Luitpold Tower

The Luitpold Tower ( also Luitpold tower ) was built in 1909 on the summit of the highest mountains in the Palatinate Forest, the 610 -meter high white mountain as a lookout tower in red sandstone construction.

History and Building

The idea for the construction of the tower was born on 29 May 1895 the General Assembly of the " Gräfensteiner Improvement Society ," had founded the Forest Assessor August Zwissler from glues in 1893. It was decided to build on the Weissenberg an observation tower for its manufacture 8,000 to 10,000 marks were estimated. The necessary funds should the club member Martin solicit Hunter, a well-known under the pseudonym Fritz Claus local poet. Thanks to its commitment to the tower, he could win the founded in Ludwigshafen in 1902 Palatinate Forest Club ( PWV ) for his request. The leadership of the PWV took over the coordination of the project, let the plans by the architect Ludwig Ullmann work out and collected the necessary funds mainly from membership fees. The name struck Karl Albrecht von Ritter, the former chairman of the PWV, before; It was named after Prince Luitpold of Bavaria. In 1908 started the construction of the tower, its opening was then on 26 September 1909. The costs amounted to about 23 000 marks, which, relative to the base year 2000, converted to a sum of about 256 000 euro equivalent. The payment of this amount could be completed in 1911 through the Palatinate Forest Association.

Design (architecture)

The built of hewn sandstone square Luitpold tower consists of a stairway, the actual observation tower and an extension. The building is 34.6 meters high, with the viewing platform 28.5 meters above ground and on it a stair tower with door and slate roof is still attached.

After overcoming the staircase one enters through several window openings well- lit staircase, in which, after 164 steps, the observation deck is reached. Halfway up there is a small alcove with a bench that can be used to rest. The upper portion of the tower is occupied by a spacious room, in the space axis a relatively narrow metal spiral staircase leads to the top. It leaves the staircase turret through a metal door, and finally enters the viewing platform, which is bounded by an approximately waist-high sandstone balustrade with four observation niches. On this parapet total of 12 plaques are mounted since 2002 on a regular basis, on which are concise objectives in the immediate and wider environment of the tower held with distance information.

At the foot of the tower there is an extension, which is intended as a resting place and protection in case of inclement weather. It contains a stone table and benches, also a fireplace and a plaque on which the essential data of the Tower and its architectural history are documented.

Renovation and preservation

The building is since 1993 listed building and was thoroughly renovated in the years 2000 to 2001. The structural analysis of the tower had to be improved and be fed in to the observation deck of a reinforced concrete ceiling. Even on a reconstruction of the iron spiral staircase and a renewal of the roof led 's no way. Overall, the costs amounted to 230 000 euros, almost reaching the amount that was originally required in the construction of the tower. Upon completion of these renovations, the tower could then be passed on 28 August 2001 in a ceremony to the public.

For longer-term maintenance of the tower in 2007, the Luitpold Tower Club, which has set itself the goal to "preserve structural condition of the tower and possibly improve " the "free access to the tower as well unobstructed panoramic view for anyone at any time to ensure " " constituted, and the appreciation of the tower and to keep alive the public his distance vision experience. "

Location and views

The tower stands on the area of ​​the municipality Merzalben in the Palatinate Forest on the highest point of the White Mountain (610 m above sea level. NN ). From Hermersbergerhof the tower is 1.4 km away and can be reached in 10 to 20 minute walk. In good weather, can be from here 457 especially known targets in the Palatinate, identify in Baden-Württemberg, Alsace and the Saarland, where the mounted on the observation deck 12 target plaques can facilitate orientation. You can see for appropriate visibility conditions, for example, Thunder Mountain (42 km distance, visibility opportunity approx. 42%), Kalmit (20 km, view chance about 82 % ), Donon (96 km, view chance about 8%) and Hornisgrinde (77 km, view chance about 14 %).