Avala Tower

About

The original Avala TV tower was completed in 1965, and was the fifth tallest self-supporting construction in the world at the time. In 1999, however, the tower was destroyed by a NATO air strike, causing an explosion heard throughout Belgrade. Five years later, a series of fundraising events was initiated by Serbian Radio Television, which eventually lead to clearing of the site and the construction of a new tower on the same spot. When it reopened in 2008, it was again the tallest building in Belgrade, Serbia and the Balkans. Equipped with a pair of modern elevators and offering a place for a quiet contemplation high above the ground, it's one of few towers that don't stand directly on the ground - instead, its base is formed by a tripod, symbolizing the Serbian tripod chair.