Schwerin TV tower becomes second tallest – dramatic dismantling!

Schwerin TV tower becomes second tallest – dramatic dismantling!

Schwerin is facing a significant change: the television tower, a landmark of the city for decades, will be shortened by ten meters in a spectacular action on Thursday. The area around the tower is already cordoned off while a helicopter landed on Wednesday to begin dismantling the no longer needed spire. The dismantling work will be carried out in four steps, with the glass fiber reinforced plastic cylinder (GRP cylinder) being dismantled, which has long been no longer needed to support the television and radio services, which are now being taken over by a transmission tower next door. According to [NDR](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/westmecklenburg/Schwerin-helikopter-demontiert-spitze-des- Fernsehenturms,mvregio Schwerin-890.html), the radio stations in the region were probably worried about this decision, as there was the possibility that the media supply could be affected, but no impairments are to be expected during the work, either [Nordkurier](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/Schwerin/hubschrauber-macht-den-Schweriner- Fernsehenturm-zum-zweithoechsten-gebaeude-3821205) confirmed.

With the dismantling, the Schwerin television tower, which is currently 125.68 meters high, will shrink to 116 meters. As a result, it loses its title as the tallest building in the city. Instead, the Schwerin Cathedral, which stands at 117.5 meters high, will shine as a new highlight in the skyline of the state capital. This not only means a loss for the television tower, but also an interesting transformation of the urban landscape. The tower was opened in 1964 and served for decades not only as an important radio location, but also as a popular excursion destination with a viewing platform and a restaurant, which are now closed, reports [Nordkurier](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/Schwerin/hubschrauber-macht-den-Schweriner- Fernsehenturm-zum-zweithoechsten-gebaeude-3821205).

The television tower in the focus of monument preservation

Despite the impending cut, the television tower remains recognized as a “nationally significant monument” and its importance is recognized by the state government, as the State Office for Culture and Monument Preservation reported. These dismantling methods involve a high degree of consideration for the historical aspects of the tower. The building has been under monument protection since the end of 2019 and its dismantling is now taking place in close coordination with the responsible authorities.

The television tower is not only part of Schwerin's skyline, but also part of a larger tradition of television towers in Germany. An overview of the highest towers in the country shows that the Schwerin television tower is not one of the tallest, but it has a special significance due to local conditions. The list of the tallest television towers in Germany refers to towers with a height of 150 meters or more, although Schwerin will no longer appear in this ranking with the now changed 116 meters. For comparison, the highest television towers, such as the Berlin television tower with an impressive 368 meters, will remain dominant, as the [Wikipedia list](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_h%C3%B6chsten_ Fernsehen-_und_Fernmeldet%C3%BCrme_in_Deutschland) shows.

The preparations and the accompanying work require a high level of logistical skill and technology. Removing the GRP cylinder not only represents a technical challenge, but will certainly also be followed with excitement by many Schwerin residents and tourists. It will be interesting to see how local perceptions of the TV tower will change following its transformation.