Grunewald Tower

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  The Grunewald Tower towers above the snow-covered trees (aerial view with a drone).

• View of the Grunewald forest and the Grunewald Tower (center) from the banks of the Havel in Gatow in autumn.

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.

In the middle of the forest, high above the banks of the Havel, the Grunewaldturm (Grunewald Tower) stands like a gem of playful brick architecture. From the viewing platform, you have a magnificent panoramic view of the landscape, and at the foot of the tower, visitors can enjoy culinary delights in a restaurant with a terrace.

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.

Monument in honor of Emperor William I

The tower was built at the end of the 19th century as a monument. The district of Teltow wanted to honor the German Emperor William I with a representative observation tower on the occasion of his 100th birthday. His marble statue still stands in the hall today and on the sides you can read in large letters: "In memory of King William I. The district of Teltow built me in 1897".

Architect Franz Schwechten no stranger to Berlin

The district of Teltow engaged a highly sought-after architect at the time: the Royal Building Councillor Franz Schwechten, who had already created numerous impressive buildings. He designed the neo-Romanesque Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Charlottenburg, of which only the ruins of the tower remain today as a memorial. He designed the Schultheiss brewery in Schönhauser Allee, parts of which are now the Kulturbrauerei. Schwechten's signature can also be seen on the Beamtentor, the entrance to the AEG factory in Brunnenstraße.

Grunewaldturm - a tower like in a fairy tale

Schwechten designed the "Kaiser Wilhelm Tower" in the so-called Mark Brandenburg Brick Gothic style, which was inspired by medieval fairytale castles. After the Karlsberg hilltop had been cleared and leveled, construction work began in 1897 and the tower was officially opened on June 9, 1899.

Popular restaurant in the Grunewald Tower

After the Second World War, the tower was renamed Grunewaldturm and underwent its first renovation in 1953. From October 2007, the tower had to be closed due to significant structural defects and was reopened to the public in April 2011. At the foot of the tower, visitors can enjoy culinary delights in a restaurant with a terrace.

Information

• Address:
  Havelchaussee 61
  14193 Berlin
  City map
• Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Phone: [phone]
• Opening hours:
  until
• Admission Fee:
  €5, reduced (6-12 years) €3