Näsinneula tower

Näsinneula Observation Tower
200px Näsinneula Observation Tower in August 2015
General information
Type	Observation, communication, restaurant
Location	Tampere, Finland
Coordinates
Construction started	1970
Completed	1971
Opening	1 May 1971
Height
Antenna spire	167.9 m (550.9 ft)
Top floor	124.0 m (406.8 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	2
Lifts/elevators	2
Design and construction
Architect	Pekka Ilveskoski
References

Näsinneula is an observation tower in Tampere, Finland, overseeing Lake Näsijärvi. It was built in 1970–1971 and was designed by Pekka Ilveskoski. It is the tallest free-standing structure in Finland and the tallest observation tower in the Nordic countries at a height of 168 metres (551 ft). The tower opened in 1971 and is located in the Särkänniemi amusement park. There is a revolving restaurant in the tower 124 metres (407 ft) above the ground; one revolution takes 45 minutes. The design of Näsinneula was inspired by the Space Needle in Seattle. The idea of a revolving restaurant was taken from the Puijo tower in Kuopio.

The base of the tower is at about 15 metres (49 ft) of elevation from lake Näsijärvi. There are two elevators, made by Valmet-Schlieren. The elevators go up to a height of 120 metres (390 ft), to the Pilvilinna ("Cloud Castle") café. The restaurant (called Näsinneula) is one story higher.

The elevator ride to the top takes 27 seconds with a maximum speed of 6 m/s (20 ft/s) and the elevators carry a maximum of 16 people. The elevators are still the fastest public elevators in Finland. In the event of a blackout, the tower's own diesel emergency generator will start. In an emergency people can be evacuated with stairs that have 700 steps.

Beacon lights at the top of the tower display a weather forecast:

three yellow bars				= clear weather
two yellow and one green bar				= cloudy
one yellow and two green bars				= chance of rain
three green bars				= rainy

Gallery

• Näsinnäula.JPG

  Näsinneula – tower on the shore of Näsijärvi in Tampere, 21 August 2005

• Tampere7.jpg

  A view of the city of Tampere from Näsinneula, July 2013

• Näsijärvi.JPG

  Näsijärvi lake seen from the Näsinneula tower in Tampere, 21 August 2005

• Tampere-Särkänniemi-Näsinneula-panorama.jpg

  Näsinneula at summer evening with Näsijärvi lake in background, 21 July 2007

External links

• Restaurant Näsinneula
• Näsinneula – Official site
• Näsinneula Observation Tower at Structurae