Sutro Tower is a unique three-legged 297.8 m (977 ft) tall TV and radio lattice tower located in San Francisco, California. Rising from a hill between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro near Clarendon Heights, it is a prominent feature of the city skyline and a landmark for city residents and visitors. The tower was the tallest structure in San Francisco from the time of its completion in 1973 until it was surpassed by the Salesforce Tower in 2018.
Sutro Tower viewed from Grandview Park in San Francisco
The tower in 2020 during antenna modifications
Tower, including base
Night view
A lattice tower or truss tower is a freestanding vertical framework tower. This construction is widely used in transmission towers carrying high voltage electric power lines, in radio masts and towers and in observation towers. Its advantage is good shear strength at a much lower weight than a tower of solid construction would have as well as lower wind resistance.
The Eiffel Tower, measuring 1,083 feet from base to tip, is perhaps the most famous example of a lattice tower. It was built in 1889, and was the tallest man-made structure in the world until 1930.
Tokyo Skytree, the tallest lattice tower in the world since its completion in 2012
The Tokyo Tower was the tallest lattice tower in the world for 16 years, from 1957 to 1973 and remains the tallest 4-sided lattice tower
The WITI TV Tower is the tallest lattice tower in the United States and the tallest 3-sided lattice tower in the world
