Designed by architect Erwin Heinle, the tower's construction began in 1974. At its completion five years later, it became the tallest free-standing structure in the Federal Republic of Germany. With its height of , Europaturm became Germany's second tallest structure, after the Fernsehturm Berlin (). Even without the height of the antenna at its top, the building is over high, which makes it Germany's tallest structure by roof level. Its base, at thick, is the widest of any similar structure in the world.