Few elements are more recognisable at an airport than the control tower. In some cases, it becomes a symbol not only of the airport, but also of the surrounding area. It is also one of the first architectural elements identifiable by passengers when their flight arrives in a city and, to a certain extent, it becomes their unique welcome.
Years ago, when the first aerodromes were built, the control tower was simply an elevated point from which aircraft traffic could be directed and controlled. In fact, even the first airport where air traffic control was implemented, Croydon in London, did not have a building dedicated to this purpose. A few years later, it was at St. Louis Airport in the United States that a new radio tower was used to establish an elevated observation and control point.
With the passage of time and, above all, with the introduction of architectural aesthetics in airports, the towers have continued to perform the same function, but they have also become icons.
In this infographic, we have compiled and ranked the eight tallest control towers in the world. All of them exceed 100 metres in height. Interestingly, a single airport, Kuala Lumpur, has two control towers that are the first and third tallest, which is quite a challenge. We also show you other control towers that are unique and famous for different reasons.
En esta infografía hemos recopilado y ordenado, por una parte, las ocho torres de control más altas del mundo. Todas ellas superan los “100 metros” de altura. Como dato curioso, un solo aeropuerto, el de Kuala Lumpur, tiene dos torres de control que son la primera y la tercera más altas, todo un desafío. Además, le mostramos otras torres de control que son peculiares y famosas por diferentes motivos.
The next time you visit an airport, take a look at the control tower. You will see it with new eyes. That's for sure.
