OTE Tower is a 76-metre-tall tower located in the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center in central Thessaloniki, Greece. The tower opened in 1966 and was renovated in 2005. The tower was designed by Greek architect Alexandros Anastasiadis and was completed in 1965, with the first black and white broadcasts on a Greek television network taking place from the tower in 1971. The tower was also used in the 1970s to support the antennas of an experimental VHF analogue mobile telephone network. Today it is used by the Cosmote cellular mobile telephone network. The tower today, other than its status as a modern monument of the city and its use by Cosmote, opens up for events and exhibitions during the Thessaloniki International Fair, while the Skyline Café-Bar, a revolving restaurant operates year-round on the top floor. History Design and construction The OTE Tower was designed by the architect Alexandros Anastasiadis in 1966, and its construction was completed in two phases. First phase: Design, site selection and first floor In the first phase (from 1966 to 1969) the general architectural and static stability study took place. Following extensive research, HELEXPO selected a 435 square meter area next to the TIF South Gate for the tower -initial studies designated it as a single floor technology demonstration pavillion- to be built. During this stage, engineer A. Aggelidis prepared the first draft of the plans, which were approved immediately and Apostolos Alexandropoulos secured the building contract in the TIF contest. Within the year the foundations were laid and the basement, floor level and first floor were also constructed in order for the yet unfinished 8.4-meter tall tower to serve as the OTE pavillion in the 34th Thessaloniki International Fair in September 1969. Second phase: Tower completion and opening In the second phase (from March to August 1970) the second, third, main observatory (4th) and fifth floors were constructed and the antenna mast was erected. The tower was formerly opened to the public for the first time in its current form in the 35th TIF in September 1970, featuring a state of the art rotating observatory platform designed and built by the Rohr company, which allowed tourists to admire a panoramic view of the city while seated. Operation 1970-2000 The first black and white broadcasts of the Greek State Television (EPT) were transmitted from this building in 1971, a year after the Tower's completion. For a time,