Guide to Berlin TV Tower: Tips, Restaurant, Tickets

The Berlin TV Tower on Alexanderplatz is one of the most visited sights in Berlin.

Rising majestically from the Marienviertel district, the Berlin TV Tower dominates the skyline of the German capital. It is the fourth-highest TV tower in Europe.  Every year, it welcomes more than 12 million visitors.

Read this guide to find out everything you need to know before your visit. This includes helpful visitor information, things to do and the history of the tower.

Let's go!

Things to do at Berlin TV Tower

Whether from the outside or from the top of the tower, visiting this Berlin landmark is an absolute must!

Read here what you can do during your visit to the Berlin TV Tower:

1. Admire the Height

With a total height of 368 meters, the Berlin TV Tower is the tallest building in Germany. The emphasis is on total height, because without the 118-meter antenna, considering only the height of the actual building, the tower would lose first place to the Europaturm in Frankfurt. People here in Berlin don't like to hear that...

Admire the tower and its historic architecture in full splendor, and of course take a few souvenir photos.

2. Take in the View from the Observation Floor

In just 40 seconds, the elevator will take you to the observation floor in the tower sphere, where a spectacular 360° panoramic view of the bustling Spree metropolis awaits you.  From here, you can see the Reichstag building, Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate, the Spree River and much more.

With good visibility, you can see up to 70 km away. Thanks to the viewing telescopes provided, you can even spot the rotating Brandenburg wind turbines for a few coins. Several information boards show you which sights are hidden in which direction.

3. Enjoy a Drink in Berlin's Highest Bar

Bar 203 is also located on the observation floor at a height of 203 meters. As the highest bar in Berlin, a truly breathtaking panorama of the German capital opens up to you here. A unique place to toast with friends!

4. Dine in the Revolving Restaurant "Sphere"

The "Sphere" restaurant, located on the third floor of the tower sphere at a height of 207 meters, is visited by around 1,500 guests every day. It barely noticeably rotates around its own axis every hour, so visitors can enjoy not only an unforgettable meal from their place at the table, but also a wonderful view over all of Berlin.

The menus offer local as well as international delicacies and also child-friendly dishes. Restaurant tickets can also be booked with popular Berlin combination classics such as "Beer and Boulette" or "Champagne and Currywurst".

• Tip: The entrance to Berlin TV Tower, without waiting time and including a table reservation, can be easily booked in advance at the desired time.

Entrance, Tickets & Tours for the Berlin TV Tower

• Entrance: The observation deck of the Berlin TV Tower is open from March to November from 9:00 to 23:00 and from November to March from 10:00 to 22:00. You can find the current opening hours here.
• Ticket: Fast View Tickets for admission to the Berlin TV Tower can be found here.
• Restaurant Tickets: Tickets for a dinner with panoramic view, lunch or breakfast in lofty heights are available here.
• Tours: If you want to discover this and other highlights of the German capital in a very flexible way and on your own, we recommend the audio guide app Best of Berlin Tour by YourMobileGuide.
• Traveler's Tip: As long lines quickly form at the ticket office on site, it is advisable to book an online ticket in advance, for a small extra charge. With the so-called Fast View Ticket with table reservation, you enjoy priority admission to the observation deck and a window seat at the revolving restaurant.

How to get to the Berlin TV Tower?

The Berlin TV Tower is located at the important traffic junction Alexanderplatz in the district Mitte and can therefore be reached quite comfortably from all parts of Berlin.

• From Potsdamer Platz: Take the U-Bahn U2 and get off after 7 stops at Alexanderplatz. From here it is only a few minutes walk.

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History & Facts about Berlin TV Tower

The Berlin TV Tower was built as a prestige object of the former GDR between 1965 and 1969. The architects were Werner Ahrendt, Fritz Dieter, Günter Franke, Hermann Henselmann, and Jörg Streitparth. In addition to its core function as the site of several broadcasting stations for television and radio, the television tower was also intended to serve as a symbol of communist power.

During the construction of the tower, which cost around 132 million GDR marks, 7900 cubic meters of concrete, 1650 tons of round steel, 300 tons of prestressing steel, and 1500 tons of sectional steel were used. The tower sphere has a diameter of 32 meters, a volume of about 17,000 cubic meters, and weighs 4800 tons. It does not rest on the concrete bracket, but is attached to the steel truss with steel straps up to 26 centimeters thick.

After the tower was completed, the phenomenon of a cross of light appearing on the sphere of the tower when the sun shone directly on it - and still appears today - led to the derisive name "Revenge of the Pope" or "Saint Walter," after Walter Ulbricht, then head of the SED party. Other Berliners' nicknames for the TV tower also included "Show-off Angel" and "Imposing Cone." To counteract this, the GDR government tried to enforce the nickname "Asparagus Tower," but failed.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the former symbol of the GDR has turned into a symbol of reunified Germany and is now considered one of the country's most famous landmarks.

Contact & Map

• Address: Berlin TV Tower, Panoramastrasse 1A, 10178 Berlin.
• Opening Hours: Observation floor: March to November from 9:00 to 23:00. November to March from 10:00 to 22:00. Details here.
• Public Transport: U2 to Alexanderplatz
• Website: BerlinTV-Tower/en/

Sights Nearby

• Alexanderplatz
• Viewing Terrace of the Park Inn by Radisson
• World Time Clock
• Nikolai Quarter
• Red City Hall
• Hackesche Höfe
• Museum Island
• Berlin Cathedral
• Grand boulevard Unter den Linden
• Illuseum Berlin
• Body Worlds Museum
• Berlin Dungeon
• DDR Museum

(Link zur Karte)

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