Riga Radio and TV Tower
| Riga Radio and TV Tower | |
|---|---|
 |
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| General information | |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Location | Riga, Latvia |
| Coordinates | 56°55′26″N 24°08′13″E / 56.9240°N 24.1370°ECoordinates: 56°55′26″N 24°08′13″E / 56.9240°N 24.1370°E |
| Construction started | 1979 |
| Completed | 1989 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 368 m (1,207 ft) |
| Roof | 222 m (728 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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The Riga Radio and TV Tower (Latvian: Rīgas radio un televīzijas tornis) in Riga, Latvia is the tallest tower in the European Union. It was built between 1979 and 1989 with funding from the central government of the Soviet Union. Its highest point reaches 368 metres (1,207 ft), which makes it the third tallest tower in Europe (after the Ostankino Tower at 540 metres (1,770 ft) and the Kiev TV Tower at 385 metres (1,263 ft)) and the 15th tallest self-supporting tower in the world.
There was a restaurant, "Vēja Roze", at the 93-metre (305 ft) level, which has closed. There is a public observation platform just above it at 97 metres (318 ft), from which most of the city and surroundings and the Gulf of Riga can be seen.
The design chosen for the tower was that of Georgian architect Kims Nikurdze. Also credited are Nikolajs Sergijevskis and Viktors Savčenko. Construction materials included dolomite from Saaremaa, Karelian granite, and ironwork that had been prefabricated in Chelyabinsk. The assembly was done by the St Petersburg North-western Ironwork Assembly Trust.
The tower is built on an island called Zaķusala in the middle of the River Daugava, and the base of the tower is located about 7 metres (23 ft) above mean sea level. The tower is built to resist winds up to 44 metres per second (98 mph) without any noticeable vibration with the help of three 9.1-metric-ton (10-short-ton) dampers installed at the 198-metre (650 ft) level. Though seismic activity is rare, the tower was designed to withstand a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. The projected service life of the tower is 250 years.
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