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The Gliwice Radio Tower is the tallest wooden structure in the world.
The tower is 118 m (387 ft) tall (including the 8 m (26 ft) long spire on its top), with a wooden framework of impregnated larch linked by brass connectors. It was nicknamed "the Silesian Eiffel Tower" by the local population. The tower has four platforms, which are 40.4 m, 55.3 m, 80.0 m and 109.7 m above ground. The top platform measures 2.13 x 2.13 m. A ladder with 365 steps provides access to the top.
On 31 August 1939, the German SS staged a 'Polish' attack on Gleiwitz radio station, which was later used as justification for the Invasion of Poland. The transmission facility was not demolished in World War II. From 4 October 1945, until the inauguration of the new transmitter in Ruda Śląska in 1955, the Gliwice transmitter was used for medium wave broadcasting of the Polish Public Broadcasting Company. After 1955, it was used as a jammer against medium wave transmitters broadcasting Western Polish-language programmes, e.g. Radio Free Europe.
Following the decision of the City Council taken on 2 December 2004, the radio tower is a museum on radio history and visual arts, located in the former radio transmitter building.
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