Avala Tower

Avala Tower
Авалски торањ Avalski toranj
Avala Tower
General information
Type	Telecommunication and observation
Location	Belgrade, Serbia
Coordinates	44°41′45.5″N 20°30′52″E
Construction started	Originally constructed 1961
Completed	1965, rebuilt 2006-2009
Height
Antenna spire	204.5 m (671 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	38
Elevator count	2
Design and construction
Architect	Uglješa Bogutović and Slobodan Janjić
References

A equilateral triangle as its cross section, and one of very few towers not perched directly into the ground, but standing on its legs.

The Avala Tower (Serbian: Авалски торањ / Avalski toranj) is a 204.5 m (671 ft) tall telecommunication tower located on Avala mountain in the periphery of Belgrade. It was destroyed in NATO bombardment of Serbia on 29 April 1999. On 21 December 2006, the reconstruction of Avala Tower commenced and the tower was officially opened at a ceremony on 21 April 2010. It is currently the tallest tower in Serbia and the Balkan region.

History

The tower was designed by architects Uglješa Bogdanović and Slobodan Janjić, and engineer Milan Krstić. Construction started on 14 October 1961 and was completed four years later in 1965. The tower weighed 4,000 tonnes (3,900 long tons; 4,400 short tons). Between 102 m (335 ft) and 135 m (443 ft), there was an enclosed observation deck. It was the only tower in the world to have an equilateral triangle as its cross section, and one of very few towers not perched directly into the ground, but standing on its legs. The legs formed a tripod, the symbol of Serbian tripod chair. At that time it was the only tower with the equilateral triangle basis, and together with the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, it is one of the small number of towers to be constructed in that manner.

The tower was surmounted by an antenna, which was at first used for black and white television transmission. In 1971 the antenna was replaced by a new one for color TV transmission.

From the height of 102 metres to a 135 metres there was an all glass area to which visitors could come via two quick lifts.

The project, which was of high risk, was finished without any worker injuries or deaths, which was unusual for a project of its size.

After completing, with the 202.87 metre height it was the fifth tallest self supporting construction in the world, after Empire State Building, La Tour Eiffel, Chrysler Building and Grande Dixence Dam.

Avala Tower was destroyed on 29 April 1999 by NATO bombardment, with the would-be reason of putting Radio Television of Serbia off the air; in spite of the proclaimed bombardment aim, it was very well known that Radio Television Serbia broadcasting would not suffer as it was relying on a network of local TV stations which were obliged to relay its programming throughout the whole of Serbia. It was also very well known that Avala Tower was a symbol of pride and a famous landmark, not only of Belgrade and Serbia, but of the former Yugoslavia too. The tower was one of the last buildings to be destroyed before the end of the NATO operation. A special bomb was used to destroy the tower. The blast was one of the loudest explosions heard throughout Belgrade during the NATO bombardment.

Rebuilding the new tower

In 2004, Radio Television Serbia commenced a series of fund-raising events in order to collect money to construct the building once again at the same place it was destroyed. In 2005, clearing of the site where the tower was destroyed began and on 21 December 2006 the construction of a new Avala Tower commenced. An agreement regarding its construction was signed by Dušan Basara, director of the construction sector of the Ratko Mitrović Company — which will be in charge of the construction of the tower — and general director of RTS, Aleksandar Tijanić.

Initially, completion of the new tower was expected in August 2008, but construction works were severely delayed. The opening date was pushed back to 29 April, the tenth anniversary of its destruction. Radio Television Serbia reported on 23 October 2009 that the tower has been completed.

Gallery

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  Finished 2010

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  March 2008

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  July 2008

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  August 2008

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  July 2009

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  February 2010

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  June 2010

Fund-raising

Many fund-raising events have been held for the collection of funds so a new tower can be constructed. One of the first was a match between Serbian grand slam-winning tennis players Ana Ivanović and Novak Đoković. All the proceeds went to the Avala Tower fund. Ceca Ražnatović (a Serbian folk singer) held a concert on 15 June 2006, with all the proceeds going to the Avala Tower fund. Radio Television Serbia ran commercials for donations to rebuild the tower. According to a December 2006 report, when it was announced that the construction of a new Avala Tower would commence that same month, over €1 million was collected through fund-raising and donations.

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Serbia
• Architecture of Belgrade
• List of towers
• List of masts These are also often used as for TV broadcasts.
• List of tallest structures in former Yugoslavia

External links

• New tower fireworks dedication
• Avala Tower Fans Association
• Avala Tower at skyscraperpage.com
• Mount Avala Tower at Structurae