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| Auckland Sky Tower |
The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. It is 328 metres (1,076 ft) tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast,[4] making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to its shape and height, especially when compared to the next tallest structures, it has become an iconic structure in Auckland's skyline.The tower is part of the SKYCITY Auckland casino complex, originally built for Harrah's Entertainment.[3] The tower attracts an average of 1,450 visitors per day (over 500,000 per year).[5]
The upper portion of the tower contains two restaurants and a cafe — including New Zealand's only revolving restaurant, located 190 m (620 ft) from the ground, which turns 360 degrees every hour.[6] There is also a brasserie-style buffet located one floor above the main observatory level. It has three observation decks at different heights, each providing 360-degree views of the city. The main observation level at 186 m (610 ft) has 38 mm (1.5 in) thick glass sections of flooring giving a view straight to the ground.[7] The top observation deck labeled 'Skydeck' sits just below the main antenna at 220 m (720 ft) and gives views of up to 82 km (51 mi) in the distance.[8]
The tower also features the 'SkyJump', a 192-metre (630 ft)[9] jump from the observation deck, during which a jumper can reach up to 85 km/h (53 mph). The jump is guide-cable-controlled to prevent jumpers from colliding with the tower in case of wind gusts.[10] Climbs into the antenna mast portion (300 m or 980 ft heights) are also possible for tour groups,[9] as is a walk around the exterior.[11]
The tower is also used for telecommunications and broadcasting with the Auckland Peering Exchange (APE) being located on Level 48.[12] The aerial at the top of the tower hosts the largest FM combiner in the world[7] which combines with 58 wireless microwave links located above the top restaurant to provide a number of services. These include television, wireless internet, RT, and weather measurement services.[7]
The tower is Auckland's primary FM radio transmitter, and its second major terrestrial television transmitter (after Waiatarua in the Waitakere Ranges to the west). A total of twenty-three FM radio stations, two VHF analogue television channels, and six digital terrestrial television multiplexes broadcast from the tower.[13][14] The analogue television channels will switch off in the early hours of Sunday 1 December 2013 as part of New Zealand's digital television transition.[15]
The tower was also used for a Fast Forward on the thirteenth season of The Amazing Race. Their task was for teams (Ken & Tina in particular) to use tower's maintenance ladders to climb from the sky deck to red light at the top to get a friend, the Travelocity gnome.
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