If you’ve spent enough time in London looking out from viewpoints across the city, you’ve no doubt noticed a somewhat familiar sight. At first glance, from some parts of London, it almost looks like you can see the Eiffel Tower.
But, of course, you can’t. It doesn’t matter how good the weather conditions are; that is not Paris that you can see on the not-too-distant horizon.
Instead, it’s a structure in London’s own Crystal Palace. It’s none other than the Crystal Palace transmitting station, or the Arqiva Crystal Palace to use its official name. And it, admittedly, does look pretty similar to the Eiffel Tower. If you squint. Maybe.
The Crystal Palace transmitting station
The Crystal Palace transmitting station is quite simply a television transmitter. It provides television transmission for the Greater London area and some surrounding areas. It’s the largest and most important TV transmitter in the country, based on the sheer number of people that it serves.
The structure stands 219 metres tall, and was the tallest structure in London until the construction of One Canada Square at Canary Wharf in 1990. It’s now the 8th-tallest structure in the city. Furthermore, because of its location – it stands atop a 109-metre hill – it’s the highest structure above sea level in London.
London’s answer to the Eiffel Tower
All jokes and silliness aside, did you know that London actually did almost have its own version of the Eiffel Tower? Inspired by seeing it in person, shortly after it had been constructed, Sir Edward Watkin, a British Member of Parliament and railway entrepreneur, decided London needed its own example. And, of course, the British version would have to be bigger and better!
And so the story of the Watkins Tower begins. Unfortunately, it’s not a happy ending, because the Watkins Tower never came to be. Instead, marred by all sorts of issues and setbacks, construction ceased, and the unfinished tower was ultimately demolished.
In its place, you’ll now find Wembley Stadium. Who knows where the likes of Coldplay, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, and more would have performed if the tower had been completed!
