Schinkelturm

The Schinkelturm stands on the Schinkelberg in Osnabrück, a 158-metre-high telecommunications tower built in 1977. It sits in the Widukindland district near the city’s north-eastern edge, close to Belm, and is also called the Belmer Turm. The tower’s most striking feature is its red upper section made of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic and steel. Inside the shaft a lift carries visitors to the operating floor in 100 seconds, while 550 steps in the stairwell lead to the same level. The tower houses technical equipment across two floors above the first viewing platform at 108 metres. The lower floor serves structural purposes, while the upper floor contains all the transmission gear. The structure weighs 5,600 tonnes and sways no more than 0.70 metres in winds of 45 metres per second. Thermal expansion can shift the tip by up to 0.11 metres on hot days. Visitors reach the operating floor by lift or stairs and find the red equipment deck surrounded by antennas for digital television and radio links. The tower broadcasts public and private multiplexes since the switch to DVB-T2 in 2018, including Freenet TV’s private bouquets. Mobile phone masts and microwave links for emergency services also operate from the tower, linking Osnabrück with regional networks.