The Ostankino Tower () is a television and radio tower in Moscow, Russia, owned by the Moscow branch of unitary enterprise Russian TV and Radio Broadcasting Network. Standing , it was designed by Nikolai Nikitin. , it is the tallest free-standing structure in Europe and 15th tallest in the world. Between 1967 and 1974, it was the tallest in the world. The tower was the first free-standing structure to exceed in height. Ostankino was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It is named after the surrounding Ostankino district of Moscow.
Upon the completion of construction, approximately 10 million individuals resided within the transmitter coverage area, which expanded to over 15 million by 2014. This area encompasses Moscow and the Moscow Region, as well as certain portions of the Vladimir and Kaluga regions. The ownership of the TV tower lies with the Moscow Regional Center, a division of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRN).
Under favorable weather conditions, the Ostankino TV Tower can be seen by residents of certain cities in the Moscow Region, including Balashikha, Voskresensk, Zelenograd, Korolev, Krasnogorsk, Lyubertsy, Mytishchi, Odintsovo, Podolsk, Khimki, and Shchyolkovo.
History
Choosing a site for construction
The primary function of the Ostankino TV Tower is to transmit TV signals. Prior to its establishment, this task was fulfilled by a structure devised by Vladimir Shukhov in 1922. During that era, the "wicker" tower located on Shabolovka Street was widely regarded as an extraordinary feat of engineering ingenuity. However, it became apparent in the 1950s that the tower had reached the end of its lifespan. Originally designed primarily for radio signal transmission, the tower found itself adapting to the emergence of television broadcasting in the late 1930s.
Initial design
The project was initially assigned to the Kyiv Design Institute specializing in steel structures, which won the All-Union competition for the best TV tower design. Their proposal was an openwork metal tower similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Shukhov Tower in Moscow. However, the architects tasked with realizing the project were not very enthusiastic about it. Numerous engineers, including Nikolai Nikitin, a member of the competition committee and an expert in reinforced concrete and metal structures, came up with an alternative idea. Nikitin expressed a strong dislike towards his colleagues' project, deeming the design unappealing. He suggested building the tower out of reinforced concrete, citing a successful similar project in Stuttgart that had been completed two years prior, in 1956. He firmly believed that such a type of structure would be much more aesthetically pleasing. Nikitin's proposal was taken seriously, and he was given the opportunity to prepare his own application. To ensure the strength and stability of the concrete frame, Nikitin incorporated 149 taut steel ropes. Nikitin later asserted that he had conceived the project overnight, and the prototype for the cone-shaped foundation of the tower was inspired by the upside-down lilium flower, known for its robust petals and sturdy stem, which the engineer had envisioned in his dream just days before the deadline for submitting sketches. However, it is possible that the reality was different. His design was inspired by the work of scientist Yuri Kondratyuk in the 1930s, who had envisioned a thin and hollow concrete structure for a wind farm on Mount Ai-Petri in the Crimea. Kondratyuk successfully designed a 165-meter structure and took precautions by reinforcing it with steel cables to ensure its stability against strong winds. The project was left incomplete due to several factors, but the concept remained in Nikitin's mind. In 1932, architect Pier Luigi Nervi presented a project called the "Monument of the Banner" in Rome for a competition. It is uncertain whether Nikolai Nikitin was acquainted with these sketches, but the base of the structure bears a striking resemblance to the Ostankino TV tower. Later, after the completion of the Ostankino tower, the initial lattice metal design was realized as the Kyiv TV Tower, albeit shortened by almost 30% so as not to be as tall as the Ostankino tower.В. Стах, "Викрадачі спокою наших осель", Україна Молода, #191, 14 October 2005 (in Ukrainian)І. Мащенко, "Гулівери земних споруд", Zerkalo Nedeli, #16 (340) 21–27 April 2001 (in Ukrainian)
Nikolai Nikitin suggested constructing a 540-meter rocket, but the proposed tower had minimal foundation, with only a 4.6-meter base underground. Many of Nikitin's colleagues expressed concerns about the stability of the structure and recommended reinforcing it with 40-meter piles. They even wrote collective letters to halt construction. However, despite their efforts, the project was ultimately completed and the tower remained stable. This was primarily due to the shifted center of gravity. The center of gravity can be compared to a roly-poly toy, which means that the structure can sway in strong winds. The maximum deflection of the spire throughout the construction process was approximately 12 meters. Certainly, in addition to the shifted center of gravity, there was a need for further structural reinforcement. As a result, a total of 150 steel cables were carefully installed inside. In order to safeguard against any potential corrosion of the iron over time, the cables were coated with a substance known as gun oil. This particular type of petroleum oil is made thicker by combining it with petrolatum and ceresin.
Construction
The construction work commenced in 1959, leading to the establishment of an entire town dedicated to the project. This town included essential facilities such as a boiler house, a concrete plant, and a mechanical workshop. The tower trunk was successfully erected using a self-lifting crane, while alternative methods, specifically the utilization of helicopters, were employed to install the antenna atop the TV tower.
Leonid Batalov and Dmitry Burdin were responsible for shaping the structure's appearance. They incorporated arches between the supports, constructed a glazed cylinder beneath the tower trunk to accommodate technical services and live broadcasting studios, and integrated illuminator windows in the upper section of the cone, giving the tower a striking similarity to a rocket. Furthermore, at the height of 325–360 meters, the tower was extended with a structure resembling a 10-storey house, featuring essential equipment, a revolving restaurant spanning three floors, and an observation deck inspired by the design of the TV tower in Stuttgart. Moreover, the balconies and trunk of the tower efficiently housed equipment for radio relay lines, mobile television stations, radiotelephone communications, special services facilities, and a meteorological complex.
The grand opening of the Ostankino TV Tower occurred in 1967, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. However, initially only a portion of the structure was operational. The remaining works were completed by 1969, allowing for the opening of observation platforms and a restaurant for visitors. The tower has two observation decks: one is a glazed deck situated at a height of 337 meters, while the second is an open deck positioned approximately 3 meters closer to the top of the tower. Although it is referred to as "open", there are bars in place for safety reasons. Additionally, it is only open on rare occasions, specifically during favorable weather conditions without wind.
Prior to 1976, the Ostankino TV Tower held the prestigious title of being the tallest structure in the entire world, standing at a height of 540 meters, thereby surpassing New York City's Empire State Building to become the tallest free-standing structure in the world. However, this achievement was subsequently overtaken by the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. Towering above the ground at a height of 553 meters, the CN Tower claimed the new record.
Vantage point
Over the course of 30 years leading up to the 2000 fire, the vantage point and the "Seventh Heaven" restaurant welcomed over 10 million guests. Following the fire, both the platform and the restaurant underwent reconstruction, with the observation deck being fully renovated by January 2008. Although the observation deck resumed operations with pilot tours on March 27, 2008, the restaurant remained closed as it continued its reconstruction efforts.
On 21 July 2018, there was a race up the tower, featuring athletes from 12 countries. They ran up the narrow, spiral staircase and reached the location at an altitude of 337.0 meters. The fastest of the 28 athletes was German, Christian Riedl, who made it to the top in 9 minutes and 51 seconds. The women's winner was Cynthia Harris (US), who reached the top in 12 minutes and 15 seconds.
Accidents Fire of 2000
On 27 August 2000, a devastating blaze not only engulfed the "Seventh Heaven" restaurant but also caused extensive damage to the entire structure. Out of the 150 steel cables that once held the building together, only 19 remained intact after the fire had subsided. The fire initially broke out at a height of 460 meters, or approximately , above the observation platform and the Seventh Heaven restaurant, around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Within moments, the flames had rapidly spread, engulfing nearby structures. It took the efforts of firefighters and emergency personnel until the following evening to extinguish the flames. The aftermath of the fire had far-reaching consequences, as the entire city of Moscow was left without television reception, with additional disruption to radio signals. While some channels were able to quickly restore their services, it took several months to completely repair and reinstate the signals citywide.
There were three fatalities as a result of the fire. A firefighter and lift operator died when their elevator cabin crashed to the ground level due to the fire.
The fire necessitated the evacuation of all visitors and staff from those locations, carried out within 90 minutes from the onset of the fire. The substantial loss incurred was primarily attributed to the outdated and inadequately maintained electronic equipment, a significant portion of which had been installed during the 1960s. Furthermore, the tower had become increasingly crowded with equipment.Russian TV knocked out as fire rages through 1,800ft tower by Barry Renfrew, The Independent, 28 August 2000
The failure of the fire suppression systems meant that firefighters and emergency workers had to manually carry heavy equipment, including chemical fire extinguishers, up the tower to stop the fire. Temporary firewalls made of asbestos were installed at a height of to prevent further spreading.Firefighters struggle against a blaze in Moscow television tower by Nick Wadhams, The Independent, 28 August 2000. As a result of the fire, television broadcasts in Moscow and the surrounding areas were mostly disrupted, except for the privately owned NTV station. However, the government prioritized state channels and therefore the RTR TV channel began transmitting to several districts in Moscow.Bodies recovered from Moscow TV tower fire. CNN.com, 28 August 2000. The fire caused the upper spire of the tower to tilt slightly, which caused concerns that the tower might collapse. However, upon further inspection, it was determined that although the structure suffered significant damage, there was no immediate risk of collapse. Immediate efforts were initiated to rebuild the tower, which turned out to be a lengthy and costly endeavor.Russia tower fire 'under control', CNN.com, 28 August 2000. Four feared trapped in burning Moscow tower, CNN.com, 28 August 2000.