Observation towers that serve as popular tourist attractions have a history that goes back to the World Fair of 1889 in Paris.
This was the year that a huge steel structure known as the Eiffel Tower was erected, a building in Paris that has become the symbol of the French capital.
It took until the mid-19th century before concrete towers were constructed, and one of these amazing towers in the second-most populous of the Netherlands.
In this article, you’ll discover some of the most interesting facts about the Euromast, one of the most prominent landmarks in Rotterdam.
1. It stands along the banks of the New Meuse river in the heart of Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and is famous for its sprawling modern architecture.
It’s located within the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and is home to the largest seaport in Europe. This huge port covers a large area west of the city.
The Euromast is one of the most prominent landmarks in the heart of the city, and that’s remarkable because Rotterdam is home to many amazing skyscrapers.
It stands on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas or “New Meuse River”, a former tributary of the Meuse River, that flows through the city.
It’s situated right next to “Het Park,” a public English-style park that was established in 1852 and a great place to relax in the city.
Other popular landmarks in the area are the Erasmus Bridge and the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen which houses the museum’s collection of paintings. The heart of the city is just northeast of this amazing tower.
2. It was constructed for a particular exhibition in the city in 1960
Like most similar structures, it was constructed for a particular event, namely a horticultural exhibition titled the 1960 Floriade.
The Euromast served as the centerpiece of this event and as you surely expected, Het Park was the location where it took place.
To give some reference to the timeframe of this event, the next World Fair that was held was the Century 21 Exposition or “Seattle’s World Fair in 1962.”
This was the year that the Space Needle was constructed, an iconic building in Seattle and one of the most influential conservation towers ever built.
3. The tower was designed by a renowned Dutch architect
Modern architecture emerged in the 1920s in the Netherlands so by the late 1950s, Dutch architects had been influenced by their former colleagues.
The tower in Rotterdam was designed by a renowned Dutch architect named Hugh Maaskant (1907-1977), a man from Rotterdam who designed several major buildings in the Netherlands.
Some of his most notable works apart from the Euromast were the Hilton Hotels in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam, and the Scheveningen Pier in The Hague.
The Groothandelsgebouw was constructed in 1951 and was one of the first major building projects in Rotterdam following the city’s bombing during World War II.
4. The structure was built on top of a huge concrete platform for stability
The design of the tower isn’t very special, to be honest, because it features a concrete shaft with a pod on top of it. This is similar to most observation towers of this kind.
What is remarkable, however, are some of the specifications that were integrated to ensure the tower remained stable. Here are some specific stats of the Euromast:
- Constructed between 1958 and 1960.
- The internal diameter of the shaft is 9 meters (30 feet).
- The walls have a thickness of up to 30 centimeters (12 inches).
- It was constructed on a concrete platform that weighs 1,900 tonnes (4.2 million lbs).
5. The tower was initially much shorter but still the tallest building in Rotterdam
Upon completion, the tower became the tallest building in Rotterdam with a height of 101 meters (331 feet).
The pod featuring the observation platform was situated right on top of the shaft and was the highest feature of the tower.
It was not until 1970 that an additional section was added to the tower known as the “Space Tower.” This allowed the tower also to function as a telecommunications building.
It added 85 meters (279 feet) to the tower to bring its total height to 184.6 meters (606 feet).
6. It remained the tallest building in the Netherlands until 2021
Because the tower barely crossed the 100-meter mark upon completion, it was surpassed in height in 1968 by another building in Rotterdam.
The Erasmus University Medical Center was completed in 1968 and stands 113.5 meters (372 feet) tall. It surpassed this building once more in 1970 to become the tallest building in Rotterdam.
It also remained the tallest building in the Netherlands until the completion of the Zalmhaven in 2021, a residential skyscraper in Rotterdam that stands 215 meters (705 feet) tall.
7. The tower not only features a restaurant but also a hotel
The tower is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Rotterdam and offers plenty of entertainment options.
The most common feature of these types of towers is a restaurant which is present at the Euromast as well.
It also features a hotel that allows you to stay the night at a height of nearly 100 meters (328 feet) above the ground below.
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8. The observation deck provides stunning views of the city
The most popular attraction inside the tower is the observation platform which allows you to get views of the city at a height of 96 meters (315 feet).
To make things even better, the tower offers the free Magnicity App which allows you to discover all buildings in Rotterdam.
There is no better way to discover the architectural highlights in Rotterdam, that’s for sure!
