatory consisting of two tiers
Fun facts about the tower
The constructor Fritz Leonhardt did not want the gracefulness of the structure to be spoilt by a massive base. He concealed the broad foundation under ground level so that the shaft seems to grow directly out of the ground like a tree.
Fun facts about the observatory
While designing the TV Tower Fritz Leonhardt noticed that the concrete balustrade on the viewing platform would obstruct the view of children. He planned a second tier secured by metal bars which allowed children to enjoy the view without being lifted.