Riga Radio and TV Tower
Television tower in Riga, Latvia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Riga Radio and TV Tower (Latvian: Rīgas radio un televīzijas tornis) in Riga, Latvia is the tallest tower in the European Union. It is operated by the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC).[4] It was built between 1979 and 1989 with funding from the central government of the Soviet Union. Its highest point reaches 368.5 metres (1,209 ft),† which makes it the third tallest tower in Europe (after the Ostankino Tower at 540 metres (1,770 ft) and the Kyiv TV Tower at 385 metres (1,263 ft)) and the 15th tallest self-supporting tower in the world.
| Riga Radio and TV Tower | |
|---|---|
Rīgas radio un televīzijas tornis | |
 The Riga Radio and TV Tower viewed in 2012 | |
 Interactive map of the Riga Radio and TV Tower area | |
| Record height | |
| Tallest in European Union since 2004[1][I] | |
| Preceded by | Fernsehturm Berlin |
General information | |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Location | Riga, Latvia |
| Coordinates | 56.9240°N 24.1370°E |
Construction started | 1979 |
Completed | 1989 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 368.5 m (1,209 ft) |
| Roof | 222 m (728 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | |
Features
There was a restaurant, "Vēja roze" ("Wind Rose"), at the 93-metre (305 ft) level, which was open since the completion of the tower until 2006.[5] Before the tower was closed to visitors in 2019, there was 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 could be seen.[6][7][4]
Renovation
The tower has been closed to visitors since 2019 as part of the TV Tower 2.0 renovation project. In April 2026, the renovation was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2029, with the tower's operations expected to continue during the work.[4] The revised project includes restoration of the first three floors and public areas, while the upper sections and technical area are to remain untouched; the previously planned Foucault pendulum is not currently included.[4][8]
Construction
The design chosen for the tower was that of Georgian architect Kims Nikuradze.[2] Also credited are Nikolajs Sergijevskis and Viktors Savčenko.[3] 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.[2]
The tower is built on an island called Zaķusala (English: Hare Island) 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[citation needed] with the help of three 9.1-metric-ton (10-short-ton) dampers installed at the 198-metre (650 ft) level.[6] Though seismic activity is rare, the tower was designed to withstand a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.[6] The projected service life of the tower is 250 years.[2]
Bottom section
The support section of the tower rises the first 88 metres (289 ft), comprising the three pillars that give the tower its unusual appearance, and a central building that contains offices and machine rooms. There are two high-speed sloping elevators, one in the north-east pillar and one in the south-west pillar, that ascend the bottom section in just 42 seconds. The third pillar contains a staircase.[9] It is one of only three "tall" towers in the world that has 3 pillars;[citation needed] the others are the Avala Tower in Belgrade and Žižkov Television Tower in Prague.[citation needed]
Middle section
The middle section, at 88–222 metres (289–728 ft), contains equipment and a central elevator and is enclosed by panels of COR-TEN, an aluminum-iron alloy.[9]
Top section
The top section, at 222–368 metres (728–1,207 ft), is a cylindrical structure which supports and contains the various antennas, and is topped by a flagpole. An elevator rises to the machine rooms at the 308-metre (1,010 ft) level, and stairs ascend another 44 metres (144 ft).[6][9]
Operations
The tower started broadcasting regularly in January 1986, though construction work continued until 1989.[10]
The following television channels are broadcast from the tower:[10]
- Latvian Television 1
- Latvian Television 7
- TV3
- RīgaTV 24
- DVB-T signal
The following radio stations broadcast from the tower:[10]
| Frequency | Station |
|---|---|
| 89.2 | Radio SWH Rock |
| 90.0 | Radio SWH Gold |
| 90.7 | Latvijas Radio 1 |
| 91.5 | Latvijas Radio 2 |
| 94.5 | Retro FM |
| 95.8 | Latvijas Radio 6 - Naba |
| 101.8 | Latvijas Kristīgais Radio |
| 102.3 | Radio Skonto + |
| 102.7 | Radio MIX FM |
| 103.7 | Latvijas Radio 3 - Klasika |
| 104.3 | European Hit Radio |
| 105.2 | Radio SWH |
| 105.7 | Radio SWH+ |
| 106.2 | Radio Star FM |
| 106.8 | Radio TEV |
| 107.2 | Radio Skonto |
| 107.7 | Latvijas Radio 4 - Doma laukums |
Additionally, broadcast and two-way communications services are provided for various organizations and government agencies.[10]
