Like many TV towers in former communist bloc countries, the Berlin tower was built as much to demonstrate the strength and efficiency of the communist system as it was to broadcast TV programmes. As such, it was a striking symbol of the old German Democratic Republic and now takes its place as a symbol of the reunified Germany.
At a height of 368 metres with an observation deck, restaurant and bar 200 metres above Alexanderplatz, the tower is one of the tallest structures in Europe.
Constructed between 1965 and 1969, the design of the tower was inspired by the Stuttgart TV tower and the Soviet Sputnik spacecraft.
When the sun shines on the stainless steel tiles around the dome, the reflection usually appears in the form of a cross. This led the tower to be nicknamed 'The Popes Revenge'.
One of the most popular tourist attarctions in Berlin, the tower attracts around one million visitors a year.
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