Grunewald Tower
The Grunewald Tower is an observation tower on the Karlberg in the Berlin district of Grunewald. Located on the western edge of the Grunewald forest at Havelchaussee 61 offers from the observation deck at 36 meters height, a view over the Havel.
History
In 1897 the council of the district of Teltow at the suggestion of his chief administrative officer Ernst von Stubenrauch decided to build a monument to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the 1888 deceased King of Prussia and German Emperor Wilhelm I.. On the Karlberg in the Grunewald, a lookout tower was to be built. With the execution of Franz Schwechten was entrusted, who had already built the office building for the district Teltow. On March 10, 1897 Schwechten received draft approval by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the summer of 1897 the trees on the summit of Mount Charles was cleared for the construction and leveled the hilltop itself. In October of the same year began the actual construction. 1 ½ years later, on 22 March 1899, the construction was completed and the tower was inaugurated on 9 June 1899.
An extensive refurbishment of the tower took place in 1953. On 12 October 2007, the tower was closed because of significant structural defects on the stairs. The subsequent re- restoration for 1.5 million euros lasted until Easter 2011. The reopening took place on April 22.
Architecture
Schwechten designed a 55 -meter-high tower of red brick in the style of brick gothic. As design elements plaster mirror, gables, lancet windows and turrets were used. Influences of the church architecture of the Middle Ages can be seen in the portal design. The actual tower stands on a four -meter-high platform made of red porphyry Rochlitzer to which a wide staircase leads up. The basement of the tower is constructed as a memorial hall. About this rises the running in the square plan tower. In 36 meters above the ground and about 86 meters above the water level of the Havel is the covered observation deck of the tower.
Adorned is the tower with a revolving belt, were integrated into the on the west and east sides of inscriptions, and two coats of arms, each located above the inscriptions. The Havel facing coat of arms shows the red Brandenburg, which faces the forest the black Prussian eagle. The inscriptions read " King William I in remembrance " and " The Circle Teltow built me 1897 ".
Decoration
At this time, the memorial hall was still empty. In 1902 was the larger than life statue Wilhelm I, the Ludwig Manzel had created, erected in the hall. The four cast-iron plates with relief commander Portraits in the corners of the memorial hall are works Manzels. They were installed in 1908 and show Roon, Moltke, Bismarck and Prinz Friedrich Karl.
The neo -Byzantine ceiling mosaics of the cupola-crowned Memorial Hall are early works of the church painter and mosaic artist August Oetken, executed by the Company Puhl & Wagner.
Name
William I was also German Emperor King of Prussia since 1861 and since 1871. During the Teltow was referring in his honor on the Prussian royal title, William II congratulated already at the inauguration by telegram to the construction of the " Kaiser- Wilhelm- Tower". This name, sometimes also "Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Tower ", then sat through as a name.
On September 15, 1948, the tower was renamed " Grunewaldturm ".