Grunewald Tower

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The Grunewald Tower in the middle of Berlin's Grunewald Forest is a lookout point, a recreational destination and one of Berlin's hidden architectural gems.

Amidst the vast Grunewald forest, the Grunewald Tower towers above the treetops. The beautiful red brick building is a monument, observation tower and excursion destination at the same time.

In the middle of the forest, high above the banks of the Havel River stands the Grunewald Tower, a hidden gem of playful brick architecture. Its observation platform offers a magnificent panoramic view of the landscape. At the foot of the tower, visitors can indulge in culinary delights by visiting the tower restaurant.

View from the Observation Deck

The red brick tower stands 55 meters tall and is located on a hill, the Karlsberg. Visitors who have climbed the 200 or so steps to the viewing platform find themselves 36 meters above ground and about 86 meters above sea level. The view extends far beyond the treetops over the Havel River and Grunewald Forest. In good weather, you can see as far as Potsdam from up here.

History of the Grunewald Tower

The tower was built as a monument at the end of the 19th century. The district of Teltow wanted to honor the German Emperor Wilhelm I with a representative observation tower on the occasion of his 100th birthday. His marble statue still stands in the hall of the tower today. As architect, the district of Teltow engaged a master builder who was in great demand at the time: the royal building councilor Franz Schwechten. Schwechten had already created numerous impressive buildings in the region, such as the neo-Romanesque Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Charlottenburg, of which only the ruins remain today, and the Schultheiss Brewery on Schönhauser Allee. Schwechten's signature can also be found on the entrance to the AEG factory on Brunnenstraße.

Architecture of the Grunewald Tower

Schwechten designed the "Kaiser Wilhelm Tower" in the style of the so-called "Märkische Backsteingothik" (Brick Gothic architecture from the region of Mark Brandenburg) , which was inspired by medieval fairy-tale castles. After the crest of the Karlsberg hill had been cleared and leveled, construction began in 1897. The tower was ceremoniously inaugurated on June 9, 1899.

Renaming and Renovation

After the Second World War, the tower was renamed Grunewaldturm, and in 1953 it was renovated for the first time. From October 2007, the tower had to be closed due to significant construction defects. It was reopened to the public in April 2011. At the foot of the tower, visitors can now enjoy culinary delights in a tower restaurant with a large outside terrace.

Information

• Address:
  Havelchaussee 61
  14193 Berlin
  City map
• Opening Hours: 10 AM till 10 PM
• Opening hours:
  until