Hermann Henselmann, with Jörg Streitparth and Herbert Aust, designed the tower. Foundation work began on August 4, 1965, and the shaft reached its final height on June 16, 1967. The last ball segment was installed on October 7, 1968, and the tower was completed on October 3, 1969.
The original height of 1,198 feet (365 m) became 1,207 feet (368.03 m) after a new antenna tip in 1997. The shaft is 816 feet (248.78 m) high and used 8,000 cubic meters of concrete. The sphere is 105 feet (32 m) in diameter, was pieced together on the ground from 120 segments, and is covered in tiled stainless steel.
The observation deck is at about 669 feet (203.78 m) and the restaurant at 681 feet (207.53 m). When sunlight hits the dome, the reflection often appears as a cross. East Germany gave the tower monument status in 1979.
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