Berlin TV Tower

Berlin TV Tower at Alexanderplatz: Germany’s Tallest Structure

The Berlin TV Tower is located on Panoramastraße directly opposite Alexanderplatz station and is visible from almost every point in the city center. At 368 meters, it is Germany’s tallest structure. It was designed by Hermann Henselmann, and the concrete shaft was built in the sixties using a climbing construction method, in which the formwork moved upwards with the growing tower. The silver sphere sits at an approximate height of 200 meters, giving the structure its unmistakable shape. Because the tower stands freely in the square, it is a reliable landmark from a distance, and the paths from the platforms to the entrance are short. Those who want to go up take one of the elevators, which travel six meters per second and cover the distance in about 40 seconds. The staircase with its 986 steps is reserved for staff and emergencies. Alexanderplatz with its platforms, department stores, and the World Clock is located around the base, so a visit can easily be followed by a tour through the historic center.

Observation Deck, Sphere Bar and a Revolving Restaurant at 207 Meters

At the top, the glazed observation deck opens at a height of 203 meters. The view extends over the Spree, Tiergarten, and the government district, and on clear days, far into the Brandenburg countryside. On the same level is the Sphere Bar, Germany’s highest bar. One floor above, at 207 meters, Michelin-starred chef Tim Raue cooks in the Sphere revolving restaurant, the highest revolving restaurant in the European Union. The dining room rotates twice an hour, so the city completely passes by over the course of a meal. The standard ticket also includes a virtual reality station: Berlin’s Odyssey takes guests through nine centuries of city history in fifteen minutes. In addition, there is a second, twelve-minute film that leads through areas of the tower that no one else enters, and an app complements the visit with over 200 marked points in the city landscape. The standard ticket costs from 20.00 Euros, children pay from 14.50 Euros. All tickets are tied to a time slot; the stay on the observation deck is limited to 45 minutes. The Berlin TV Tower is not barrier-free because the concrete shaft does not allow evacuation via the elevators in case of fire.