Poznan is about to lose one of its very distinctive and recognisable landmarks in the urban landscape. The concrete RTV tower in Piątkowo is to be demolished. An application to this effect has already been submitted to the General Office of Building Supervision.
The tower, which stands on Szymanowskiego Street, was built in 1963 and measures 76 metres high. At the time of its construction, the surrounding area was mainly fields and woodland, while today it is surrounded by extensive residential development. For decades, the building has been a distinctive feature of the landscape in the northern part of Poznań. However, its function has been taken over in time by a younger, steel structure from 1993, which still operates the signal transmission today.
The Radio Line Station in Piatków currently serves national radio broadcasts as well as several local radio stations. Broadcasts from the transmitter include Polskie Radio Program I, II and IV, as well as Polskie Radio 24. Stations such as Radio ZET, TOK FM, Antyradio and Meloradio also appear on the air. Local broadcasts include Radio EMAUS and Radio Merkury, known today as Radio Poznań. As a result, Piatkowo remains one of the region’s radio hotspots.
As Agnieszka Sobucka of Emitel explains in an interview with the e-poznan.pl portal, the decision to demolish it is mainly due to the fact that the concrete RTV tower has not been used for a long time. All broadcasts are made from the adjacent steel structure, which fully covers the technical needs. An additional argument is the high maintenance costs of the reinforced concrete structure, including heating, lift maintenance and ongoing operation.
Years ago, consideration was given to turning the landmark tower into a museum, but these plans never materialised. Today, it is clear that the building will disappear from the city’s landscape. As Emitel’s representative emphasises, there are no plans for the time being to develop the site after demolition. The date when work will start will depend on obtaining all administrative decisions.
The demolition of the concrete RTV tower marks the closing of a chapter in the history of Piatków. Despite the fact that the building has never been accessible to tourists, it remained a distinctive landmark and an element of local identity, which for more than half a century accompanied the residents of this part of Poznań.
Source: epoznan.pl, poznan.fandom.com
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