Gliwice Radio Tower: Wikis

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Categories: Gliwice > Towers in Poland > 1935 establishments > Communications in Poland > Broadcast transmitters > Communication towers

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Updated live from Wikipedia, last check: June 01, 2012 18:29 UTC (44 seconds ago)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gliwice Radio Tower is the highest wooden structure in Europe.

The Gliwice Radio Tower is the transmission tower of the Gliwice, Upper Silesia, Poland, radio station, situated on Tarnogórska Road in Szobiszowice.

It is an 118-metre high (including the 8 metre long spire on its top) construction of impregnated larch wood framework. The tower was nicknamed "the Silesian Eiffel Tower" by the local population, although the similarities are minor.

Gliwice Radio Tower has four platforms, which are 40.4 m, 55.3 m, 80.0 m and 109.7 m above ground. The platform on its top has a size of 2.13 x 2.13 m. For access to its top, there is a ladder with 365 steps.

Gliwice Radio Tower is perhaps the tallest wooden structure in the world. It is designed to carry aerials for medium wave broadcasting, but the transmitter is not in service any more.

Gliwice Radio Tower was built in 1935 in order to replace the former smaller transmitter of Gliwice situated in Raudener Street. It went in service on 23 December 1935.

On 31 August 1939, the Germans staged a 'Polish' attack on Gleiwitz radio station, which was later used as justification for the Invasion of Poland. The transmission facility was not demolished in World War II. From 4 October 1945, until the inauguration of the new transmitter in Ruda Śląska in 1955, the Gliwice transmitter was used for medium wave broadcasting of the Polish Broadcasting Company. After 1955, the transmitter was used as a jammer against medium wave transmitters broadcasting Western Polish-language programmes, e.g. Radio Free Europe.

The medium wave transmitter is no longer workable, because the final stage is missing.

Today, the Gliwice Radio Tower carries multiple transceiver antennas for mobile phone services and a low power FM transmitter.

Following the decision of the City Council taken on 2 December 2004, the radio tower is a museum on radio history and visual arts, located in the former radio transmitter building.