Today we’re looking at the 4th tallest tower in the world. This honor belongs to Ostankino Tower in Moscow Russia. It is over 200 feet taller than the Oriental Pearl at 1,772 feet or 540.1 meters. This tower was the tallest freestanding structure in the world for almost a decade, from 1967 to 1975. It is still taller than any tower in Europe. Like the Oriental Pearl, it was made of concrete. In 1994, there were plans to add an antenna that would bring the total height of the tower to 1,841 feet and allow transmission of 40 channels. Sadly, there was a lack of funding and as such, the additional antenna was never implemented.
Ostankino Tower has not had the best luck either as it has caught fire twice. The first time was on August 27, 2000, and it killed four people, including 3 firefighters and a lift operator. This fire was caused by a short-circuit at 1,502.6 feet and required the evacuation of all visitors and staff. In addition to the deaths, most of the tower’s interior was destroyed due to a failure in the fire suppression systems. The second fire took place on May 25, 2007, but was far less serious resulting in 0 casualties and it was successfully isolated and extinguished.
This tower is also the home of the Seventh Heaven restaurant. You can find out more from the tower’s website!
