21.04.2010.
Avala Tower opened
Avala TV Tower, one of the symbols of Belgrade and Serbia that was destroyed by NATO air forces in 1999, during the bombing of FR Yugoslavia, has been officially opened in the presence of the highest Government officials, many citizens of Belgrade and guests. The new facility is 204.5 meters high, or one meter higher than the destroyed one. It is also the highest tower in the Balkans.
The Opening Ceremony was attended by Serbian President Boris Tadi?, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovi?, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, President of the National Assembly Slavica ?ukic Dejanovi?, Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac, Chief of SAF General Staff Lieutenant General Miloje Mileti?, ministers in the Government of Serbia, Belgrade Mayor Dragan ?ilas and other guests.
The tower was opened by Belgrade Mayor Dragan ?ilas, saying that the building should be a symbol of Serbia's future. In front of the entrance to the Avala Tower the Guard of the Serbian Armed Forces was lined up, and the members of the 252nd aviation squadron of the Serbian Armed Forces participated in the programme.
Minister Šutanovac expressed his satisfaction with opening the Tower saying that it is a beacon for Belgrade and Serbia.
For the construction of a new tower 5,000 cubic meters of concrete and 500 tons of reinforcing steel was consumed, and it can withstand an earthquake up to 9.2 degrees of Mercalli scale.
Construction of the new tower began in 2005 and it was completed in November 2009. The construction was performed without any deviations from the project of architects Uglješa Bogunovi? and Slobodan Janji? and designer Milan Krsti?, the creators of the old tower. The project and supervision of the works were entrusted to the Institute of Transportation CIP, and the contractor was building construction company ”Ratko Mitrovic”.
The old Avala Tower was being designed from 1959-1960; it was being built from 1961 to 1964, to be opened in 1965.
The former tower was 202.8 meters high and considered to be one of the best TV transmitters in Europe and the world.
