The Ostankino TV Tower is one of the most important architectural landmarks in Moscow and a symbol of Russian television. Thanks to this grandiose construction, television broadcasts are provided almost throughout the country. In terms of technical equipment, broadcasting power and some other characteristics, the TV tower has no equal. 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 TV studios, circular 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 ranks eighth in the world in terms of the height of free-standing buildings (the tallest building in the world at the moment is Dubai's Burj Khalifa skyscraper). The first name of the tower is “All-Union Transmitting Radio and Television Station named after the 50th Anniversary of October.”
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 TV tower. At first it was built near the Shukhov TV tower, but soon a more modern TV tower was needed anyway.
Mosproekt organization was involved in the development of the TV and radio station project in Ostankino. The construction of the Ostankino television tower began in 1960. True, in a very short time it was stopped due to the 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 Entertainment Facilities.
The Ostankino tower project was conceived by designer Nikitin in just one night. He chose an inverted lily as the prototype of the design - a flower with a thick stem and strong petals. According to the original idea, the tower was supposed to have 4 supports, but later, on the recommendation of the German engineer Fritz Leonhard (the 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 ofsupports.
The final design of the building was approved in 1963. Its authors were the architects Burdin and Batalov, as well as the designer Nikitin. The specialists decided to significantly improve the previous project, in particular, the amount of equipment placed in the tower and its height were increased. The construction of the Ostankino television tower was carried out from 1963 to 1967. In general, more than 40 different organizations took part in the construction of the television station. At that time, the Ostankino TV tower became the tallest building not only in Europe, but throughout the world.
Starting TV 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 building was officially put into operation, its completion was carried out for another year. As a result, the first broadcast of a 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 television center were awarded the Lenin Prize.
Meaning of telecentre
The Ostankino television tower became a unique building of that time, which has no analogues. Besides the fact that for a long time it remained the tallest building in the world, its technical characteristics were really impressive. After the completion of the construction of the tower, approximately 10 million inhabitants lived in the zone of operation of the transmitters,now the TV center covers an area with a population of more than 15 million people.
The station's 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 a 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, which provided excursion activities. A modern meeting room for 800 people was also equipped here. The Seventh Heaven restaurant has also been 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 three floors. An amazing view of Moscow opens from its windows. The peculiarity of the institution is that it makes slow movements around its axis at a speed of one to three revolutions in 40-50 minutes. True, Seventh Heaven is currently closed for reconstruction, the timing of its completion is still unknown.
Unique panoramic platform
Meanwhile, most tourists are attracted by the observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower. In particular, they are in the television centerthere are four: open at a height 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. The tower has 7 levels. The panoramic platform is located on 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 see not only the capital, but also the Moscow suburbs. It is worth noting that the floor on the observation deck is absolutely transparent (made of durable glass), which definitely stimulates the flow of an impressive dose of adrenaline into the blood of visitors. An excursion to the Ostankino TV Tower is a truly impressive and spectacular event. It is noteworthy that over 30 years of operation of the tower, more than 10,000,000 guests managed to visit it.
Visit Rules
Since July 2013, excursions to the Ostankino television center have not been temporarily held due to reconstruction work. But at the moment, two observation decks (337 and 340 meters) are reopened for tourists! For your information: only tourists from 7 to 70 years old are allowed on the tour. Pregnant women in the later stages are also undesirable to visit the tower. The tower management also prohibits the visually impaired from climbing the observation decks or if a person moves on a wheelchair or crutches.
Telecenter design
Observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower,undoubtedly deserves special attention, but I would like to separately mention the design of the tower. This is, in fact, a huge elongated cone, the walls of which are made of metal-reinforced monolithic concrete. The roof of the television center is supported by 149 ropes that are attached to the wall of the tower. In the center of this cone are shafts for cables, stairs, elevators and pipelines. By the way, the building has seven elevators, four of which are high-speed. Except for the foundation, the weight of the TV tower structures is approximately 32,000 tons. The mass of the structure together 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 design 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. Technical rooms are located on the floor above. Telecenter personnel 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 one 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 survived a severe fire that took the lives of three people. After the disasterMoscow and the Moscow region were left without television broadcasting for several days. Initially, the fire broke out at an altitude of 460 meters. As a result of the disaster, three floors were completely burned. Due to the high temperature of the flame, several dozen cables that provided prestressing concrete structures burst, but, contrary to fears, the structure still survived. This was another indisputable proof that the architect of the Ostankino TV tower and all other specialists who worked on the building project were real geniuses. Later, all these cables were successfully restored.
According to firefighters, it was very difficult to put out the fire. In the process of extinguishing the fire, the commander of the fire brigade, Vladimir Arsyukov, died. He decided to go up to the source of the fire himself and gave the command to the elevator operator Svetlana Loseva to go to a height of 460 meters with him. In the end, they both died. Locksmith Alexander Shipilin was another dead.
According to experts, the cause of the fire was an overload of networks. However, the equipment was adjusted in the shortest possible time, broadcasting was also resumed in the same volume. After the fire, large-scale construction and repair work had to be carried out to improve the territory and premises where the excursions 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
- BeforeIn 2000, the television center hosted a race competition 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: the Austrian participant Kristina Grubelnik somehow caught on the protruding parts of the TV tower and lost consciousness, and then hit the concrete wall hard. As a result, at a height of 85 meters, her feet caught on the balcony. The employees of the television center, fortunately, managed to remove the extreme. The girl received several fractures, but survived.
- In 2004, a new record was set: 30 people jumped from the TV center at the same time.
Concert Hall
In the building of the excursion building of the Ostankino television center there is a concert hall "Royal". As part of the excursion program, this room is used as a cinema hall for showing films about the TV tower and Russian television. The Royal is also hosting many concerts, conferences, performances and other events.
An incredible monument of the era
The Ostankino television tower and all its equipment are constantly being improved. Due to the installation of several additional antennas, now its height is more than 560 meters (note that, according to the original idea, its height was 520 meters). The television center is used in our time for its main purpose -for receiving and transmitting a variety of radio signals and as a location for television studios for 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 tour of the TV center is something truly unforgettable. An overview of Moscow and its environs from the observation deck will be remembered for a lifetime.
The Ostankino Television Center is rightfully considered a symbol of Russian television and one of the most amazing buildings on the planet.
