Ostankino Tower

The Ostankino Tower (Russian: Останкинская телебашня, romanized: Ostankinskaya telebashnya) is a television and radio tower in Moscow, Russia, owned by the Moscow branch of unitary enterprise Russian TV and Radio Broadcasting Network. Standing 540.1 metres (1,772 ft), it was designed by Nikolai Nikitin. As of 2026, it is the tallest free-standing structure in Europe and 15th tallest in the world. Between 1967 and 1974, it was the tallest in the world. The tower was the first free-standing structure to exceed 500 m (1,600 ft) in height. Ostankino was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It is named after the surrounding Ostankino district of Moscow. Upon the completion of construction, approximately 10 million individuals resided within the transmitter coverage area, which expanded to over 15 million by 2014. This area encompasses Moscow and the Moscow Region, as well as certain portions of the Vladimir and Kaluga regions. The ownership of the TV tower lies with the Moscow Regional Center, a division of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRN). Under favorable weather conditions, the Ostankino TV Tower can be seen by residents of certain cities in the Moscow Region, including Balashikha, Voskresensk, Zelenograd, Korolev, Krasnogorsk, Lyubertsy, Mytishchi, Odintsovo, Podolsk, Khimki, and Shchyolkovo.