After World War II, the process of televisionization began at a rapid pace in the United States and Western European countries. The Soviet Union, victorious in the war, was preparing for the newly begun Cold War, and to this end, urgent measures were taken to create a television network throughout the country. Already in 1945, the Moscow Television Center was the first in Europe to resume regular broadcasting. After a short break, this center began reconstruction in 1948, and already in 1949 it aired its first outside program - a football match.

The construction of television centers in the capitals of the Soviet republics began in the 50s of the 20th century. Work on creating a television center in the capital of Azerbaijan began in 1953. On December 16 of the same year, the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR signed Resolution No. 1190 on the construction of a television center in Baku. According to the decision, by January 15, 1954, an action plan for constructing a television center was to be prepared and submitted to the Council of Ministers. On September 2, 1954, the foundation of the first television center between the republics of the South Caucasus and Central Asia was laid in Baku. On the basis of this center, the Baku television studio was created, commissioned at the end of 1955 by order of the USSR Ministry of Culture. The first head of the Baku television studio, which was considered an essential tool for the political and cultural education of the workers, was the poet Anvar Alibeyli, who worked for a long time as the editor-in-chief of the radio.

When Azerbaijan Television began operating in 1956, the country did not yet have a television tower. Construction of the Baku Television Center began in 1953 in preparation for the launch of television. At the same time, the first 180-meter tower, assembled from steel blocks, was being built for television broadcasting. But 3 years later, in 1956, when television broadcasting began, the construction of the television tower was not yet completed. Therefore, the Baku studio's transmitter was installed on a 44-meter conventional oil well. Broadcasts transmitted through this tower could only be viewed in the capital and its environs.

The first television tower of Azerbaijan was put into operation in 1957. The 180-meter-tall device allowed television programs to be distributed over a wider area. In 1960, with the commissioning of the Baku-Agstafa radio relay line, television relay stations began operating at the Goychay-Ganja-Agstafa stations. As a result, it became possible to watch television in most regional centers and residential areas of Azerbaijan. In 1961, the launch of powerful television stations in Ganja, Goychay and Shusha made it possible to receive broadcasts from Baku in Khanlar, Goranboy, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Agjabadi and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Thanks to a small television station established in Nakhchivan in January 1962, the population of the Autonomous Republic had the opportunity to watch television programs. On March 12, 1963, through this station, the studio in Nakhchivan began showing its programs to the local population. With the commissioning of the Baku-Moscow radio relay line on January 31, 1964, the population of Azerbaijan had the opportunity to watch the programs of the Central Television in Moscow, the Intervision and Eurovision programs. In 1973, a “mini-revolution” took place on television - television programs with color images began to be broadcast in the capital.

The need to build a new television tower in Azerbaijan began to be felt in the early 70s. At that time, as a result of increasing program duration and the introduction of new technologies in the telecommunications system, the rapidly growing television network needed a better and more powerful transmitter. The 180-meter-high TV tower, built about 20 years ago, could no longer meet this demand. As a result, in 1979 it was decided to build a new 310-meter television tower in Baku.

The tower complex was designed based on a decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and an order of the Ministry of Communications of the Azerbaijan SSR. Many architects and engineers had to puzzle over the shape and appearance of the building. But in the end, in 1979, a commission created under the personal leadership of Heydar Aliyev approved the project of a 310-meter new television tower, which was supposed to be built in Baku - next to the old television tower. The National Leader Heydar Aliyev personally chose the building we have now from the three proposed projects. The foundation of the building was laid by Trust No. 4 of the Ministry of Construction, which operated in 1980. And already in 1981, construction of the facility began. The architect of the television tower was J. N. Sinis, the most famous architect of the Soviet Union.

According to design calculations, construction work on the television tower was supposed to be completed in 1985. Despite this, for a number of objective and subjective reasons, the commissioning of the new television tower was delayed. Among these reasons were lack of funding and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Construction began in 1993, that is, already during the period of independence, and on June 7, 1996, the official opening ceremony of this complex took place. 5 contracting companies and about 250 workers worked on the construction.

The building is located at an altitude of 136 meters above sea level, its height is 310 meters, and its total weight is more than 40,000 tons. The concrete part of the building is 200 meters, the metal part is 110 meters. The total area of the Tower complex is 6 hectares. There are 65 rooms on 28 floors of the tower. The windows facing different parts are in the form of a grid with our national ornament.  The tower can be seen from most of the city. This location enhances the grandeur and splendor of the TV tower.  The unusual lighting system installed in the tower at night adds to its beauty.
The TV tower was built to better broadcast television programs. Because it is very important that the height is higher when transmitting the signal. The 160-meter height of the old Baku TV tower could not provide such quality.

The TV tower is distinguished not only by its body, but also by its very solid foundation. The foundation goes to a depth of about 31 meters, which corresponds to the height of a 9-story building. A deep foundation ensures that the building is resistant to wind, hurricanes and even earthquakes. It was built to withstand a magnitude 9-10 earthquake.
              
Along with all these technical indicators, the Baku TV Tower can also boast of its beauty. The building, which preserved its oriental style, was able to take first place during the World Towers Review held in England in 1997. 
           
Equipped with the most modern radio and television equipment, the Baku TV Tower performs the main task of organizing radio and television broadcasting, space radio communications, and terrestrial radio communications in our republic.
        
Currently, viewers can watch programs broadcast by Azerbaijani television not only in every city, village, and in the most remote corners of our country, but also in many countries around the world.

Recommended literature:

1. Quliyev, Elşad Heybət oğlu. Televiziya : nəzəriyyə, inkişaf meylləri / E. H. Quliyev ; elmi red. N. Ş. Şəmsizadə ; red. İradə Xanım. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2004. - 366 s.
2. Xudiyev, Nizami Manaf oğlu. Seçilmiş əsərləri / N. M. Xudiyev. III cild : Radio, televiziya və ədəbi dil / elmi red. K. A. Abdullayev ; ön sözün müəl. M. Məmmədov ; rəy. A. A. Axundov. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2013. - 648 s.
3. Aslanova, Billurə Aslan qızı. Azərbaycanda televiziya yayımının inkişaf mərhələləri : dərs vəsaiti / B. A. Aslanova ; elmi red. C. Məmmədli ; Bakı Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Mütərcim, 2017. - 156 s.
4. Əlibəyli, Elçin Vidadi oğlu. Azərbaycan televiziyası / E. V. Əlibəyli ; red. A. K. Məmmədova. - Bakı : MBM, 2005. - 160 s.