Berlin TV Tower:
Berlin TV Tower: History, Construction and the GDR – How a Prestige Project Became a Landmark
What is the Berlin TV Tower?
The Berlin TV Tower is a television and radio tower built between 1965 and 1969 at Alexanderplatz in Berlin-Mitte. Built in the GDR as a broadcasting facility and political prestige project, it is now one of the most recognisable landmarks of Germany’s reunified capital
The Berlin locals recommend.
Why was the Berlin TV Tower built?
The GDR needed a powerful broadcasting facility for television and FM radio in East Berlin. At the same time, the TV Tower was meant to demonstrate the technological capabilities of the socialist state and shape the GDR’s capital as a landmark visible from miles away.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Location: Alexanderplatz, Berlin-Mitte
- Construction: 1965–1969
- Official inauguration: 3 October 1969
- Opened to visitors: 7 October 1969
- Height: Originally 365 metres, now 368 metres
- Tower sphere: 32 metres in diameter
- Observation deck: 203 metres
- Restaurant: 207 metres
- Original purpose: Television and FM radio broadcasting
- Commissioned by: GDR Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
- Notable fact: Germany’s tallest structure
Alright, friends,
I’m probably one of the few Berliners who are at Alexanderplatz almost every single day.
And that means I see the TV Tower every day, too.
For many people, it’s a photo spot. For me, it’s part of everyday life. Sometimes I barely even notice it anymore.
But the story behind this tower is far more interesting than the view from the top.
The History of the Berlin TV Tower Didn’t Begin at Alexanderplatz
Plans for a new TV tower began as early as the 1950s. The GDR wanted to improve television reception and needed a powerful broadcasting facility to do so.
The Müggelberge hills in southeastern Berlin were initially chosen as the site.
Construction actually began there. It was only after work was underway that planners realised the proposed tower would pose a risk to air traffic at Schönefeld Airport.
The project was halted.
The structures already built weren’t completely demolished, though. A smaller tower in the Müggelberge is still used for telecommunications today.
Attention then shifted to a site in Volkspark Friedrichshain.
That plan never went ahead either. Economic difficulties and changing political priorities led the GDR leadership to put the project on hold once again.
So the TV Tower had already been through two failed location plans before the story of the tower we know today even began.
Why Does the Berlin TV Tower Stand at Alexanderplatz?
The decision to build the tower at its current location was made in 1964. Walter Ulbricht wanted it in the heart of the GDR’s capital, where it could serve not only as a broadcasting facility but also as a political landmark.
According to a widely told anecdote, Ulbricht pointed to the proposed location while looking at a model of the city and declared:
“Well, comrades, you can see it quite clearly: That’s where it belongs.”
Whether he actually used those exact words cannot be established with certainty.
The political intention behind the choice of location, however, is well documented.
The TV Tower was intended to form part of a new urban axis stretching from Karl-Marx-Allee through Alexanderplatz to the Brandenburg Gate.
The role of architect Hermann Henselmann is also worth mentioning. Back in 1959, he had developed a design called the “Turm der Signale” (Tower of Signals), which anticipated the TV Tower’s eventual appearance.
With this shift, the GDR increasingly moved away from monumental government buildings inspired by Soviet architecture and embraced a more modern, technology-focused style.
What Was Demolished to Make Way for the Berlin TV Tower?
Parts of the historic Marienviertel neighbourhood were demolished to make way for the TV Tower and the redevelopment of the surrounding area. The area between Alexanderplatz, St. Mary’s Church and the River Spree was transformed.
Work began in March 1965.
Residential buildings disappeared, residents had to move, and historic street layouts were erased.
However, much of old Berlin had already been badly damaged during the Second World War. The TV Tower was part of a much wider socialist urban redevelopment plan, not the sole reason the neighbourhood disappeared.
St. Mary’s Church survived.
Today, it stands between the TV Tower, the Red Town Hall and large open spaces.
If you walk through the area, you can still get a sense of just how much this part of Berlin has changed.
Where tourists now take photos and people walk between Alexanderplatz and Museum Island, there were once streets lined with densely packed residential buildings.
How Was the Berlin TV Tower Built?
The Berlin TV Tower was built between 1965 and 1969. Its reinforced concrete shaft was constructed using a climbing formwork system, allowing the structure to rise step by step.
The project presented GDR engineers with unusual challenges.
The concrete shaft reaches a height of almost 249 metres and required around 8,000 cubic metres of concrete.
On 4 October 1966, construction workers passed the 100-metre mark.
By 16 June 1967, the shaft had reached its final height.
Work then continued on assembling the tower sphere, installing the antenna structure and completing the interior.
Around 300 companies were involved in the project, with construction crews working in shifts.
The deadline was politically important: the TV Tower was supposed to be finished in time for the GDR’s 20th anniversary.
That put the construction project under considerable organisational pressure.
Construction Problems and Deaths During the Building of the Berlin TV Tower
Construction of the TV Tower was not without difficulties. The tower sphere, rising costs and the coordination of the companies involved all presented challenges for the construction management team.
As late as the summer of 1966, it was still unclear which steel construction company would manufacture the sphere’s outer shell.
Assembling it at a height of around 200 metres also required special engineering solutions.
Construction workers had to lift heavy steel segments into place using cranes and secure them at height. Meanwhile, work continued on the concrete shaft and the tower’s technical equipment.
How Many People Died During the Construction of the Berlin TV Tower?
According to various reports, fatal workplace accidents are said to have occurred during construction of the TV Tower. However, there is no known officially published death toll from the GDR.
It is therefore not possible to give a reliably documented total.
An important distinction: the fact that no official death toll was published does not prove that fatalities were deliberately concealed.
The documented technical and organisational difficulties show just how demanding the construction project behind this celebrated symbol of the GDR really was.
Why Does the Berlin TV Tower Have a Sphere?
The sphere combines the TV Tower’s technical and public functions with its political symbolism. Its shape is reminiscent of the Soviet Sputnik satellites and was intended to represent progress, space exploration and modern technology.
It measures 32 metres in diameter.
But the spherical shape wasn’t just symbolic. Structural engineering also played a role: the rounded design presents a consistent shape to wind from different directions and distributes the resulting loads across its supporting structure. At a height of around 200 metres, this was an important consideration during planning.
The structure was prepared on the ground before its individual components were lifted into position.
On 29 March 1968, the first large segment of the sphere was hoisted onto the concrete shaft.
Assembly took several months.
One interesting detail: the stainless steel used for the outer shell came from West Germany.
So even for a prestige project intended to demonstrate the capabilities of socialism, the GDR relied on materials from West Germany.
The thermal-insulation windows for the observation deck and restaurant were manufactured in Belgium.
The sphere is a good example of just how closely major engineering projects remained economically connected despite the political division.
How Much Did It Cost to Build the Berlin TV Tower?
Construction costs for the TV Tower rose significantly. The original budget was around 33 million marks, but the final cost reached approximately 132 million marks.
That made the project about four times more expensive than initially planned.
Major reasons included technical difficulties and materials that had to be purchased from abroad using foreign currency.
By the time the tower sphere was being assembled, costs had already risen to around 95 million marks.
For the GDR, this was a considerable economic burden.
At the same time, the TV Tower held political value for the GDR leadership that went far beyond its practical function as a broadcasting facility.
How Did Berliners Experience the Construction of the TV Tower?
Many East Berliners followed the construction of the TV Tower with pride. It represented modern architecture, technological progress and the feeling that their city was visibly changing.
My grandma Jutta witnessed the construction firsthand.
She remembers a real sense of excitement and how proud many people were of the new TV Tower.
My mother was around four years old when it opened.
That enthusiasm becomes easier to understand when you consider what living conditions were like at the time.
Many buildings were still damaged from the war. Housing was in short supply, and outdoor toilets were still common in older buildings.
And suddenly, a structure rose in the middle of East Berlin that towered over everything else.
For many, it was proof that the GDR was capable of impressive engineering.
Of course, there was plenty of mockery and irony, too.
Berliners gave the tower nicknames such as “Telespargel” (television asparagus) and “Sankt Walter” (Saint Walter).
Pride and Berlin’s sharp tongue have never been mutually exclusive.
How Did West Berlin React to the TV Tower?
In West Berlin, the TV Tower was also seen as a political symbol of power. At the same time, its height made it visible across the entire city, and it quickly became a permanent part of Berlin’s skyline.
The GDR could use the tower to demonstrate its presence beyond the Wall.
That didn’t mean every West Berliner viewed it purely through a political lens, though.
For some, it was a symbol of division. For others, simply a new landmark to help them find their way around the city.
That was part of what made it so striking.
You could reject the GDR and still see its TV Tower every single day.
Why Is the Cross on the Berlin TV Tower Called the “Pope’s Revenge”?
In direct sunlight, a cross-shaped reflection appears on the TV Tower’s stainless steel sphere. The phenomenon became popularly known as “Rache des Papstes” (Pope’s Revenge).
The irony was hard to miss.
A clearly visible cross appeared right in the heart of a state whose leadership promoted an atheist worldview.
The nickname “Sankt Walter” (Saint Walter) was also a reference to Walter Ulbricht.
Various stories emerged around the reflection.
One claims that the GDR leadership tried to get rid of the cross after the tower was completed.
However, there is insufficient reliable evidence of any specific technical measures taken to remove it.
The reflection itself is still visible today.
What Does the Berlin TV Tower Have to Do with Colour Television in the GDR?
Colour television officially launched in the GDR on 3 October 1969, the day the TV Tower was inaugurated. The second channel of Deutscher Fernsehfunk also began broadcasting that day.
The GDR used the French SECAM colour television system.
West Germany had already introduced colour television in 1967, using the PAL system.
Competition between East and West German television also played a role.
Many GDR citizens regularly watched West German channels, particularly ARD and ZDF.
For the SED leadership, that was a problem.
People could access news, entertainment and information about everyday life in the West without the state being able to control what they watched. The new TV Tower was therefore intended not only to improve broadcasting coverage but also to strengthen the GDR’s own television offering. It couldn’t make West German television disappear, though.
As a central broadcasting facility, the new TV Tower played an important role in expanding television coverage across East Germany.
For many families, however, colour television initially remained a luxury.
The first colour TV sets cost more than 2,000 marks, putting them beyond the reach of many households.
Technological progress was there for everyone to see, but not everyone could afford to enjoy it straight away.
When Did the Berlin TV Tower Open?
Walter Ulbricht officially inaugurated the TV Tower on 3 October 1969. The observation deck and the former Telecafé opened to visitors on 7 October, the 20th anniversary of the founding of the GDR.
The tower quickly became a popular attraction.
More than four million people visited it within its first three years.
It was therefore not just a political symbol, but also a place where people could experience their city from an entirely new perspective.
What Happened to the Berlin TV Tower After German Reunification?
After German reunification, the TV Tower lost its original role as a political symbol of the GDR. However, it remained an important broadcasting facility and a landmark of Berlin.
Its technical equipment was modernised.
In 1990, broadcasting switched from the East German SECAM system to PAL.
Later modifications to the antenna structure increased the tower’s height from its original 365 metres to today’s 368 metres.
Today, it is a listed monument and one of Germany’s most recognisable structures.
Much like the world clock, it has outlasted the political system it was originally built to represent.
The Berlin TV Tower Today – My View of a Berlin Landmark
I see the TV Tower almost every day.
Prenzlauer Berg, Greifswalder Straße, Alexanderplatz – somehow, it’s always there in the background.
My gym used to be right at Alex. My best friend works as a concierge at the Park Inn. My cousin also works at Alexanderplatz, in a bank.
To me, this part of Berlin is completely ordinary.
For many West Berliners, it’s different. Some might only come to Alexanderplatz once or twice a year.
And then there’s the world clock.
It used to be a classic meeting point for East Berliners. Today, tourists gather around it, taking selfies or filming TikToks.
I’ve sent thousands of tourists there myself.
Even though I knew they were still a long way from discovering the Berlin I actually wanted to show them.
That’s exactly why it’s worth understanding the history behind places like this.
The TV Tower isn’t just an observation deck.
It tells the story of a divided city, political decisions, engineering achievements, streets that no longer exist and the memories of people who witnessed its construction.
And for me, that includes my grandma Jutta.
Berlin isn’t a tourist attraction. Berlin is a city.
See you in the real Berlin – or right here in the next blog.
Take care 🖤
Sources and references: Book "Der deutsche Fernsehturm" by Rudolf Pospischil | Book "Fernsehturm Berlin" by Lothar Heinke | Book "Das Buch vom Fernsehturm" by Berliner Kurier | Book "Berlin – Die Bauwerke" by Thomas Rosenthal and Christian Simon | Most images in this article are sample images and were not taken at the places featured.
Check out our blogs on insider tips for Berlin.
View all-
Bus 100
Bus 100 runs right through Berlin, passing some of the city’s most famous sights along the way. Why I regularly recommended it during my time as a concierge, which stops...
Bus 100
Bus 100 runs right through Berlin, passing some of the city’s most famous sights along the way. Why I regularly recommended it during my time as a concierge, which stops...
-
Bundestag
The Bundestag is about more than its dome and views over Berlin. Find out what really happens in parliament, how you can visit the Bundestag – and why it’s worth...
Bundestag
The Bundestag is about more than its dome and views over Berlin. Find out what really happens in parliament, how you can visit the Bundestag – and why it’s worth...
-
Planetarium Berlin
The Zeiss-Großplanetarium is far more than just stargazing. Find out what to expect at the Berlin Planetarium, why this GDR-era building still impresses today – and whether it’s really worth...
Planetarium Berlin
The Zeiss-Großplanetarium is far more than just stargazing. Find out what to expect at the Berlin Planetarium, why this GDR-era building still impresses today – and whether it’s really worth...
