Blumenthal Observation Tower

The Blumenthal Observation Tower is a 45 metre tall observation tower built of wood in Blumenthal, part of the municipality Heiligengrabe, Brandenburg, Germany.

Overview

The Blumenthal Observation Tower was inaugurated on September 18, 2004, and is the tallest observation tower built of wood in Germany. It is not however the tallest wooden construction built in Germany: the towers of the Brück aerial testing facility, the Rottenbuch Radio Tower, neither of which is accessible for tourists, and the Jahrtausendturm are taller.

The Blumenthal Observation Tower has an observation deck 36.4 metres in height, accessible by 187 stairs. The whole construction weighs 210 tons.

External links

Coordinates: 53°05′29″N 12°20′58″E / 53.09139°N 12.34944°E / 53.09139; 12.34944

Observation tower

An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least 20 metres (65.6 ft) tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches. The towers first appeared in Germany at the end of the 18th century, and their numbers steadily increased, especially after the invention of the elevator.

Observation towers that are used as guard posts or observation posts over an extended period to overlook an area are commonly called watchtowers instead.

Construction and usage

Gyro tower

A gyro tower, or panoramic tower, is an evolution of the observation tower with a vertical moving platform. A gyro tower's observation deck is not simply raised to provide its passengers a spectacular view, it is also rotated around the supporting mast, either once in the raised position or while traveling up and down the center mast.

Gyro towers are seldom part of funfairs but can be found more often in permanent amusement parks. A well-known American gyro tower is the Kissing Tower at Hersheypark.

A special gyro tower is the Space Tower atop the Euromast in Rotterdam. It may be the only gyro tower standing on a roof of a structure and not on the ground.

Notable gyro towers