Fur tower
The Pelzerturm was located on the top of the Steineknipp mountain , which, at 358 m above sea level, is the highest point in the Aachen city forest . The original construction consisted of mighty tree trunks and was erected in 1886 at the suggestion of the chief forester Franz Oster.
On July 14, 1899, the successor to this first tower was inaugurated near the original location. The new tower was built from rubble stones according to a design by the architect Hermann Jansen . Its floor plan was rectangular. It had a one-level vestibule and a double staircase. The tower had a platform with a gallery at a height of 27 m and was 42 m high up to the weather vane. There was a mezzanine floor about halfway up the platform. The roof of the tower was decorated with a turret set on the corner with a pointed roof, which carried a weather vane and lightning rod. From the Pelzerturm there was a view to the city of Stolberg and further to the district of Aachen and into the High Fens . The Pelzerturm with its adjoining outdoor dining area became a popular destination. In addition, until 1945 there was a branch of the Meteorological Observatory Aachen at the foot of the Pelzerturm , which was equipped with an English hut .
The tower was named on March 30, 1915 after Ludwig Pelzer , the former Lord Mayor of Aachen who died on March 1, 1915. In 1944 the fur tower was blown up by American troops. Today scattered stone remains show the former location.
literature
- Peter Hermann Loosen: From old Aachen. Historical sketches or Aachen history in stories. 3rd expanded edition. Aquensia-Klette-Verlag, Aachen 1978, pp. 91-93.
Web links
Coordinates: 50 ° 44 ′ 5 ″ N , 6 ° 4 ′ 23 ″ E