Built 104 years ago, on March 19, 1922, the first radio broadcast was transmitted from it.
The tower was designed by engineer Vladimir Shukhov using a unique technology that is still studied in architecture faculties around the world. Shukhov invented the world’s first hyperboloid lattice tower. He first built it for the Nizhny Novgorod Fair in 1896. Thanks to Shukhov’s patent, similar towers are erected worldwide, as this design remains highly durable.
The famous Shukhov Tower was originally projected to reach 350 meters, which is 40 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tons, while the estimated weight of the original Shukhov Tower was only 2,200 tons. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of iron in the young republic after World War I, it was shortened to 148.5 meters. Despite this, its actual weight was only 240 tons. Before the construction of the Ostankino TV Tower, the Shukhov Tower was the tallest structure in Moscow. It dominates the area, and as you can see in my photos, it’s visible from everywhere.
The construction of the Shukhov Tower is also remarkable because it was built without the use of ground-based cranes, despite its height exceeding that of a 40-story building. The tower consists of 6 sections stacked on top of each other. Five wooden cranes were attached to the top of each section and moved up as construction progressed. The Shukhov Tower is a regional cultural heritage site.
Since 2002, the tower is no longer in use. You can approach it, but not closely — there’s a fence and security around it.