Wasteland tower

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The Ödenturm over Geislingen

The Ödenturm is a lookout tower on a mountain spur above Geislingen an der Steige on the edge of the Swabian Alb . To this day it is one of the landmarks of the city of Geislingen. The name Ödenturm comes from the word desolate (lonely). A 60 m long and 15 m wide area was artificially created as the location of the tower.

history

Although the tower is closely linked to the history of the neighboring Helfenstein Castle , the time it was built and the purpose for which it was built cannot yet be clearly stated. In 1981, Adelbert Schuholz assumed that the building was to be ascribed to the first quarter of the 15th century in order to increase the defensive value of Helfenstein Castle. Due to the masonry technology used, the tower could also have been built between 1150 and 1250 in the late Staufer era, as the humpback block construction was preferred at that time . The shape would also not be exceptional for the 12th and 13th centuries. However, since the Ödenturm was first mentioned in a document in 1420, this is at least its age. The foundation walls of the tower base are 2.5 meters thick, the height to the top of the tower is 33.4 meters (115 Ulmer Schuh ).

The original entrance was nine meters above the ground and was only accessible by a ladder. The current entrance gate was broken into after the Helfenstein was razed in 1552. From then on, the Ödenturm served as a watchtower for the city of Geislingen. In 1558 a bell was placed on the tower, which rang when there was a fire in the area. In addition, warning shots were fired from a cannon when there was a risk of fire.

In 1802 the city of Ulm ceded the Ödenturm to Bavaria and was supposed to demolish it. At the urgent request of the citizens of Geislingen, however, the Bavarian government decreed that the tower, as a symbol of the whole area, should not be demolished. Eight years later, the Ödenturm became the property of the Württemberg state. On June 16, 1823, the tower became the property of the city of Geislingen through an exchange.

Over the centuries, the desert tower burned down five times by lightning. In the summer of 1669 a tower keeper was killed by lightning. The last major fire was on January 18, 1921, after which the tower helmet, stairs and the tower room were repaired in their current form. The landmarked tower can be climbed today and serves as a lookout tower .

Viewing times

The tower is open from May to October on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be climbed using an internal wooden staircase. Admission is free, donations are requested.

See also

literature

  • Leaflet Ödenturm, City Advertising and Tourism of the City of Geislingen an der Steige
  • Günter Schmitt : Castle Guide Swabian Alb, Volume 1 - Northeast Alb: Hiking and discovering between Aalen and Aichelberg . Biberacher Verlagsdruckerei, Biberach an der Riß 1988, ISBN 3-924489-39-4 , pp. 241-250.

Web links

Commons : Ödenturm  - collection of images

Coordinates: 48 ° 36 ′ 45 "  N , 9 ° 50 ′ 58"  E