A flatness measuring apparatus for measuring the flatness of a metallic strip, including a measuring roller which has a roller axis and which makes contact with the strip for the measuring the flatness. The measuring roller is connected to a cooling system, using which the measuring roller can be cooled. To ensure that a high degree of measuring accuracy can be maintained even at high temperatures, the cooling system has a nozzle bar that extends parallel to the roller axis. At least one spray nozzle is arranged on the nozzle bar, using which cooling medium can be sprayed on the surface of the measuring roller in a spraying direction. The spraying direction meets a surface section of the measuring roller, and the angle between the spraying direction and the tangent on the measuring roller at the location of the surface section is less than 30°.