Bismarck Tower (Schoden)
The Bismarck tower on the Geisberg near Schoden is located in the Saarburg association in the Trier-Saarburg district , Rhineland-Palatinate, and is the only Bismarck tower in this district.
It is not clear whether the Bismarck Tower was originally erected as a memorial in honor of the first German Chancellor, Prince Otto von Bismarck , who was dismissed in 1890 . What is certain, however, is that, according to a newspaper report on July 22, 1903, the building, originally called the Domain Tower, was decorated with a portrait of Prince Bismarck and given the name Bismarck Tower. Today the structure serves as an observation tower and offers a panoramic view of the natural oxbow lake and the newly created Saar Canal .
Building history
The construction was suggested by forester Hepp; The building was financed by donations. A vineyard in the south of the Schoden district, sloping steeply towards the Saar, was chosen as the location . Before that there was a shelter for the vineyard workers. In connection with the construction of the Ockfen wine-growing domain , the foundation stone for the tower was laid in September 1902 and the shell was completed in October of the same year. The construction work was completed in April 1903 and the inauguration took place on July 21, 1903. For the inauguration, the tower was given a bronze Bismarck relief on its south side , which was stolen in the mid-1970s and only replaced by a new plaque donated by a Schoden citizen for the 100th anniversary.
The tower is built from slate and reinforcing blocks made from red sandstone . Above a rectangular floor plan, the tower rises on the slope side over several floors to a total height of 5 m. The viewing platform is framed by a medieval-looking crenellated crown that rises above a round arch frieze . Originally the tower had 17 steps leading up to the viewing platform. Due to an embankment, only 14 steps can be seen today. Until 1973, the tower was owned by the State Viticulture Domain. When the interest of the domain administration in the preservation of the building finally declined after repeated damage by strangers, the local community of Schoden acquired the tower with the associated 212 m² site on February 22, 1974 at a price of DM 1,000. On September 8, 2002, the 100th anniversary of the Bismarck Tower was celebrated.
Todays use
The tower is open to visitors and day trippers all year round. It offers a wide view of the lower Saar valley from Saarburg to Wiltingen on the old arm of the Saar and Kanzem on the Saar Canal.
literature
- Ewald Wegner (arrangement): District of Trier-Saarburg. Verbandsgemeinden Hermeskeil, Kell, Konz, Saarburg (= cultural monuments in Rhineland-Palatinate. Monument topography Federal Republic of Germany . Volume 12.1 ). Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Worms 1994, ISBN 3-88462-100-9 , p. 484 .
Web links
- (Bismarck tower Schoden at bismarcktuerme.de)
- Website of the community of Schoden> Culture and leisure> Bismarck tower
Coordinates: 49 ° 37 ′ 48.5 ″ N , 6 ° 34 ′ 42 ″ E