Ostankino television tower is one of the most important architectural sights of Moscow and a symbol of Russian television. Thanks to this grandiose construction, television broadcasts are broadcast almost to the whole country. In terms of technical equipment, broadcasting power and some other characteristics, the television tower is unrivaled. In addition, it is considered the tallest building in Europe.
general characteristics
The area of the television tower in Ostankino is more than 15 thousand square meters. meters. There is a whole complex of television studios, ring platforms and balconies. The volume of the tower is about 70 thousand cubic meters. The building consists of 45 floors. The height of the Ostankino television tower is 540 meters. It occupies the eighth place in the world in the height of free-standing buildings (the tallest building in the world at the moment is the Dubai skyscraper Burj Khalifa). The first name of the tower is “The All-Union Transmitting Radio and Television Station named after the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution”.
History of construction
Permanent television broadcasting in the Soviet Union began in 1939. Initially, the signal was transmitted using equipment that was located in the Shukhov Tower (Shablovka). However, the increase in the volume and quality of broadcasting after World War II necessitated the construction of another television tower. At first it was built near the Shukhov television tower, but soon it still required the construction of a more modern television tower.
The development of the project of a television and radio station in Ostankino was carried out by the Mosproject organization. The construction of the Ostankino television tower began in 1960. True, in a very short time it was stopped due to uncertainty that the foundation of the structure was sufficiently reliably constructed. In the future, the design of the television tower was entrusted to the Central Research Institute for the Design of Sports Buildings and Spectacular Structures.
The design of the tower in Ostankino was invented by designer Nikitin in just one night. The prototype of the design, he chose an inverted lily - a flower with a thick stem and strong petals. According to the initial idea, the tower was supposed to have 4 pillars, but later, on the recommendation of the German engineer Fritz Leonhard (creator of the first concrete television tower on the planet), their number was increased to ten. The chief architect of the Ostankino television tower - Leonid Ilyich Batalov - also supported the idea of increasing the number of supports.
The final construction project was approved in 1963. Its authors were architects Burdin and Batalov, as well as designer Nikitin. Specialists decided to significantly modify the previous project, in particular, the number of equipment placed in the tower and its height were increased. The construction of the Ostankino TV tower was carried out from 1963 to 1967. In general, more than 40 various organizations took part in the construction of the television station. At that time, the Ostankino television tower became the tallest building not only in Europe, but throughout the world.
The start of the television tower
The first broadcast of television programs from the Ostankino tower was made in 1967. Despite the fact that this year the construction of the Ostankino tower was completed and the construction was officially put into operation, its completion was carried out throughout the year. As a result, the first broadcast of the color image took place already in 1968. A 3-storey restaurant with the symbolic name “Seventh Heaven” was also created in the tower. Most of the engineers who took part in the creation of this grand telecentre were awarded the Lenin Prize.
Telecentre value
The Ostankino television tower became a unique building of that time, which has no analogues. In addition to being the tallest building in the world for a long time, its technical specifications were truly impressive. After the construction of the tower was completed, approximately 10 million inhabitants lived in the transmitter’s operating area, now the television center covers an area with a population of more than 15 million people.
Station equipment allowed simultaneous recording from several different objects and broadcasting. A special mission fell to the tower in Ostankino during the 1980 Olympics. They even placed special equipment for the CNN news channel.
Meanwhile, the TV tower had other functions, no less important. Its building housed the meteorological observatory, which was in charge of the main meteorological center of the Soviet Union. The Ostankino station also provided television and radio communications between the main state structures of the country.
Tourist attraction
Very soon, the television center turned into one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital. In 1982, a building was built near the tower that provided sightseeing activities. There was also equipped a modern meeting room for 800 people. The Seventh Heaven restaurant has also improved. It is worth noting that it is located at an altitude of 334 meters (which is approximately the 112th floor of a residential building) and occupies as many as three floors. It offers amazing views of Moscow. The peculiarity of the institution is that it makes slow movements around its axis at a speed of one to three turns in 40-50 minutes. True, the Seventh Heaven is currently closed for reconstruction; nothing is known about the timing of its completion.
Unique panoramic area
Meanwhile, most of the tourists are attracted by the observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower. In particular, there are four of them in the television center: open at an altitude of 337 meters and closed - 340 meters, as well as two lower ones at the level of 147 and 269 meters. They work only in the warm season - from May to October. The tour group is usually limited to 70 visitors. There are 7 levels on the TV tower. The panoramic platform is located at the very last. To better see all the interesting objects in the vicinity of the television center, tourists can use telescopes and binoculars. In good weather, you can consider not only the capital, but also the nearby suburbs. It is worth noting that the floor on the observation deck is completely transparent (made of durable glass), which clearly stimulates the flow of an impressive dose of adrenaline into the blood of visitors. The excursion to the Ostankino TV tower is a truly impressive and spectacular event. It is noteworthy that over 30 years of the tower’s operation, more than 10,000,000 guests managed to visit it.
Visiting Rules
Since July 2013, excursions to the Ostankino television center were temporarily not carried out in connection with reconstruction works. But at the moment, two viewing platforms (337 and 340 meters) are again open for tourists! Note: only tourists from 7 to 70 years old are allowed on the tour. Late pregnant women are also undesirable to visit the tower. The management of the tower also prohibits people with visual impairments or when a person is traveling in a wheelchair or crutches from climbing to observation platforms.
Telecentre Design
The observation deck of the Ostankino television tower, undoubtedly, deserves increased attention, but I would like to separately mention the design of the tower. This, in fact, is a huge elongated cone, the walls of which are made of reinforced concrete metal. The roof of the telecentre is supported by 149 ropes that are attached to the tower wall. In the center of this cone there are shafts for cables, stairs, elevators and pipelines. By the way, the structure has seven elevators, four of which are high-speed. Apart from the foundation, the weight of the tower structure is approximately 32 thousand tons. The mass of the structure along with the foundation is 55 thousand tons. The useful area of the premises in the tower is 15,000 square meters. m. At the maximum calculated wind speed, the Ostankino TV Tower (Moscow), or rather its top (spire), can theoretically deviate by 12 meters.
Technical rooms are isolated from visitors, they have a hotel entrance. The hall where all the main transmitters are located is located on the fifth floor. On the floor above are the technical rooms. The personnel of the telecentre are protected from powerful electromagnetic radiation by means of screens made of special materials.
Modern elevators
The television center has four high-speed elevators that can reach speeds of up to 7 m per second. The last of them was launched in 2006. In particular, the observation deck, which is located at an altitude of 337 meters, can be reached in 58 seconds.
Fire at the Ostankino television tower
In 2000, the TV tower experienced a severe fire, which took the lives of three people. After the disaster, Moscow and the Moscow Region were left without television broadcasting for several days. Initially, a fire arose at an altitude of 460 meters. As a result of the elements, three floors were completely burned. Due to the high flame temperature, several tens of cables that provided prestressing of concrete structures burst, but, contrary to concerns, the structure still stood. This was another indisputable proof that the architect of the Ostankino TV tower and all the other specialists who worked on the project of the building were real geniuses. Later, all these cables were successfully restored.
According to firefighters, it was very difficult to extinguish a fire. In the process of eliminating the fire, the commander of the fire department, Vladimir Arsyukov, died. He decided to climb up to the source of fire himself and gave the elevator command Svetlana Loseva to go to a height of 460 meters with him. In the end, they both died. Another dead was locksmith Alexander Shipilin.
According to experts, the overload of networks was the cause of the fire. However, the equipment was established in the shortest possible time, broadcasting was also resumed in the same volume. After the fire, I had to carry out large-scale construction and repair work to improve the territory and premises where the tours were held. By February 2008, everything was restored and improved. After the disaster, the excursion to the Ostankino TV tower now began to be carried out in compliance with special requirements: the number of participants in it should not exceed 40 people.
Sporting events
- Until 2000, the television center held a competition for races to a height of 337 meters.
- Since 2003, base jumping competitions have been organized here. In the same year, a world record was set: 26 people jumped from the building of the Ostankino television tower at the same time.
- In 2004, a misfortune happened at the base jumping festival: Austrian contestant Kristina Grubelnik somehow caught hold of the protruding parts of the tower and lost consciousness, and then hit hard on a concrete wall. As a result, at an altitude of 85 meters, she caught her feet in the balcony. The employees of the television center, fortunately, managed to remove the extreme girl. The girl received several fractures, but remained alive.
- In 2004, a new record was recorded: 30 people jumped from the television center at the same time.
Concert hall
In the building of the excursion building of the Ostankino television center is the concert hall "Royal". As part of the excursion program, this room is used as a cinema hall to demonstrate films about the television tower and Russian television. The "Royal" also hosts many concerts, conferences, shows and other events.
Incredible monument of the era
Ostankino television tower and all its equipment is constantly being improved. Due to the installation of several additional antennas, its height is now more than 560 meters (note that according to the initial idea, its height was 520 meters). Nowadays, the television center is used for its main purpose - to receive and transmit a variety of radio signals and as a place to host television studios with a large number of programs.
In addition, the Ostankino TV tower (the photo of this building is admirable) is the most important tourist attraction in the capital. A telecenter tour is something truly unforgettable. An overview of Moscow and its environs from the observation deck will be remembered for a lifetime.
The television center in Ostankino is rightfully considered a symbol of Russian television and one of the most amazing buildings on the planet.