Pollonius
115-metre telecommunications tower in Cologne's Porz district, named as a nod to its taller 'big brother', the Colonius tower.
The Pollonius is a telecommunications tower of the FMT 15 type, standing 115 metres tall in Cologne's Porz district. Its name is a playful reference to the larger Colonius tower, Cologne's iconic telecoms landmark and the Pollonius's unofficial 'big brother'.
At a Glance
- Type
- Telecommunications tower (FMT 15 design)
- Height
- 115 metres
- Location
- Porz district, Cologne
- Built
- 1990
- Operator
- Deutsche Funkturm (subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom), formerly Deutsche Bundespost
- Public access
- Not open to visitors
- Function
- Microwave relay links and FM radio broadcasting
The Pollonius broadcasts Radio Berg with a sharply focused directional beam to the northeast – so precisely aimed that the signal is barely receivable in the immediately surrounding Cologne city area, even though the tower stands right in the city.
Size comparison
Height compared with other landmarks in Cologne.
Name and History
The tower was built in 1990, initially operated by the Deutsche Bundespost. It has since passed to Deutsche Funkturm, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. The name Pollonius is a linguistic wink at the Colonius tower, sharing the same classical suffix.
Broadcasting
Alongside its microwave relay role, the Pollonius broadcasts an FM radio signal. On 99.7 MHz it transmits Radio Berg at an effective radiated power of 0.5 kW in a north-easterly direction, serving the Bergisch Gladbach area. Because the signal is tightly directional, reception within Cologne itself is limited.
Reaching Cologne Listeners
Radio Berg reaches Cologne audiences via two additional transmitter sites: the Leverkusen-Opladen transmitter, 16 kilometres to the north, on 96.9 MHz (0.5 kW ERP), and the transmitter on the Brungerst hill near Lindlar, 30 kilometres to the east, on 105.2 MHz (4 kW ERP).
Timeline
- 1990Construction of the Pollonius telecommunications tower (115 m) in Cologne-Poll
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Poll
51105 Köln
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-27
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