Europaturm
Encyclopedia
The Europaturm is a 337.5 metre (1,107.3 ft) high telecommunications tower in Frankfurt am Main
in Germany
.
The top of the tower can turn and provides a panoramic view of the Rhine Main area. For a number of years, the upper part of the structure housed a restaurant and discothèque, but since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public.
In September, 2004, the antenna at the top of the tower was replaced, increasing the total height to 337.5 metres (1,107.3 ft). The six-ton antenna was lifted to the top in two parts by helicopter.
The tower's height is roughly equal to that of the Eiffel tower
in Paris
, which stands approximately 300 metres tall, less its 24-metre television antenna.
standard (which is the European counterpart to the ATSC digital standard used in the United States). It is capable of broadcasting four channels per transmitter, for a total of twenty-four channels, at 100 kilowatts per channel. It is capable of receiving satellite broadcasts and redistributing them via cable or terrestrial broadcasts.
The tower is owned and operated by T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
. At night, it is illuminated with magenta
lighting, the company's corporate colors.
Among Frankfurt's residents, the tower is colloquially known as the "Ginnemer Spaschel" (dialect
of Frankfurt
for "The Ginnheimer Asparagus
", or "Ginnheimer Spargel" in standard German), even though it's located in the Bockenheim
of the City (Ginnheim
also a district, is a few metres away). Or simply "Fernsehturm" ("Television Tower") for it was the first broadcast tower in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
Designed by architect Erwin Heinle, the tower's construction began in 1974. At its completion five years later, it became the tallest free-standing structure in the Federal Republic of Germany at 331 metres (1,086 ft). Even without the height of the antenna at its top, the building is over 295 metres (968 ft) high, which still makes it Germany's second tallest structure, after the Fernsehturm Berlin (368 metres/1,207 feet). Its base, at 59 metres (194 ft) thick, is the widest of any similar structure in the world.The top of the tower can turn and provides a panoramic view of the Rhine Main area. For a number of years, the upper part of the structure housed a restaurant and discothèque, but since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public.
In September, 2004, the antenna at the top of the tower was replaced, increasing the total height to 337.5 metres (1,107.3 ft). The six-ton antenna was lifted to the top in two parts by helicopter.
The tower's height is roughly equal to that of the Eiffel tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, which stands approximately 300 metres tall, less its 24-metre television antenna.
Broadcast capability
With the new antenna, the tower became capable of broadcasting high-definition digital television signals using the DVB-TDVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
standard (which is the European counterpart to the ATSC digital standard used in the United States). It is capable of broadcasting four channels per transmitter, for a total of twenty-four channels, at 100 kilowatts per channel. It is capable of receiving satellite broadcasts and redistributing them via cable or terrestrial broadcasts.
The tower is owned and operated by T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....
. At night, it is illuminated with magenta
Magenta
Magenta is a color evoked by light stronger in blue and red wavelengths than in yellowish-green wavelengths . In light experiments, magenta can be produced by removing the lime-green wavelengths from white light...
lighting, the company's corporate colors.
Among Frankfurt's residents, the tower is colloquially known as the "Ginnemer Spaschel" (dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
for "The Ginnheimer Asparagus
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
", or "Ginnheimer Spargel" in standard German), even though it's located in the Bockenheim
Bockenheim (Frankfurt am Main)
Bockenheim is a district or Stadtteil of Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany. It is part of the Ortsbezirk Innenstadt II, and is subdivided into 7 Stadtbezirke. It is in the west-central part of the city and covers an area of 540.1 ha...
of the City (Ginnheim
Ginnheim (Frankfurt am Main)
Ginnheim is a district or Stadtteil of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is part of the Ortsbezirk Mitte-Nord....
also a district, is a few metres away). Or simply "Fernsehturm" ("Television Tower") for it was the first broadcast tower in Frankfurt.